Winter in New York is always magical and its that time of the year, when love is all around us. It’s also engagement season, when every couple begins a new chapter and shares their own unique story of how the proposal happened.
‘ Shane and I have an interesting story in terms of how we met! I was getting ready to graduate from Clemson University, and was going through the interview process with my current company when Shane actually interviewed me! It was one of those “love at first sight” moments, but the company has a strict “no dating” rule, so I decided to suppress my feelings and focus on my career. Not long after I started, I realized I had actually chosen to live in the same neighborhood as Shane (unknowingly) after a co-worker asked me to help watch his 3 lb teacup maltese while he was out of town!
From there, our love story began to unfold as Shane started to pursue me with dinner invites, offers to run the rail trail at 5 am, and sweet little nothing texts in the evening! I kept telling myself this was a really bad idea seeing as I had just started a new job that I actually really liked. But, as love would have it – it wasn’t enough to stop us. For a year and a half we secretly dated, told our friends stories about why we weren’t going on dates or seeing anyone of interest etc. I think people definitely had their speculations, however, neither one of us wanted to leave the company so we chose to ride it out.
In May of 2015, Shane was invited to a co-workers wedding and didn’t want to attend without me. At this point, we were prepared to face the consequences at work for our relationship, and chose to attend the wedding together when to our surprise, my boss said he had been waiting for that day for far too long! It felt like a massive weight was lifted off our shoulders, and I honestly wanted to shout it from the rooftops! Finally, we could tell our friends, post pictures on social media, talk about our vacations and then some! To this day, we both still work for the same company, and couldn’t be happier to be engaged!! ‘
‘Shane and I absolutely love to travel! We are blessed with lots of air miles and hotel points due to our jobs, which allows us to see the world together. With that being said, I had never been to New York City at Christmas and was begging him to take me! Shane is from upstate New York, and goes to the city for work almost weekly. So, I proposed meeting him there after work one Friday. In true Shane fashion, he booked a hotel and flights without me knowing and told me to “pack my bags, we’re going to NYC!” on FaceTime about a week before the trip! I felt like a kid in a candy store! I immediately was thinking about what to wear, where to eat, monuments to see etc. Upon arrival in NYC, we checked in at the JW Marriott Essex House, quickly changed our clothes and headed to Nobu. Before leaving for Nobu, Shane mentioned he forgot toothpaste and was going to the front desk to grab some. Little did I know, the hotel manager actually had my ring, and Shane was going downstairs to get it from her! Saturday we woke up to NYC’s first snow of the season!
The ground was totally covered, and it was so beautiful! I couldn’t wait to get outside and explore! We hopped around 5th Avenue for awhile, had coffee at Ralphs, and then Shane suggested a carriage ride around Central Park. At the end of the ride, he asked our tour guide to take us by Gapstow Bridge. However, the tour guide mentioned the tour was over, and Gapstow bridge was not apart of his stops. Yikes! Shane knew we had to get to this bridge, so he typed it into his phone and the bridge was a 29 minute walk from us. At this point, our fingers and toes were numb, so I questioned whether or not this was a “must see”. Shane told me his mom had taken a picture in front of that very bridge as a child and she really wanted a picture of him in front of it too, so yes – we had to walk there! This was actually a total fabrication, but the perfect cover up for getting me to trek through 29 minutes of ice and slush in my favorite black booties.
As we approach the bridge, a woman asked us if we wanted her to take our picture! This was random, but I was all for it! After she handed me my camera back, I asked Shane if he wanted me to take his picture for him for his mother, when he said “yes, but I have to ask you a question.” With welled up eyes, he had a small speech about this year and our relationship over the last 3.5 years, and proceeded to get down on one knee in the snow to ask me to marry him!’
Where to propose in NY during the Holidays?
New York transforms into a real winter fairytale during the holidays. Every corner of New York glows with fairy lights and Christmas trees, so the entire city becomes a magical backdrop for a marriage proposal. Here are our favorite proposal locations in NY during the holiday season.
Rockefeller Plaza
This is a place to be during the holidays. You have: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, ice rink, Top of the Rock, private rooftop garden and art installations on the 5th avenue. This plaza has everything you need for a perfect Christmas proposal. Dont forget to hire a secret proposal photographer to capture the big surprise.
A proposal at Rockefeller Plaza during Christmas is pure New York magic. It is timeless, emotional, and unforgettable. With the right timing and planning, it becomes not just a proposal, but a story you’ll tell for the rest of your lives.
The Lotte Palace
Just a few blocks away, this stunning hotel has the most luxurious Christmas decor both inside and in the courtyard. In the hotel lobby, you can see a grand staircase covered in lights and ornaments, beautiful chandeliers and that old New York charm. Outside, its the most spectacular Christmas tree. Both options are ideal for surprise proposals! Our photo and video team will be there for that ring reveal.
Central Park
If you are really lucky, you might find this beautiful park covered in snow and it’s just an ideal setting for a Hallmark proposal. The best areas to look for around the park, will be: Gapstow Bridge, Bow Bridge, Bethesda Terrace fountain and Wagner cove. To have a full day experience at the park, enjoy the ice skating at the Wollman ice rink and have dinner at the Tavern on the Green. Besides the beautiful scenery, Central Park also has lots of semi-private gazebos, that are perfect for decorated proposal. Our ‘ premium light the night‘ , ‘ Beauty and the Beast ‘ themed decor and ‘ Harry Potter ‘ inspired decor are ideal for the winter park proposals.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Another great location for a grand proposal. This park is absolutely beautiful and has the most dramatic views of the Brooklyn Bridge Park and Manhattan skyline. It is a very popular tourist destination area, so be prepared to propose with people around. Our ‘ marry me ‘ sign proposal setup is one of the most iconic ways to pop the question in that area. Be aware, that we need 21 day notice to get a permit for this location.
Private rooftop
To avoid the crowds, go with the private venue. It is a perfect choice for clients, who want to personalize and decorate the space the way they want to. Bold ‘ Marry Me’ letters, flower arches, custom floral decorations and close friends and family – thats what makes private rooftops so appealing. We have more than 10 different venues to choose from, located in the Midtown area, Soho and Dumbo. Surprise your partner with the marriage proposal of her dreams.
Things to remember when you planning your Christmas proposal in NY
- Plan ahead. December in NY is really busy, there lots of things going on and you really need to book everything in advance.
- It is an engagement season, so step away from the cliches and come up with a unique idea of how you want to do it. Contact a nyc proposal planner to bring your vision to life.
- Make sure you have the ring ready 2-3 months ahead of time.
- Choose a private location. People from all over the world are coming to NY during the Holidays, so avoid the crowds.
- Share joy with the family.
If you planning to propose this Holiday season and don’t know where to start, contact us directly at head@proposal007.com and our experienced team will help you to create the marriage proposal of their dreams.
Tatiana Caicedo
