New York Public Library Proposal Tips

For all you starry-eyed readers out there, the headquarters of the New York Public Library is undoubtedly the dream location for your surprise proposal. The beautiful architectural details of this Fifth Avenue building are simply swoon worthy and the perfect background for popping the question. From indoor and outdoor library locations, to where to go after your proposal, this blog post will have all the fine print you need to successfully ‘plight your troth’ (i.e., propose) in the Shakespearean sense. So, read on, young lovers!

Meet Sarah and Nick

Let’s start with an introduction to Sarah and Nick, the quintessential lovestruck leads in this tale. These two met online nearly two years ago. And while they haven’t been dating for that long, in the words of Nick, it seems like their lives have been circling each other for quite a while. It turns out they have mutual friends and interests, and at one point or another nearly missed meeting each other many years ago. You can’t get more romantic than that.

Choosing the Perfect Spot

Sarah is an English teacher, and both Sarah and Nick are huge fans of the Harry Potter franchise. So, of course, the epic Stephen A. Schwarzman building was the perfect proposal location. Nick was looking for a place inside the library that offered a bit of privacy, but without a very expensive photo permit in hand, any indoor library location was out of the question. Nick instead chose to get down on one knee in front of the south fountain.

A Proposal…with a Twist

To get Sarah to come to the city from Westchester involved an elaborate ruse. Nick told Sarah that they had been invited to view a play in the city put on by mutual friends. Nick brought along some ‘books’ to give to his friend who was a fellow Harry Potter-phile. So Sarah got all dressed up, and they headed out the door.

With a little bit of time to kill before the ‘play,’ Nick brought Sarah to her favorite spot in the city – the New York Public Library. They casually strolled up the stairs of the building before stopping in front of the ‘Beauty’ fountain. Here, Nick invited Sarah to take part in an Italian ritual. He instructed her to turn around, close her eyes, and throw a coin into the fountain for good luck. Sarah fell for it, and with her eyes closed, Nick dropped down to one knee. She opened her eyes to see Nick holding a very special edition of Harry Potter – this version included an engagement ring tied up in a bow. Allow me to spoil the plot for you: Sarah said ‘yes’ to her beloved.

The Plot Thickens…

Nick’s proposal to Sarah was very much an only in New York moment. After Sarah said ‘yes,’ we immediately heard applause. There was a group of young guys right behind the couple who had been simply sitting on the stairs minding their own business. Once they noticed what was going on in front of them, they were so excited.

But before Nick even had a chance to propose, there was plenty of action going on in front of the library. While I was waiting for the couple to arrive, a Chinese film crew shot some scenes on the sidewalk. Then all hell broke loose when a Ghostbusters flash mob arrived with about 50 people in full cosplay mode. They were there to celebrate the 37th year of the film. Again, only in New York.

New York Public Library Proposal Tips

Nick’s proposal to Sarah went off without a hitch, but there was plenty of planning ahead of time. Here are the lessons to take away from our photo shoot.

The New York Public Library is a very busy place. The proposal happened on a Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. In case you were not aware, this is prime tourist time. The steps and sidewalk in front of the library were chock-a-block with people, and it was a madhouse the entire time we were there – both inside and outside. If you want to have the steps of the library all to yourself, then schedule your proposal or engagement portrait early in the morning on a weekday.

Don’t miss the bronze doors. The Stephen A. Schwarzman building features beautiful bronze doors on the front and north facades. But these stunning architectural details are only accessible when the library is closed. Don’t expect anyone to shut the doors for your shoot when the library is open.

Photography inside the library is severely limited. Once upon a time, in the pre-Covid era, the library reading rooms were much more accessible. Tourists could go into the Rose Main Reading Room or the research rooms just to view the books. All of these spaces are now closed to visitors, and only accessible if you are there to actually read. The photo from Michelle and Jason’s engagement shoot that I took in 2018 will never be repeated – that is, unless you were willing to pay for a photo permit. The only rooms in which you can take photos inside are Astor Hall and room 316. Room 316 is simply a room with tables and gilt-frame portraits on the wall. In my opinion, you can skip this room entirely, and simply concentrate your photo efforts outside the library and in Astor Hall.

Speaking of photo permits… Photo permits for wedding photography are only granted if you are renting the venue for an event. You can check out this site to view the spaces available for events at the New York Public Library. Oh, and in case you are curious, rental prices start at $75,000 for a five-hour event.

No flash allowed inside. The other restriction is that you aren’t allowed to use flash inside the library. The library is quite dark, so be prepared to up your ISO.

