PROPOSAL IDEAS?? CHICAGO!!!

[mikieguns]

Hello everyone!! I am looking for some help for some proposal suggestions in Chicago. I am new to the city!! I am planning on popping the question soon and have some rough ideas of what to do, but I am looking for some advice! Nothing too crazy (and nothing that will break the bank!). Basically I want to do something simple and fun. (a little romantic can''t hurt either). Here are some thoughts I have come up with so far:

1. Dinner at Signature room- top of Hancock. Gorgeous views but I heard dinner here is just so-so. Plus, I am not sure if I really want to pop the question at a restaurant with lots of people around.
2. Dinner somewhere near mag mile and then pop question on a horse and buggy ride around town.
3. Dinner somewhere around the river front (still need to see what restaurants are on the river), and then pop question on Michigan Ave bridge.
4. Picnic somewhere at a lakefront park. Might be kinda messy though!

That''s all I got so far! thanks!!

 

[mikieguns]

oh- one more idea I had: take one of those city cruises (like Odyssey) and propose while on board!

 

[chialea]

----------------
On 6/2/2004 10:07:06 PM mikieguns wrote:

oh- one more idea I had: take one of those city cruises (like Odyssey) and propose while on board!----------------

I'm not sure what those are like around there, but I've been on several in different cities and I've always been dissapointed. The food isn't very good, they're crowded, and they're noisy. They're simply not high in ambiance, from my point of view.

Disclaimer: I've been part of the entertainment on these boats before several times. (Casino rueda dancing)

 

[mikieguns]

NO RESPONSES???? NO FEEDBACK?? C'MON PEOPLE!!!

 

[sumi]

Hi there! You'll find about 3 or 4 threads about places to propose in Chicago if you do a quick search of this site.

I LOVE Chicago (I honeymooned there). I really liked the Signature room. The dinner is not so bad, and the view is unbeatable! I do understand why you may not want to propose in such a public place though. I think I've said this in another thread, but there's a little church just down the street from the Hankock building where the Signature room is located. The courtyard of this church at night is so romantic. You're in the middle of downtown Chicago and yet you feel so alone. The lighting at nice is pretty nice too. You might want to eat at the Signature room and them stroll over to this church.

I really liked the Art Institute of Chicago. You might want to make a day of strollling through the musueam and at the end of the day sometime popping the question. It doesn't need to be in the museum. There's a park right next to the museum that is lovely. The Art Institute has an amazing collection, you have to see it.

Do you live in the area, or will you be visiting there?

Do you have any ideas at all right now as to what kind of proposal you want? it sounds like you'd like something private. do you have any preference for the time of day?

 

[mikieguns]

thanks- yes I wrote some of my ideas when I opened this thread. I live in Chicago; moved here about 8 months ago. I think I want to do it at night.

 

[sumi]

----------------
On 6/15/2004 4:10:48 PM mikieguns wrote:

thanks- yes I wrote some of my ideas when I opened this thread. I live in Chicago; moved here about 8 months ago. I think I want to do it at night.----------------

Oops! Duh! I guess I wasn't thinking when I asked you to explain more.

So, now that you've had a few suggestions and have had a little time to think about it...have you been able to narrow down possibilities just a little?

 

[mikieguns]

yes- i found this restaurant called CITE. it looks perfect! what do you think? www.citechicago.com.

p.s. do you think it is cheesy to get engaged on a week day?

 

[lindsal]

Okay, ideas for you from one Chicagoan to another (Granted I've only just been here two years, so I am not that far ahead of you.)

Taste of Chicago is coming up starting next week, great food, great bands, great music long into the night, great day all around then, you walk over to beautiful Buckingham Fountain and propose.

I think the cruise is a good idea, there are some that are better than others, pick a good boat at a not so crowded time of day.

How about at the free fireworks one night (wed and sat) around Navy Pier. Lots of good kind of secluded spots to watch that aren't right on the pier.

Been to Cite, it's nice, but can get super crowded. There are so many good restaurants to choose from here, maybe it would be nice to find one you think you'll really like that's local to your neighboorhod and propose there and have it be "your special restaurant" going forward.

If I come up with any more I'll post them here.

 

[mikieguns]

you don't think Cite is a good choice? the view looks fantastic. and I hear it is a little less cheesy and touristy than the signature room at the Hancock. I also was thinking about doing it on a wednesday night. I still get the navy pier fireworks right outside the window but I also hear it is less crowded then the weekends. I called and they said they can bring the ring out before desert in a special dressed up silver platter. what do ya think??

 

[mikieguns]

I was also thinking about tying a horse & carriage ride into the evening as well. maybe i can call to have one either bring us to the restauarant or take us home. thoughts?

 

[lindsal]

NO, its not that I don't think Cite is a bad place, just warning against the crowds sometimes. Wednesday should be a fine night to go, and the view is truly beautiful and the food is very good.

I think that sounds like a pretty good plan.. Cite, dinner, a "very special" dessert plate and a nice fireworks finale. I'd certainly be pleased, I hope she is too!!

