Marriage proposal ideas: 5 best proposal locations in the Bronx

The Bronx is known for its parks ( Van Cortlandt Park, Pelham Bay Park, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Bronx Zoo), the Yankee Stadium, Little Italy neighborhood, and museums (Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum).  This borough is full of hidden gems and perfect for a surprise proposal. So here are the best locations for a marriage proposal in the Bronx:

Bronx Botanical Gardens

The New York Botanical Garden was established in 1891 and contains a landscape with over one million living plants.  The garden is a national historic landmark and the largest garden in the United States.  It is perfect year-round and ideal for surprise marriage proposals. Best locations for a proposal: Azalea Garden, Rose Garden, Lilac Collection, Maple Collection, Native Plant Garden, Ornamental Conifer Collection, Tree Peony Collection, or Daffodil Hill. For indoor proposals – Aquatic Plant House. You can also add a golf cart to drive you around the gardens.

Things to keep in mind: You need to get a special event photography permit. To apply for a permit you need 6 weeks’ notice and the exact proposal location.  The Garden is open 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, and Monday federal holidays.

Our secret proposal photographer will be perfect for this location.

Wave Hill public garden and cultural center

Wave Hill is a real hidden gem of the Bronx. Wave Hill is located in the Riverdale neighborhood and overlooks the Hudson River and New Jersey Palisades. At some point in its history, Theodore Roosevelt’s family lived there during the summers of 1870-1871 and Mark Twain leased it from 19o1 – 1903.  This public garden is perfect for a surprise marriage proposal and engagement photo session. Our professional photographer knows all the best spots in the garden.

Best places to propose: Wave Hill Pergola, The Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory, The Perennial Flower Garden, and Glyndor House.

Things to keep in mind:  You need to apply for a permit in order to have a professional photographer present at the proposal. Wave Hill is asking to apply for the permit at least 2 weeks in advance.

Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum

The Bartow–Pell Mansion is a historic museum located in the northern portion of Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, NY.   It is the last surviving major mid-19th century country estate house in the Pelham Bay area. The Bartow-Pell Mansion is known for its stunning gardens, carriage house, and museum events. If you are looking for a place that is both historic and unknown, this location would be perfect. You will need to apply for a special event photography permit in order to have your engagement session on the mansion grounds. This location doesn’t allow any decorations, so our photo and video crew would be there to document the event. 

City Island

This is the island you never thought you need to visit. Located at the western end of Long Island Sound, south of Pelham Bay and east of Eastchester Bay. It is known for its seafood restaurants, yacht clubs, and antique stores.

Best options for a surprise proposal: rent a boat and propose during the sunset with the city views, a picnic proposal at the Harbor, an intimate proposal at the art gallery center, or a candlelight proposal at the beach.

City Island is known for its food, so make sure you book a table at the local seafood restaurant.

Little Italy Bronx

Arthur Avenue is a street in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, which is known as the Bronx’s “Little Italy”.This area has an Italian immigrant heritage that dates back to the 1850s. You can find world-class restaurants, high-quality artisanal food shops, and specialty stores carrying handmade local and imported items from Italy. This neighborhood is also known for its filming locations, you can see it in such movies as “The Godfather: Part II”, “The Sopranos”, ‘ The Bronx Tale’. And of course, the San Gennaro festival is also a big multi-day celebration here.

The best restaurants to propose will be Emilia’s, Zero Otto Nove, Enzo’s

Most of the restaurants have a wine cellar, which would be ideal for a surprise proposal.

The Bronx is a very vibrant and still underrated borough in NYC.  It is home to the most beautiful gardens in the city and hidden museums. If you are planning to propose in the Bronx and don’t know which locations to choose, contact us directly at head@proposal007.com and our experienced team will help you to plan the most unforgettable marriage proposal experience.

Tatiana Caicedo