Capturing the Magic: A Surprise NYC Engagement Proposal at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel

Christopher + Jeanine

As a wedding and engagement photographer, I’ve been lucky enough to capture countless beautiful moments, but every now and then, a surprise proposal comes along that has its own magic. One such moment unfolded recently in front of the iconic Christmas tree at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel—an unforgettable setting for a timeless love story.

The proposal was carefully planned by the groom-to-be, who reached out to me weeks in advance. His vision? To surprise his girlfriend with a proposal in front of the majestic tree, surrounded by the magic of the season. My role? To discreetly capture the anticipation, joy, and love from the shadows until the big moment arrived.

Post-Proposal Bliss

After she said “yes,” we took some post-proposal portraits to seal the memory. The couple posed in front of the sparkling tree, now basking in the excitement of their engagement. The joy was contagious as passersby offered congratulations, and I made sure to capture their genuine reactions and candid moments as they shared the news with loved ones.

The festive surroundings of the Lotte Palace Hotel gave the entire shoot a romantic, fairytale-like quality. The Christmas season, with all its warmth and magic, was the perfect setting for this life-changing moment.

Wrapping Up Our Surprise NYC Engagement Proposal

Photographing surprise proposals is always an adventure, and this one, in particular, was made even more special by the stunning holiday setting. Capturing the joy, love, and holiday magic at the Lotte New York Palace was an experience I’ll never forget, and I’m sure it’s a moment the couple will cherish for the rest of their lives.

If you’re planning a holiday proposal or want to capture a special moment in one of New York City’s iconic locations, I’d love to help you tell your story through my lens. Moments like these deserve to be remembered forever. Contact Me Here

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Several weeks back Jon called me to see if I would be willing to document his proposal to his girlfriend Lisette at The High Line in the heart of the Meat Packing District in New York City. The forecast predicted about a 75% chance of rain, but Jon didn’t mind. I agreed, so a couple of days before, Jon and I met at the planned proposal site to hash out several areas and ideas where I would station myself without Lisette noticing me and to discuss what Jon envisioned his proposal was going to be like. Jon’s plan was to bring Lisette to the Chelsea neighborhood and the High Line after a day at a Gun Show to meet up with Lisette’s sisters Jenelle and Marisa. From there they would all meet up with other family members for dinner. Both sisters didn’t know that there was going to be a proposal as well. The only people who knew about the proposal were Jon, his brother and myself. His brother was advised to be on stand by if we needed to stall.

On the day of the proposal, it rained all morning but when the proposal time came around, the blue skies emerged and boy was it was going to be great! I normally arrive early to get situated, but when I got to the spot, it was sectioned off preventing access. I thought to myself… ok, this was unexpected. I strolled to the second location we planned…. also sectioned off. Keep Out! … Hmmm. We didn’t plan for a third spot so I scrambled a bit. While I was scrambling, I saw Lisette’s sisters coming up. They quietly sat themselves down on the bench not knowing what was about to take place. And because it was scheduled to rain, the High Line was virtually empty. I knew that they noticed me walking around. I also knew that Jon was probably close by. I quickly found a third decent spot and texted the new location information to Jon. Luckily, he was running a bit late and was able to get my text. So we were all set again.

Because Jon was late, Lisette’s sisters had to sit around for a bit. I was sitting around as well, trying to look nonchalant but with barely another soul at the High Line, it was kinda impossible to hide myself from them. Also, I feared that Jon and Lisette would be approaching at any moment. They didn’t know exactly who I was but I knew that they were probably a little creeped out because I was carrying this huge camera and occasionally snapping shots. Eventually, I’m sure they figured it out.
Jon and Lisette finally made it to the new location and the proposal happened without a hitch. And we all officially met.

Below were some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Jenelle and Marissa,
Sorry for creeping you out at first! =)

Congratulations to Lisette and Jon!

© Josh Wong Photography

tags: marriage proposal locations nyc

The post Marriage Proposal at The High Line, New York City appeared first on New York City Wedding Photographer - Josh Wong Photography.