Natalie and Jason got engaged in Central Park in June 2016. Then they got married under Bethesda Terrace in Central Park in November 2017. Jason planned it all to intricate detail, booked a photographer to capture the moment, and made sure Natalie would look fabulous for the event, without giving too much away. They had discussed marriage before, and they knew they were going to get married one day, but they had been dating for five years by the time Jason popped the question, so Natalie said that it felt like it was a long time coming!
Jason asked one of Natalie’s friends to plan a nail appointment with her earlier in the day, and as luck would have it, Natalie decided on a whim to make it a day of pampering and got her hair cut that morning too. Jason did tell her that he would have a surprise for her that day, and she should wear something nice.
Jason had a ring, which he had bought himself. “I had been hinting (and NOT subtly) at which ring I would want basically since we started dating, so he had an idea, but he still somehow managed to exceed my expectations!” said Natalie. She loves her ring, which has an emerald cut diamond, which is tricky to get right for a potential fiancé because you have to get the ratio of the sides just right!
So, after the nail appointment, Jason started to give Natalie step by step instructions on how to get to him. First he told her which train to go and which stop to get off at, then which bar to go to for a quick drink, then to walk in to Central Park and then directions of where to go in the park. “By that point I had a VERY good idea of what he was up to,” said Natalie. “It was honestly the most exciting experience I could have ever imagined. It made it so much more fun to be anticipating the proposal and not knowing when he was going to do it, or where!” Natalie does love surprises, though; she loves an exciting build-up.
Central Park is of course a very public place, and Jason had originally intended to propose on Bow Bridge, which is a popular spot for proposals, due to its beautiful view. But when he got there and saw how busy it was, he decided against it. He knows that Natalie is quite shy and would feel very self-conscious if he proposed there in front of all those people. So, he decided to move to a spot right by the water, close to Bow Bridge, in a secluded area off from the main pathway. Jason had photographer Jakub Redziniak in place to capture the moment.
They were in a fairly private spot as Jason popped the question and the couple say that they felt like it was just the two of them until Natalie said yes and they kissed. “Actually, I said ‘finally!’ but ya know!” laughed Natalie. Then the people who were in rowboats on the Lake clapped and cheered. “I felt so comfortable during the proposal, since I didn’t realize anyone was watching,” said Natalie, “and then after I had accepted, it was so amazing to get that reaction and know that other people were almost as excited as I was” she said.
The photographer, Jakub came out of his hiding place after Natalie had accepted and he took them for an engagement photo session afterwards. They were able to get plenty of posed shots in that public area on Bow Bridge. So, they got the best of both worlds – a private proposal and also photos with the iconic backdrop of Bow Bridge, and at Bethesda Terrace, where they would later get married. “I feel like you can tell from the pictures just how happy and excited we were,” said Natalie. “We are smiling from ear to ear in literally every single picture!”
Once their engagement photo shoot was finished, the couple met up with Natalie’s friend who she had had her nails done with earlier and her boyfriend for celebratory drinks. After that they went to dinner at The Russian Tea Rooms, because Jason knew that it was a restaurant Natalie had always wanted to go to. Then they ended the night by staying at Gramercy Park Hotel, which was also on Natalie’s NYC bucket list.
And, a little over a year later, they got married in Central Park. They live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, so it seemed like the perfect choice for them. For more information to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding, visit our website, or “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest where you will find lots of lovely photos and many more inspiring stories of real proposals and weddings.
