Best Places to Get Engaged in Philadelphia

Dear Monica, I am getting ready to propose to my partner and I want to make it the most memorable moment of her life. We are both Philly natives so I would like to do something in classic Philadelphia style. What are your thoughts? —M.H., University City

Getting engaged is certainly a memory you will always treasure. Philadelphia has many spectacular options. Here are a few of my favorite romantic spots in the city.

• Robert Indiana’s Love sculpture on JFK Plaza is a Philly icon. This destination is affectionately known as Love Park. It doesn’t get much more romantic than that!
• Rittenhouse Square is filled with lovers holding hands, strolling and sitting on park benches. What better way to say I love than on a beautiful night, down on one knee, surrounded by this urban oasis?
• It may sound kitschy, but a nighttime horse-and-buggy ride through Head House Square feels like a romantic fairy tale. This option becomes even more swoon-worthy as the weather gets colder.
• The University of Pennsylvania’s Morris Arboretum in Chestnut Hill is a lush, natural setting filled with plants and flowers that will delight the senses and heighten your romantic mood.
• Any of the Jersey shore spots will provide you with the perfect backdrop for amorous endeavors. The sun setting over the ocean and sands offers an ideal site for you to profess your undying love.
• Two Liberty Place’s roof top restaurant, R2L, has hands-down the most stunning view of the city from so many directions. Make sure you secure a window table for your special night.
• Union Trust is a restaurant that has it all going on. It offers ambiance, privacy, excellent food and the best service. Their side-by-side velvet lined booths give you the seclusion you will want when popping the question. Don’t be swayed by suggestions that this is the spot to take your grandparents. Not so! Take your grandparents to Prime Rib and your lover to Union Trust.

Getting engaged is one of the most exciting moments in one’s life. It is important to put thought into where you will ask your partner to spend the rest of her life with you. This is a story you will want to share with your children and grandchildren, so make it memorable. Good luck!

Monica Mandell, Ph.D. is the Director of the Philadelphia office of Selective Search, the premiere (off-line) upscale matchmaking firm for the most eligible singles. Please send your questions to: monica@selectivesearch.com