Proposing to girlfriend NYC Archives

NYC Mini Golf Marriage Proposal

Harris’s marriage proposal took place as the site of his very first date with his girlfriend, Tara, Mini Golfing at Chelsea Piers. Tara, thought it was a regular date night and a fun idea to go mini golfing, but she had no idea that Harris planned to propose there. I pretended to be working at the Mini Golf center blending into the atmosphere as much as possible, but I was really there to secretly photograph Harris’s proposal. After a few holes, Harris dropped to his knee when Tara least expected it, right there on the mini golf green, with a gorgeous view of the Freedom Tower behind him. A mini golf marriage proposal is a great way to have fun and feel relaxed even though you’ll be proposing. Harris was a smooth operator and showed no sign of nervousness. I loved the way Harris combined an activity they loved as a couple with an homage to their first date together. Often proposals go in one of two directions, a totally new experience where you create a new memory in a new place, or the proposal revisits a sentimental location and the proposal marks an additional milestone in your relationship. – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Governor’s Island Picnic Surprise Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Kevin proposed over a casual Sunday picnic on Governors Island, an interesting little pocket of land just a short ferry ride from lower Manhattan. It was a warm August Sunday and the perfect day for a quiet picnic in the park. I spied on Kevin and his future fiancé in the moments before Kevin proposed, photographing them discreetly. When he dropped to his knee she was so shocked and excited and amazed he pulled off a picnic in the park and having a photographer there to capture it. Once I revealed myself, we spent some time strolling around the lush and green park getting some nice engagement photos. It was such a pleasure photographing this relaxed, late summer afternoon proposal for Kevin and his stunning fiancé! – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Times Square Billboard Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Ryan contacted me nearly a year in advance to make sure he could lock in the date of Christmas Eve in order to propose to the love of his life during their trip to NYC. Ryan and Elisa are from Perth, Australia. Ryan told me he saw Elisa walking on a beach back home and said to his friend “That’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’m going to marry her”.

Ryan wanted to really WOW Elisa, so chose to propose to Elisa on a Times Square Billboard. The Times Square Billboard Proposal is one of the most amazing ways to proclaim your love and create a moment that feels straight out of a movie. There are 50,000 people who walk through Times Square each day, so proposing on a billboard in the center of Times Square really feels like your marriage proposal is for the whole world to see. Ryan took Elisa to the center of Times Square on one of the warmest Christmas Eve evening I can ever remember. I waited for them to approach and captured those moments before Elisa looked up and saw her name in lights on a billboard in the middle of times Square featuring a picture of her and the words “Will You Marry me Elisa”. She turned to Ryan and there he was on his knee proposing to her. She was WOW-ed. The Perth Times loved this proposal so much they covered it in a Newspaper article you can see here…

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/perth-romeo-ryan-veitch-puts-partners-name-up-in-lights-at-new-yorks-times-square-for-epic-proposal/news-story/877c5a996f371ba54e5cd853bf90e55e

If you would like to propose in the middle of Times Square on a Billboard like Ryan, feel free to get in touch so I can help you make it happen! :) I offer Billboard Marriage Proposal packages to rent a Billboard in the middle of Times Square with a message of your choice and capture your engagement with photography. – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

The Most Romantic Library Surprise Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Paras’s proposal is one of my all time favorite proposals, because Paras carefully considered what his girlfriend would like and tailored it to her interests. Paras told me his girlfriend loves books and said he’d like to propose in a library but he wasn’t sure about doing it in an actual Library because there are restrictions and you need certain permission. I found Paras the perfect location to achieve the library feel for his proposal without having to deal with permits or cranky librarians. We settled on a beautiful, sunny, Library Bar room where he could have a leisurely a late afternoon drink with his girlfriend and discreetly hide one of her favorite books in plain sight. Since Paras’s future fiancé’s favorite book of all time is Jane Eyre, Paras knew hshe saw Jane Eyre on the shelf she would without a doubt pull it down off the shelf. Paras was certain should would fall into his trap and she did! I watched from a nearby table with a large newspaper obscuring my face and camera (like the spy proposal photographer I am) and saw Paras’s future fiancé pull the book down from the shelf. She opened the book and out spilled paper hearts from a larger heart cut into the book with a photo of them and a written dedication from Paras. She looked up at Paras, in awe of the book and there he was down on his knee proposing to her. It was beautiful. You don’t need a circus to make a great proposal (unless your girlfriend LOVES the circus) just a lot of heart.

