Couples were treated to a picturesque night with the Bahamas at the Bahamian Date Night in New York City on June 2.

Bahamian Date Night, a signature event held during the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s Caribbean Week in NYC was crafted with the destination-oriented couple in mind.

Set on the dazzling 620 Loft and Garden, the Bahamas was truly seen and embodied all throughout the venue with colourful Androsia pillows, poster backdrops of memorable places from the islands and the Ira Storr and the Spank band playing offering musical entertainment.

Guests that attended were entered to win a four-day/three-night stay for two at the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini.

As couples socialised, they were given the opportunity to take ring selfies, learn to merengue and sample Bahamian food prepared by celebrity chef Simeon Hall.

Kimberly and David Cuming celebrated their first wedding anniversary 17 years ago in the Bahamas and the memories are still fresh as if it had happened yesterday.

“The first anniversary was paper, so I surprised him with airline tickets going to the Bahamas on our first anniversary,” Kimberly recalled.

The couple had such an incredible time that they are now considering a family trip to the Bahamas.

“We do have to give back because now our kids are old enough and they see commercials and they want to go so I think we’ll be making a family trip,” David added.

The biggest surprise of the night came from a special proposal by New York native Joe Dambruoso to his fiancé Stephanie Renzi. Although Joe had initially planned to propose on the Brooklyn Bridge, it was suggested that he propose instead at Date Night with the St Peter’s Cathedral in the background.

With the Colours Junkanoo group setting the mood, a nervous Joe waited for the perfect moment. Surrounded by other couples and her family, he got on one knee and popped the question, and of course she said yes. Following their wedding, the couple will spend their honeymoon at the Grand Isles Hotel in Exuma.

Freda Malcolm, director of Romance at the Ministry of Tourism, is pleased with the Bahamas’ achievements as a romantic destination. The Bahamas was named “World’s Leading Destination 2015” by World Travel Awards, and in 2016 the Romance team hit the ground running.

“We started off the year with standalone events throughout the US and we wanted to end our Romance campaign with a bang. The Minister of Tourism wanted the Bahamas to do something totally different and blow it out of the park,” Ms Malcolm said.

“It was a long time coming. We’ve been in many different cities. We’ve had such tremendous success and I can’t tell you how excited I am.”

Joy Jibrulu, director general of Ministry of Tourism said the Bahamas is certainly a dynamic destination.

“This year, the CTO declared ‘Year of Romance’, and the Bahamas ran with that theme,” she said.

“Our Romance team took it literally and found something for every month that celebrates romance. The Bahamas hosted a romantic event and had to cut it off at 200 people, even though the location could only hold 150. That speaks so well of the work that our Romance department is doing for the Bahamas.”