Pierce and Gabriela's story started in the space between two states, and it made sense that it would come full circle at the dock in Pierson Park, right where so much of it began.



How they met

Pierce and Gabriela started dating in April 2023, after meeting while he lived in Westchester and she lived in in Bergen County, New Jersey. When they would meet halfway for dates, Tarrytown and the surrounding areas tended to be easy for them to both get to, making the Hudson River the centerpiece of their relationship early on. Their first date was at Art Café in Nyack, close enough to the river that it set the tone for everything after. What followed was a stretch of months built around picnic dates by the water, coffee runs with no particular destination, and long walks that wound through both Nyack and Tarrytown without much reason beyond wanting to keep talking.


About a year in, Gabriela's job pulled her south to the Baltimore and DC area. A lot of couples in that position try to make long distance work for a while before deciding it isn't sustainable. Pierce didn't wait to find out. He transferred jobs and moved down with her, and the two of them started over together instead of separately. Baltimore has become home for the two since, filled with a vibrant community of friends and pickleball. But Tarrytown is where it started, and it's where Pierce chose to ask her to marry him, back at the place that first meant something to both of them.

Man proposes on to woman on wooden pier at Pierson Park in Tarrytown, NY along the Hudson River with a bridge behind them.

The proposal

Gabriela thought the day was simple: dinner with Pierce's family, since his grandfather was in town visiting. What she didn't know was that the dinner would come after a beautiful proposal!


Pierce walked her down to the dock, the same stretch of water that had been part of so many of their early dates, and started in on a short speech. Partway through, he dropped to one knee and kept talking as he did, the speech and the proposal blurring into one moment. Gabriela cried more than she expected to, enough that it caught her off guard as much as the proposal itself. I stayed further back for this one, working with a long lens so the two of them could have the moment without a camera hovering over their shoulders.


Three years after two people met in the middle of two states, they ended up somewhere in between again, on a dock in the town where it all started, right before heading off to keep building a life somewhere new.

A smiling couple sits on a bench outdoors, laughing together, woman in blue floral dress, man in light blue checkered shirt.

Planning tips for proposing along the tarrytown waterfront

The dock next to Pierson Park sits right on the river, so it can get windier and colder than the rest of the day would suggest, so this is worth factoring into what you wear. Parking at Pierson Park is limited to four hours between 6am and 8pm, and spots fill fast, so parking near the train station and walking over is a safer bet than counting on a spot right at the park.


The upside of this spot is that it's easy to clear a little space right at the dock for a private moment, even if the rest of the park has people around. I have had a few couples propose here including both Steven & Diana in the summertime and Anthony & Mackenzie in March if you want to check out how this spot looked for other proposals!

Man proposes on a wooden boardwalk with a cable-stayed bridge in the background as woman reacts with surprise.
Man proposing on one knee to woman on a wooden pier with a cable-stayed bridge in the background.
Couple sharing a romantic kiss on a wooden pier with the Tappan Zee Bridge in the background.
Couple smiling together on a waterfront boardwalk, woman in floral blue dress, man in blue shirt and gray pants.
Couple holding hands on a waterfront pier, woman in blue floral dress and man in light blue shirt and gray pants.
Couple standing on a wooden dock overlooking the Tappan Zee Bridge on a cloudy day.
Couple embracing and gazing at each other on a waterfront pier with sparkling water behind them.
Couple holding hands on a wooden railing by the water, woman wearing a pearl bracelet and engagement ring.
Black and white photo of a couple sharing a romantic kiss on a waterfront pier, the woman in a floral dress.
Couple leaning on a railing overlooking the water, woman covering her mouth in an emotional moment.
Couple kissing on a dock with a cable-stayed bridge spanning the river in the background.
Smiling couple posing together on a wooden pier overlooking the water, woman in a blue floral maxi dress.
Engaged couple sitting on a park bench smiling at each other with lush greenery behind them.
A happy couple sits on a bench laughing together outdoors, woman in blue floral dress, man in light blue checkered shirt.
Close-up of an engagement ring on a woman's hand with pink nails resting on her fiance's lap.

Planning your own proposal?


If you're picturing your own proposal somewhere that means something to your story in Westchester or the Hudson Valley, I'd love to help you photograph it. Reach out with what you're planning and when, and I will be in touch within 24 hours!