Popping the question is a life-changing moment, especially when surrounded by the warm romantic glow of Christmas lights. International wedding stationery printer, Aura Print, has recently carried out a social media study to research the most hashtagged proposal cities during winter. As the darker evenings draw in, one upside is the opportunity to admire the beautiful festive decorations. Take one look at these beautiful wintry destinations and you'll start to feel the love! Here are the most Instagrammed proposal destinations in the world...

1. London

Image by Alexey Fedorenko

The UK capital of London tops the list of the most Insta-worthy destinations for a Christmas proposal, with 280,254 hashtags. The city is well-known for its magical Christmas decorations, which brighten its streets from November until January. The bustling centres of Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Marylebone make London an ideal place to capture an engagement photo to look back on forever.

2. New York

Image of The Rink at Rockefeller Center

Coming in second, with 268,306 hashtags on Instagram, is New York. A backdrop for many classic Christmas movies, such as Elf, Home Alone and Serendipity, the city that never sleeps transforms into a fairytale setting during the festive season. Ice skating at The Rockefeller Center or a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park could become an unforgettable symbol of the day you become a fiancée!

3. Paris

Image by Marina Datsenko

Boasting 108,660 hashtags, third on the list is Paris. Famous the world over for being the city of love, Paris is one of the best destinations for a romantic Christmas trip. For a day full of romance, consider a gourmet Christmas food tour, browsing the beautiful art museums, a scenic cruise on the river Seine or weaving through a Parisian Christmas market and illuminations tour.

4. Asheville

Image by Delaney Juarez

In fourth place is another US city, Asheville, which accumulated 106,518 hashtags on social media. Located in North Carolina, the city lights up during the festive season, bringing all things merry and bright to your Christmas getaway. Enjoy a candlelit evening at Biltmore Estate, delve into decadent desserts at the festive chocolate shops, attend the Dickens in the Village Festival, or explore Asheville’s breathtaking winter nature in the Great Smoky Mountains.

5. Vienna

Image by Burben

Rounding off the top five, generating 27,353 hashtags, is the Austrian city of Vienna. Its cosy Christmas markets make the city’s popular squares even more beautiful and are a great way to spend a festive day out. To further romanticise your trip, enjoy one of the city's magical advent concerts, take in the Christmas spirit by taking a walk through the beautifully decorated Ring boulevard, or spend an afternoon enjoying baked treats at Demel Bakery.

These top proposal cities were closely followed by Rome, Prague, Berlin, Boston and Budapest!

Methodology

Aura Print sought to discover the most Instagrammable destinations for a Christmas proposal. The social media platform, Instagram, was utilised to collect data on the amount of hashtags for each of the cities, by using search variations, such as ‘#christmasincity’, ‘#romanticcity’ and ‘#cityproposal’, in order to obtain the results. Destinations were then ranked in descending order, based on the amount of hashtags they had accumulated.

Data was collected on 14 November 2023 and is subject to change.