NYC: Central Park Proposal Photos

Photos of a Central Park NYC Proposal

Welcome to my blog, where I write and share photos of an epic proposal in Central Park, NYC! I am a couple, wedding, and boudoir photographer in Jersey City, and I travel to NYC for photo sessions and weddings many times a year. Even though they are nerve-racking, I love photographing proposals!

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Where to propose to my partner in Central Park

In this blog, this proposal happened near Gapstow Bridge just around two hours before sunset. I recommend this location as it’s an easy-to-find spot walking about 5 minutes from The Plaza Hotel to the Gapstow Bridge. I also love it since the background won’t have people photo-bombing. The obvious con of this location is that it’s a touristy area and a lot of foot traffic on the path. If your proposal is anything like this, you will see how many waited and watched it happen in Central Park by the Gapstow Bridge.

The proposal plan

Mathew reached out to me weeks to plan from Florida. He planned to propose to his long-distance girlfriend living in New York. They usually fly to see each other twice a month (every other weekend) but he fooled her when he said he couldn’t make it twice in a row, even though it was her graduation party weekend! Hours before she is walking through central park, her mother leaves a brand new white midi dress on her bed to tell her to wear it to her graduation dinner in Central Park. Her sister also asked her to go get her nails done with her. Her family got her prepared for the proposal without her knowing yet.

I arrived about an hour earlier than Mathew to set up rose petals shaped like a heart to mark his spot to propose. I also brought battery-operated candles. Mathew hired a lovely and talented violinist, Tiffany, to perform some Ed Sheeran hits they love. As we waited for the fiance-to-be’s arrival, a crowd of tourists and New Yorkers swarmed the walkway and surrounding areas to glimpse the proposal! It was wild!

Her answer to him popping the question was a happy scream, “About damn time!”

After the proposal, we had about an hour to walk around Gapstow Bridge to Bethesda Terrace to take engagement photos before they went to their dinner.