New York Public Library Proposal Tips – Best Outdoor Locations

The best outdoor photo locations in front of the library are:

Front façade steps
Side fountains: ‘Beauty’ on the left tends to be less crowded, while ‘Truth’ on the right is in a high-traffic area
The Stephen A. Schwarzman building granite sign near the top of the steps
North and south alcoves located at the front façade: It seems like everyone makes a twirl or two in these alcoves.
Around the stone lions on the front façade
Bronze doors: front and north facades

You are never going to be completely avoid the traffic in this area, so I recommend you make the tourists part of your shot. Either with a blurred photo on the sidewalk or a dramatic shot in the crosswalk directly in front of the library, use those crowds to your advantage.

New York Public Library Proposal Tips – Best Indoor Locations

Couple feeding each other bacon in front of marble wall during a New York Public Library surprise proposal — To explain: Sarah is on a protein-heavy diet and Nick kindly brought her a snack of bacon. Yes, they are feeding each other bacon. That’s true romance in my book!

Astor Hall is a very dark location, so you have been warned. That said, there are lots of architectural nooks and crannies in this space that can create some really unique photos. Here are my favorites:

Candelabras in front of the list of benefactors carved into the wall, found as you walk into Astor Hall
Stone bench at the back of the room with a triangular lintel
Stone benches on the mezzanine level of both staircases
Main staircases: Don’t forget that you can take photos on one staircase while having your subject stand on the other staircase and get a nice wide perspective.

The second floor of the building is technically off-limits, but… It seems like everyone is taking photos on this floor. Previously, there were security guards manning the second floor and discouraging people from taking photos here. Now that the library rooms have been closed off to visitors, it seems like the guards are much more lenient when it comes to people taking photos in the hallway. Your options on the second floor include:

Staircases on either side leading up to the main reading rooms
Main window at the end of the second floor: There is always fantastic light coming in through this window.
Cute phone booths from a bygone era: You can find these phone booths on both the second and first floors

I think as long as you are not taking up too much space nor causing a scene, you will be fine taking photos on this floor. Always keep in mind you can’t use flash, and just try not to be a nuisance to anyone actually there to read books.

Photos in Bryant Park

Bryant Park is the obvious choice to head to next once you are done taking photos inside and outside the New York Public Library. But that said, I have some problems with the current state of Bryant Park. It seems that the management of Bryant Park is trying to push vendor sales and events, to the point where the park has become quite a cluttered space. Bryant Park was always a crowded spot in the city, but it is now impossible to get any good shots with all the tables, chairs, and equipment strewn everywhere.

Your best bet for photos in Bryant Park are:

The secret garden around the corner of Bryant Park Grill
A quick photo by the copper lamp posts at the south edge of the park
The carousel
A quiet moment by the birdbath garden

This ‘birdbath garden’ is actually just a space in Bryant Park where the gardeners have laid down a bunch of plants for future planting. The plants aren’t actually in the ground yet, and if you could see a larger shot all the way to the ground, you would find that all the plants are in pots. I simply cropped in tight and made it look like we had our own little space in the park.

Photos in Times Square

Times Square is… Times Square. It seems like New York City is definitely back in terms of being a very popular tourist destination. While I was there for Nick and Sarah‘s proposal, the area was insanely crowded with tourists, vendors, and those often annoying people dressed as cartoon characters. Bear in mind you will never have a quiet moment in Times Square, so plan to have the crowd in your shot every time.

My favorite spot for photos in Times Square is to go down 44th Street. Here you have lots of old-school neon signs, along with posters of Broadway shows. Nick and Sarah weren’t particular fans of Broadway, but this area is a little quieter than the rest of Times Square.

Other Photo Location Options

The New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue is located in the heart of all major NYC landmarks, so you have plenty of options for other photo shoot locations. You could go down Sixth Avenue to find Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. You could also head over to Grand Central Terminal on 42^nd Street, or even down to the Empire State Building on 34^th Street. Don’t forget that getting there is half the fun, nothing says ‘I’m in New York City’ like a photo down in the subways. Lastly, if you are looking for a somewhat quieter ambiance, then you can head to Central Park on 59^th Street.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Library Hotel. Located directly across from the Stephen A. Schwarzman building, the Bookmarks Lounge is the perfect spot for drinks or an engagement party. The rooftop venue is intimate, serves great drinks, and of course, is library-themed.

I love taking photos at the New York Public Library, and while it is a shame that you can no longer sneak into the Main Reading Room, there are plenty of other excellent photo opportunities in and around the building. Enjoy the rest of the images, and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week!

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