Should I propose to my girlfriend?

This is a question that those in even the most stable and long-term of relationships will ask themselves, so if you've only been together for a short while, it will no doubt seem like a tough one to answer.

I qualified as the former, having been with my girlfriend even longer than Prince William and Kate Middleton were before they got engaged (eight-and-a-half years to be precise). We were also living together, so even though I had a few moments of doubt, I was pretty confident of the outcome. Saying that, the stakes were high, as a 'no' would have been pretty disastrous for our relationship!

For those in the latter category, you may have less to lose (you may not be living together etc.), but you will also be far less confident of getting the right answer.

So, should you propose to your girlfriend?

First and foremost, guard against a lust-fuelled decision. Those early months of a relationship are like a night on the sparkling – heady and fun-filled – and are not representative of the lifetime commitment a proposal warrants.

Ask yourself some basic questions. Do I have a relationship with her family? Could we live together? Do we trust each other? Do we want the same things in life? The answer to all of these should be 'yes'.

Timing is also important. One of the reasons I waited longer than I might have is because proposing during university or while living at home didn't make sense. We had no money and no privacy – hardly conducive to married life.

All this being said, ultimately you should feel the answer to this question – it's one that should come from the heart. Deep down you'll know if she's the one. If she is your soul mate, you'll be more focussed on making sure she remembers the proposal forever than worrying about whether she's going to say 'yes'.