Kingsland Point Park gives you beautiful sunsets, the Hudson, the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, and the Tappan Zee Bridge in the distance, making it one of the best proposal spots in Westchester, all without needing a permit or a crowd to work around. It's exactly why Brian chose it for Kim.

How they met

Brian and Kim met on a work trip to Mexico. While they were both working at the same company, their paths had never actually crossed as they were on different floors and different teams; the sort of overlap that exists on paper and nowhere else. Brian had gone into the trip planning to keep mostly to himself, maybe get some reading done, and stay away from big group activities. Then he got lost trying to find his hotel room on the first night, ran into Kim in the hallway, and ended up spending almost the entire rest of the trip with her instead.

Back home, it stayed platonic for about a month. Neither of them made a move right away, texting here and there, but nothing that looked like more than two people who'd had a good time on a work trip. Eventually Brian worked up the nerve to ask her out properly, using the excuse that he needed dance lessons for a friend's upcoming wedding. It wasn't subtle, but it worked. They went out for drinks and dancing, and that was where their story really started to unfold.

For the first two years of dating, they lived apart: Brian in Brooklyn and then Hoboken, Kim in Stamford. They made the distance work the way people do when they've already decided it's worth it. About two years ago, he finally moved in with her. In between all of it, they've traveled together through Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Antigua, Colombia, and plenty of closer spots around the US. They just celebrated four years together on June 3rd, and Brian decided to level up their relationship at the end of the month.

The proposal

Brian told Kim they had dinner reservations somewhere fancy that night and left it there. She didn't think much of it until a friend pointed out how dressed up he looked earlier that day -- sharp enough that she wasn't about to let him outdo her. She showed up in a black dress and heels, fully picture-ready, just in case.

They walked along the water as the evening light started to change, and at some point Brian slowed their pace. He looked out at the water with her for a second, then dropped to a knee. Kim started crying immediately, completely caught off guard, and stayed a little in shock through most of the session that followed.

Once the shock wore off, they were two of the easiest people I've photographed, sitting on the rocks along the water, laughing through every prompt I gave them. They were clearly so happy to be together, and their joy was contagious. Kim had no idea Brian had one more surprise waiting: a weekend away at Tarrytown House Estate, booked without her knowing a single detail.

Planning a proposal by Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse

If you're thinking about proposing in Kingsland Point Park near the lighthouse, proposing right around the sunset is the move. Early morning works here, too, but the evening light against the lighthouse and the bridge in the background is hard to beat, and it's what gives this spot its reputation.

This location is right on the water, so it can get windy. Plan your outfit and hair with that in mind rather than finding out the hard way, and you can bring an extra hair tie for your partner, too. Parking near the water fills up fast, especially on a nice evening, so aim for a spot on Beekman Avenue and expect about a ten-minute walk towards the river. It's a public park, not a rental, so there's no permit required, though it's worth checking that nothing else is happening at Kingsland Point Park on your date so you're not sharing the view with an event. This stretch is up in Sleepy Hollow, at Kingsland Point Park by the lighthouse, not the pier closer to the village of Tarrytown further south (that's a different stretch of the same river, with its own light and its own view of the bridge.)

The last thing to keep in mind is what to do before or after your proposal to make walking along the river feel less random. I would recommend grabbing a bite at one of the nearby restaurants, such as the Hudson Farmer & the Fish Restaurant, the North River Oyster Bar, or the Bridgeview Tavern.

My favorite part of this proposal location is that the scenery does all of the work for you, and it's a place you can come back to again and again to reminisce on the day you got engaged!