Best Places to Propose in Central Park
From Bow Bridge to the Baseball Fields, get the inside scoop on the best places to propose in Central Park, from the leading national surprise engagement photography company, Paparazzi Proposals!
We’ve shot over one hundred proposals in New York, and more than half of them have taken place in Central Park. It’s easy to see why: it’s scenic, it’s accessible, and it offers something for everyone.
To make picking the right proposal spot just a bit easier, we’ve selected 10 of our favorite Central Park engagement locations that are certain to capture your partner’s heart!
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Bow Bridge
Bow Bridge is one of the most highly photographed places in Central Park, and a favorite proposal location both on-screen and off! Take a horse and carriage to nearby Bethesda Fountain and walk the short distance from there to the Bridge. Admire the rowboats in the spring and summer, and the Fifth Avenue skyline peaking above the treetops in the winter, before you pop the question. Our discreet proposal photographer will capture photos of you down on one knee before joining you for an incredible engagement session!
Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill is the perfect place for a romantic picnic proposal! The hill is accessible, but slightly off the beaten path, and has gorgeous views of Bow Bridge, the Central Park Lake, and the Manhattan skyline. Convince your honey to go for a walk in the park, and happen upon a picnic, complete with small bites and a bottle of champagne for you to share a toast after the big ask! Romantic, low-key luxury.
Check out the gorgeous park picnic proposal package Eugene booked for his Cherry Hill engagement.
The Ramble
Get the outdoorsy engagement you want without traveling upstate! The noise of the city fades away in this small wooded area, as do the crowds. Also worth noting: the secluded forrest has evergreen trees that make for great engagement photos no matter the time of year. Pop the question on Oak Bridge for a picture perfect moment.
Gapstow Bridge
Get creative with a Gapstow Bridge engagement with a proposal in front of the bridge, instead of on it. The narrow bridge gets easily crowded, so proposing in front of it is a way to keep your engagement a bit more private. Not to mention, having the stone arch in the backdrop of your proposal is absolutely gorgeous. Paul had the right idea– watch his entire engagement unfold in his proposal slideshow!
Central Park Ice Rink
Nothing says classic romance like a wintry engagement on the ice rink in Central Park! Central Park is one of our favorite places for an ice skating marriage proposal because it’s less crowded than the Rock Center rink and makes for a more peaceful engagement.
Belvedere Castle
Start your happily ever after with a fairytale marriage proposal at Belvedere Castle. This hidden treasure in Central Park is an incredible and often overlooked place to propose. Start off your storybook engagement by taking in the stunning 360-degree views of the park. When the time is right, drop to one knee and propose!
Central Park Boulder
Climb to the top of one of the natural rock formations in Central Park for a proposal with an incredible view. Elevated above the crowds, There are several notable rock formations in the Park, and an experienced proposal planner will know exactly where to guide you for your picture-perfect moment.
Check out Tommy’s full proposal slideshow to view their post-proposal engagement session!
The Central Park Baseball Fields
The Baseball Fields are the perfect place to propose in the summer months! Invite your special someone to toss the ball, swapping out the regular baseball for one with a special proposal message, like Adam did! His slides
Bethesda Fountain
Capture your partner’s heart in the heart of Central Park with a proposal at Bethesda Fountain, a trusted favorite for Central Park engagements for its scenery and accessibility. For some added romance, have a horse and carriage pick you up and deliver the two of you to the fountain! After you propose, walk to gorgeous Bethesda Terrace for a picturesque engagement session and finish it all off with a trip to the boathouse for a celebratory toast!
The Mall
Last but not least, The Mall. This iconic proposal spot has made it into just about every romantic New York dramedy to grace the silver screen, a detail that will not be lost on your soon-to-be fiancee. The trees lining the walkway perfectly frame surprise engagement photos. A truly stunning place to propose, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing!
There you have it! The best places to pop the question in Central Park, from quiet to iconic and everything in between. If you’d like to chat about planning and capturing your own picture-perfect Park proposal, give us a call to chat with one of our proposal experts. Or, if you know you want to propose in New York but you’re not quite sure a park proposal is your style, head to our New York City proposal page for the ultimate guide on where and how to propose in NYC. There, you’ll find proposal photography from our most recent engagements, and proposal packages designed for stress-free New York proposal planning!