Sleepless in Seattle at the Empire State Building: The Valentine’s Day Wedding You Have to

There is exactly one day a year when couples can marry on top of the Empire StateEmpire State BuildingThe 1931 Art Deco skyscraper whose 86th floor open-air deck remains the classic New York observation experience. Building: February 14. The building’s annual Valentine’s Day contest chooses winners based on their love stories, then hosts individual ceremonies on the 86th-floor Observatory. In some years, as many as fourteen couples wed there in a single day.

A movie myth made real

The Empire State Building has long been a backdrop for romantic reunion, from "An Affair to Remember" to "Sleepless in Seattle." Its Valentine's Day wedding contest turns that cinematic idea into an actual New York ceremony. The rule is strict: February 14 is the only day of the year couples can marry on the 86th-floor Observatory. The rest of the year, the deck is an observation point, not a wedding chapel. The contest passed its 25th year in 2019, with winners chosen for their love stories. Each winning couple is married in an individual ceremony at the top of the building. In some editions, up to fourteen couples wed in a single day.

The contest, not the queue

This is not a walk-up elopement. Couples cannot reserve the Observatory for a private ceremony or join a lottery on the spot. The annual contest is the gate. Entries are reviewed, love stories are judged, and selected couples receive the February 14 ceremony. The event has become a New York Valentine's tradition, but it remains a small, curated ritual rather than a mass wedding. The building's observatory is the stage, the contest is the ticket. That combination keeps the ceremony rare. For visitors, the same 86th-floor deck offers the skyline view that makes the wedding possible, but on ordinary days the romance is shared with tourists, cameras, and timed-entry lines. The Empire State Building remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks, and its Valentine's contest gives the landmark a specific annual role.

How to visit, and how to try

Would-be couples should watch the official page of the Empire State Building for the annual Valentine's Day contest announcement, then submit a love story before the deadline. The exact entry window varies, so checking early is the practical move. For a regular visit, book a timed-entry Observatory ticket in advance and choose a slot near sunset, when daylight shifts into the skyline's evening lights. On the 86th-floor outdoor deck, the south side faces downtown and the harbor, while the north side looks toward Central ParkCentral ParkThe 843-acre engineered wilderness at Manhattan's heart, designed by Olmsted and Vaux in 1858. and Midtown. That deck is where the winning ceremonies take place on February 14. A related bookable activity is a timed-entry ticket to the 86th-floor Observatory, which gives access to the same open-air deck used for the weddings, tickets from $44 (estimated). Check traveler reviews on the activity page for timing and crowd expectations. To extend the day, pair the visit with a walk in Central Park or the nearby Rockefeller CenterRockefeller CenterThe Art Deco complex hosting the winter ice rink, Christmas tree, Radio City and NBC studios..

More on the place itself: empire state building.