by Ash Fox

Central Park Autumn Bow Bridge Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Austin proposed to his now fiancé, Amber, on a warm autumn afternoon. If Autumn is your favorite time of year, Central Park really showcases the beauty of the season to it’s fullest. I suggested the Bow Bridge as one of my favorite classic spots in the park. Amber (no that isn’t Jessica Alba!) was so surprised and elated when Austin dropped to his knee in front of the amazing view of the bridge. They were visiting the city from Florida, so Austin wanted a spot that would capture the unique character of Central Park. I was thrilled to be there to witness and photograph this couple’s magic moment!

by Ash Fox

Saks Fifth Avenue Window Display Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL TIPS & ADVICE

Spencer’s marriage proposal to Samantha was a fairytale brought to life. He brilliantly came up with the perfect proposal ideas for his gorgeous fiancé-to-be Samantha. Samantha loves fairytales and this year Saks Fifth Avenue’s incredible window display was a fairytale theme with each window representing a different story like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Little Red Raiding Hood to name a few. I’ve seen so many displays but these were truly outstanding. Spencer took Samantha to check out the window displays. It was exciting enough to just be in NYC seeing the amazing windows, but Spencer had a surprise up his sleeve. They stood online and strolled together ooo-ing and ah–ing over the amazing windows. When they reached the last window it displayed the greatest fairytale of all! A large customized sign asking Samantha to marry him. As soon as she saw the window he dropped to his knee and popped the question. Spencer is a real life Prince Charming! I’m so thrilled for this sweet couple! Wishing them happily ever after!

The awesome proposal website How He Asked also did a cool feature on this proposal. You can check it out here: http://howheasked.com/saks-fifth-avenue-window-proposal

by Ash Fox

Rockefeller Christmas Tree Proposal at the Skating Rink

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Where is the best view of the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center? Answer: The skating rink!

I’ve photographed more than 50 proposals at the Rockefeller Center Skating Rink. It is by far THE best place to get a gorgeous unobstructed view of the Christmas Tree when proposing. I love shooting at the rink. It’s so magical watching the ice rink clear and for the couple to be left alone in the center of the rink surrounded by the famous flags and the historic Rockefeller Christmas Tree. It’s always a fun challenge photographing on the ice without slipping.

Photographing Scott and Ali’s proposal at Rockefeller Center felt like I was watching the most romantic movie. I captured them discreetly as they skated around the rink to their favorite song. Then Scott got down on his knee and proposed to Ali. It was stunning!

If you’re thinking of proposing at the ice skating rink in Rockefeller Center I would love to photograph it for you and provide all my best tips and tricks for your proposal to go perfectly smooth. There can be many moving parts, but I want to make to make it a breeze for you. Feel free to email me and I will help you come up with an awesome plan for carrying out your surprise proposal on the skating rink and getting gorgeous pictures of the moment.

– Ash Fox

“I surprised my girlfriend with a trip to NYC for our engagement last December. Ali had never before been to New York and she fell in love with the vibrant feel of the City. After a few amazing days of romantic dinners, a Broadway Show, Christmas Spectacular, a walking tour of the city and endless shopping, the highlight was proposing to Ali on the ice at the Rockefellar Center beneath the recently lit Rockefellar Christmas Tree. I found Ash via her website a month or so prior to our trip and asked if she could help “capture the moment.” Ash was outstanding. Her pictures were stunning and her efforts to aid me in my planning of the weekend were beyond the call of duty. She is a true professional. She stayed out of view (so as not to ruin my surprise) and took really nice photos of Ali and I just skating around “having a good time” prior to the proposal, which captured the feel of the night. And then her photos as I knelt down to propose and thereafter were spectacular. I am so glad I contacted her. I would recommend her with the highest conviction. Thanks Ash. Phenomenal job. And as a quick update…Ali and I are now married…and hope to visit NYC again this December to recapture the moment. Cheers!.” -Scott M.

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by Ash Fox

Private NYC Rooftop Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Guys and gals ask me all the time where they can propose with an amazing view of NYC, but without the crowds of tourists. There are so many great options I recommend depending on the couple, their personal style and interests, but one great idea for an intimate proposal is to do it atop a gorgeous, private New York City rooftop. The rooftop can be an event space, the rooftop of an office building, the balcony of a hotel suite, or even the private rooftop of a NYC resident. A rooftop is a fantastic place for a proposal because of the incredible scenic background.