Good luck, again, if I think of anything else I'll post it here.

Ps.. if this is a surprise, I'd skip the carriage ride beforehand.. for me I think it would be a sure giveaway that something 'big' was about to happen. But again, that's just me.

 

[mikieguns]

Ok i found out that there is no horse and carriage ride near CITE. (to get one there would be extremely $$$$$!). what do you think of this idea?

change the restaurant to one near the horse and carriage stand on Michigan; I was thinking either Nomi or Spiaggia. then after dinner I will have a horse and buggy reserved to take us on a ride over to watch the fireworks. i called one horse & buggy company and they said they can even add chanpaigne and/or roses if I feel like spending more money. I may not because the ride actually comes with one glass of wine each. what do ya think? the question is- do I pop the question at the restaurant or do it afterwards on the carriage ride.......hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[mikieguns]

Please people respond!! I need feedback!!! thanks!!!

 

[sumi]

Wow! sounds like your plans are really coming together! sounds wonderful so far!

it sounded like you'd like to keep the proposal pretty private. i think you mentioned that you didn't want to do it in a restaurant. I think popping the question during the buggy ride sounds pretty nice.

 

[GLudlow]

I've been on the hunt for a place. time, etc. I'm thinking Le Meridien in Chicago, a VERY nice hotel with big marble bathtubs. The GF loves taking baths, and with the Taste + Cheesecake Factory, get her in the tub w/ some candles would be very romantic.

 

[guardvan]

Been in chicago all my life..(over 20 years) There is a place in the North Suburbs called "Botanical Gardens." Gorgeous place. They have rose gardens, japanese gardens, and its huge and secluded. You could have s sunset picnic and propose to her their. Here is a link...It TRULY is the most beautiful and romantic setting in chicago. www.chicagobotanic.org
some pics....

 

[guardvan]

more pics

 

[guardvan]

pics

 

[guardvan]

pics

 

[guardvan]

pics

 

[guardvan]

pics

 

[guardvan]

hope these help

 

[researcher]

Spectacular pics, Guardvan! That place looks amazing and would be PERFECT if you decided to have an outdoor wedding! If nothing else, what a great place to take the kids one day to show them where their daddy proposed. I hope Mikieguns takes a look at this place!

 

[sumi]

Wow! What a beautiful place! I live in California, but I absolutely LOVE Chicago. I hope to visit that wonderful city again soon and when I do, I will definitely stop by the gardens.

What a beautiful place for a proposal or wedding.

 

[mikieguns]

sumi- tell me more about the church on michigan ave~

 

[sumi]

I've only been to Chicago once (my honeymoon) so please excuse me if I don't know the names of streets all that well. I remember there was a small, beautiful little church on Michigan Ave. It was so strange because there was this little church in the middle of a very busy street. Well, I'm pretty sure it was a church, it definitely looked like one, but now I'm wondering if it was some sort of small historical building. Anyway, once you were on the church grounds, you totally forgot that you were near a major street. The best I can tell you in terms of where it is on Michigan Ave is that it's near the Border's Store and the Ghiradelli's cafe. It was pretty close to the Hancock Tower. I was in Chicago in early March, so there was snow everywhere (I live in LA so it was really cool to experience snow!). Anyway, the church was so intimate and romantic. There was some sort of fountain (but with no water, maybe because it was so cold?) that was quite nice. They do a very nice job of lighting it, so I personally think it has the most impact at night.

 

[JimDiamond]

Mike,

Pick the botanical gardens! The pictures are beautiful. You can propose in a very picturesque local without too many people around, but then you'd probably have to do it during the day and you said you wanted to propose at night.

Think how wonderful it will be to go back to the beautiful place you proposed in the future. You can still go to any restaurant you pick later in the evening to celebrate.

If it's a surprise the coach ride will give it away if you do it first so you could always do it later as part of the celebration.

I might be biased, I'm planning to propose at the Huntington botanical gardens near Los Angeles in two weeks.

 

[sumi]

I'm not too far from the huntington gardens. GREAT choice!

 

[cowboy]

Hi, Mike:

The Museum Campus is one of my very favorite spots in the city. Visit the lakefront area near Adler Planetarium. The view of the skyline is postcard-perfect, especially at night. It's romantic, it's sufficiently private, and it's free of charge -- a great place to propose! You might consider making an evening of it: dinner, dessert, a river cruise or carriage ride, a walk along the lakefront, the proposal, then back to a hotel to celebrate.

Some specific recommendations: One of my favorite Chicago restaurants is Corosh, located on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park. It's a little off the beaten path, and it's more casual than formal, but the food is excellent, the prices are reasonable, and the outdoor patio is very romantic. If you're thinking about hotels, consider the Omni Chicago. It's located on the Magnificent Mile, it's very comfortable (all the guest rooms are suites), and the rates are fairly competetive.

By the way, I think Sumi is referring to Fourth Presbyterian Church. It's on Michigan Avenue, located almost directly across the street from the Hancock Center.

Good luck!