Platinum Proposal

Best places to propose in the Ottawa area

By Sherri Telenko

Even if you’ve talked about it or you know it’s in your future, making an engagement official is probably the most nerve tingling, stressful yet exhilarating part of the marriage process. After all, this is the story you’ll tell for decades, possibly generations. No pressure. You’ve seen the movies, you know what to say and you might have rehearsed. All that’s left is finding the perfect setting to pop the question. If you need some when and where inspiration, here’s Ottawa Weddings’ shortlist of ideal places in Ottawa to propose ‘til death do we part:

Portrait Perfect – Anywhere in the Fairmont Château Laurier, even the extravagant lobby, is magical but if you really want to impress, go Karsh. The Karsh suite, named after the famed portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh, who lived there with his wife, Estrellita, for 18 years, has been updated slightly since the photographer left for Boston in 2000 (where he died at 93 two years later) with a whirlpool tub and adjacent boardroom/dining room, so the layout is impressive. But if the $1,800 a night price tag is a bit steep, even for that special night, head to this historic hotel’s Zoe’s Lounge, named after Wilfred Laurier’s wife. Propose over afternoon tea in the glass atrium on Sunday or a vintage cocktail while live jazz plays softly Thursday, Friday or Saturday night. (Fairmont Château Laurier, 613 241-1414)

Ride the Rails – There’s a romantic aura about train travel that some people can’t get out of their system. The scene is especially captivating if you’re clickity clacking along a historic rail that trails along the Gatineau River at 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) per hour through the Outaouais Region to the village of Wakefield, a short distance from Ottawa.  The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train Company offers this experience and more. From May to October, the country’s oldest operating steam train (originally built in 1907) takes passengers on a 64-kilometre (40-mile) round-trip journey. Fall foliage routes run twice a day the first three weeks of October, but if old time amore is your goal, consider booking in the Club Riviera car for an evening’s three-and-a-half hour sunset excursion that includes a five-course meal of locally inspired cuisine and all the panoramic viewing you can consume. (H.C.W Steam Train Company, 800 778-7246, www.steamtrain.ca)

Down on the Farm – Canada is the only country in the world to have a working experimental farm in the middle of its capital city. While this is a fun fact, a field of soya beans might not be the most desirable place to get down on one knee. Fortunately, near this 202-hectare (500-acre) facility (established in 1886) are both an Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens, which lend themselves better to memorable moments. The south-east side of the 35-hectare (86.5-acre) Arboretum boasts one of the best views of the Rideau Canal and Carleton University (if you happen to be an alumnus). The nearby Ornamental Gardens, among rocks, hedges, roses and perennials, have been a popular site for wedding photography since opening more than 100 years ago. If your ceremony is going to end up here, why not start here? (Central Experimental Farm, Prince of Wales Drive, 613 230-3276)

By-the-way Patios  – The ByWard Market is a draw for tourists, but not everyone new to town knows about the courtyards behind the shops. Specifically, the Clarendon Courtyard is home to the outdoor patios of five different restaurants, including the iconic 30-year-old Courtyard Restaurant. Its 60-seat patio is open May to September and complements the seating inside the 1827 historic stone building. The restaurant offers a French-inspired contemporary fine dining menu capitalizing on local foods. The cobblestone courtyard is shared by local favourites: the youthfully hip Social under the direction of executive chef Matthew Carmichael and the charming Black Tomato providing wine pairings with each menu item. Any way you go, the stone walls and tree canopies shelter you from peering pedestrians and tiresome traffic. (Courtyard Restaurant, 21 George Street; Social, 537 Sussex Drive; Black Tomato, 11 George Street)

Sleigh Bells Ring – Horse-drawn carriages are not only for the wedding day. Picture a white horse and red velvet seats clopping through city streets as a guide takes you on a one-hour tour past such city highlights as Parliament Hill, the residence of the prime minister and Rideau Hall. Or arrange your own tour, since all 50 vehicles owned and operated by Lucky Luc Carriages (including the Cinderella Carriage) can be privately rented. If the snow is lightly falling, the wind quiet and winter temperatures too low to freeze exposed skin, consider a winter sleigh ride across the countryside. Lucky Luc offers this service too. You’ll feel Christmas card perfect as the horse kicks up the snow at a light trot and bells ring, literally or figuratively. (Lucky Luc Carriages, 613 789-5710).