Proposal in Riverside Park New York

Vlad Kolesnikov
Oct 5
2 min read

While New York City is rich with an infinite number of scenic locations for an engagement shoot and proposal there are many hidden gems among the more popular and trendy locations. While many people opt for their session at any number of the infamous central park locations such as Bethesda terrace, the bow bridge or the rock formations by the Columbus circle entrance, many people are unaware of the other park in New York City designed by the same architect, Fredrick Law Olmstead, sitting on the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan. The park stretches from 72nd street on its southern end and reaches as far as 158th st on the northern end. The park has many scenic spots for a romantic proposal or an afternoon getaway, such as the piers by 72nd, the esplanade overlooking the Hudson, the recreation area by riverside south and the soldiers and sailors monument by 89th street or Grants memorial on 96th. There is one location that is even more secluded and unique that sits at the end of the esplanade running from 79th street to 91st. At the very most northern end of the walkway overlooking the Hudson is a small stretch of carefully planted florals and community garden.

As a resident of the upper west side I had long thought of what a photo session there might look like, so when I heard that Adam was planning on proposing to his fiancée Shivani at this beautiful location I was beyond excited. While the day started out sunny there was some rain on the horizon and we had agreed to move the proposal several hours ahead of schedule to avoid the weather.

The proposal went off without a hitch and everything was going well, until about 30 minutes into the engagement session it started to rain. At first it was a gentle trickle of raindrops which can make for some fun photos, but is usually nothing to worry about, however within minutes, what started as a gentle rainfall turned into a torrential downpour, and while we were sheltering under an awning we decided to call it a day, but at the last moment, I am grateful that Adam and Shivani were feeling adventurous enough to do a few romantic photos running around in the rain. It made for some epic Nicholas Sparks type moments and we created a monumental end to Adam & Shivani's proposal shoot.