What Grooms Can Learn From Michael Scott

[Warning: contains spoilers!]

We've learned a great deal from the employees at Dunder Mifflin (a division of Sabre) paper company over the years. Oscar has taught us about tolerance; Jim's taught us that the nice guy can in fact finish first; and Dwight has given us a swarm of Darwinian survival skills that none of us will ever need in the course of our natural lives.

And now, moments before his grand departure, Michael has taught us something about being a compassionate man and a worthy groom ... a huge step up from lessons in mismanagement, misuse of funds, and inappropriate conduct in office all environments.

This past Thursday, Michael proposed to his not-too-long-time girlfriend Holly, a bold move that still didn’t come off as a surprise considering his impulsive tendencies. What began as a disaster waiting to happen (dousing a parking lot with gasoline) soon became one of the most uniquely simplistic wedding proposals of all time. 

And so -- for grooms out there who are seeking inspiration -- we’ve put together this list of 6 WAYS TO ASK HER TO MARRY YOU AND MAKE IT LOOK EASY LIKE MICHAEL SCOTT.

1. Heed a woman’s advice. If your bride’s best friend Sarah, or your Aunt Honey, or your co-worker Pam pulls you aside and warns you that the “event of the century” that you're cooking up is not really up her alley, take it to heart. There’s no harm intended. Women just happen to know what other women like ... and while your 2Es may find your WWE fascination tolerable, it doesn’t mean she wants Vince McMahon to pop the question on your behalf.

2. Play it cool with ambiguity. “Let’s go for a walk,” Michael insists. “I want to show you some stuff.” Walk where? What stuff? The lingering curiosity will only help build her excitement before the big moment.

3. Involving friends isn’t lame, as long as those friends are clued into what’s happening and play a vital role in the occasion. The entire Dunder Mifflin workforce lined both sides of the break room, and several of them (in turn) asked Holly to marry them. The accomplishment? Their “family” is an integral part of the event, and Michael expresses – quite eloquently, too – that he is the only person for Holly, and she the only one for him.

4. Candles go a long way. Don't forget to light them.

5. Go with the flow, and it that means that you need to get wet, then get wet for chrissake. Use humor, and don’t be afraid to acknowledge the silliness of it all. Proposals can be awkward and clumsy and nerve-wracking. Some things may not go as planned; others may go horribly wrong, and that’s OK. None of us live in a bubble. What’s important is that you embrace that awkwardness, that clumsiness, that horror—and give in to life’s little surprises. You’ll be a bigger man because of it.

6. Overall, just keep it simple. It doesn't have to be hard, and it doesn't even need to last that long. (That's what she said.)