I loved photographing this gorgeous proposal for Adrian and his stunning fiancé! Adrian booked the rooftop, decorated it with sentimental photographs that chronicled his relationship with his fiancé and had a violinist there playing their favorite song. He proposed with a breathtaking view of the Empire State Building in the background. This view is totally unique and special for them because it’s a private space, so the pictures they have are even more personalized.

A rooftop proposal is a great way to avoid crowds, and have a very private and unique experience. You can even set up a table in chairs and order delivery from your favorite restaurant to top off the night. :)

– Ash Fox

Feel free to email me about our new Full Service Rooftop Proposal Packages

Including…

photography
exclusive private and semi private location recommendations and booking
live musicians
decorations (rose petals, LED candle lights)
video
champagne
roses

by Ash Fox

East Village Hotel Rooftop Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Ravi chose the perfect spot for his proposal, a place that held sentimental value for him and his gorgeous fiance-to-be. This was not just any hotel rooftop, it overlooked the neighborhood where he and his gal had lived and shared many memories, like running together through the east village. Ravi proposed during golden hour, those sacred minutes of golden light, when the sun is low in the sky and gives everything the most lovely glow. This is really the ideal time to choose when planning your proposal if you’d like to have the most spectacular colors and flattering light in your photos. During the summer in NYC if you’re proposing I suggest around 7pm EST as the perfect time if you’re looking for golden halos and sunsets to set the mood :)

I love the SIXTY LES Hotel, located on the lower east side in Manhattan (just in case you weren’t sure what “LES” stood for…here in NYC we love acronyms). About three years, ago my friend hosted a party every Friday night on the rooftop at 60 LES hotel and my friends and I would dance to a mix of Elvis, The Clash, and Blondie. The hotel is elegant, but with a downtown edge. For this cool, young couple, the SIXTY LES here in New York was a perfect fit. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a beautiful, friendly, and accommodating location for a rooftop proposal. – Ash Fox Proposal Photographer

by Ash Fox

Brooklyn Bridge Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Scott’s proposal was likely one of the most epic strolls of his lifetime, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The trek isn’t nearly as short as one might think, and it can be quite crowded. Watch out for the bike riders! They will aggressively ring their bells, yell or at best grimace if you walk in the bike lane. Stay in your lane and it’s so worth it if you’ve never been. The architecture of the bridge + sunset + views of NYC and Brooklyn make it the perfect romantic activity. It was doubly worth the walk for Scott’s girlfriend! When Scott came to end of the bridge he dropped down to his knee shocking his future fiancé. She was ecstatic. I live for these moments of surprise. It was truly a golden moment with the sun ablaze gleaming over this glowing couple. :) – Ash Fox

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by Ash Fox

Metropolitan Museum of Art Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

James and his girlfriend Kathryn live in Connecticut. Kathryn is currently getting her PHD in archeology, so James planned the perfect proposal in front of the Temple of Dendur inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Egyptian wing and of course I was there to secretly photograph it! This open space is gorgeous and full of light. This room perfectly marries ancient and modern with the Temple of Dendur set inside the large contemporary space with it’s rectangular pool and large slanted windows. My eyes always fall right into the reflection of the shadowy figures in the pool. I’m a sucker for reflected images of couples. The Metropilotian Museum of Art was a perfect location choice for James, because it put Kathryn right in her element. James and Kathryn made an elegant couple strolling around the museum. I watched as Kathryn showed James around the gallery pointing and explaining different pieces. She reminded me of myself wandering around the MOMA, challenging myself to guess the names of the artists without looking at the wall plaques. I would most definitely fail at this little game here inside the Met. Before entering the Temple of Dendur, James dropped to his knee. Kathryn’s reaction was awesome. How lovely is it to propose in a museum! I generally like to use museum’s as backups plans in case of rain, but if the girl you’re proposing to has an affinity for history and/or art it makes for the perfect spot. – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Castle Proposal

PROPOSAL TIPS & ADVICE

This proposal ranks as one of the most original and romantic proposals I’ve shot! Chris knew that his girlfriend loved castles and fairytales and created a real life fairytale for Nicole. He just blew her away with this epic proposal, complete with a violinist playing their song Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” softly in the background. I had an amazing time shooting this proposal for them. Here’s Chris’s testimonial : “I hired Ash to capture a very special moment – my proposal to my girlfriend (she said yes!). Ash was a total pro and extremely easy to work with – she helped me plan out the best way to get her involved unbeknownst to my girlfriend, and captured every moment of the proposal. Our friends and family are obsessed with the photos – thanks for everything”! – Chris M