Natural History Museum and Planetarium: Happy Engagement Jena and Rahul!

January 7, 2016

Jena and Rahul wanted a really unique venue for their wedding that also had a classic NYC feel. The Natural History Museum and Planetarium was the perfect pick! They love it so much they decided to have their engagement session there as well.

We wandered through some of their favorite spots in the museum, starting with the amazing Hayden Planetarium. The building features a six-story high glass cube enclosing the 87-foot Hayden Sphere, which appears to float like a “cosmic cathedral.” A pathway circles around the sphere making for some wonderful photo ops!

Rahul shares, “I first met Jena when she came into the office for a final round interview. I was actually scheduled to be Jena’s first interview at Wharton’s campus a few weeks earlier but, after having one too many drinks the previous night, ended up oversleeping that morning and missed my train to Philly. Fortunately, one of my best friends and groomsmen, Bill, who worked with me at the time, ended up interviewing Jena and told me that we had found the perfect analyst for our group! Who knew at that time that I had also found the perfect person for life?”

Jena says in jest, “I like to remind Rahul about how the tables have turned! He was my boss for the first eighteen months and I’ve been his ever since!”

We also took a walk through North American Mammals and the dinosaur exhibits.

Rahul continues, “We got engaged in Beaune in the Burgundy region of France last July. I wanted a romantic spot but one where it would be intimate. We both love France and Jena loves wine so a Burgundy vineyard proposal seemed perfect. After a day of visiting various vineyards and wineries, I was ready to propose as the sun set and it was just Jena and I alone on the vineyard slopes. The day went perfectly, just as planned. As I was about to get down on one knee, a random Mercedes rolled up, even though there were literally no other cars for miles and miles. The driver asked us to help him reverse his car on the narrow dirt road. After five awkward minutes, we were finally alone and I was able to propose. Even with the delay, it was the most beautiful moment!”

Jena adds, “A few days after we got engaged, we started talking about when and where we wanted to get married and both of us really wanted to have our reception at the Natural History Museum. So when we got back to New York, we called and they said that the minimum number of guests for the iconic “Whale Room” would be 300. Given that we were keen to have a small wedding, we sadly started the search around Manhattan. We looked at many (many!) venues but nothing felt quite right so we decided to see if there were any other spaces within the museum that could work. That’s when we found the Powerhouse. It was exactly what we wanted! A beautiful space with a gorgeous view of the planetarium!”