The opening episode of season seven is all about the friends celebrating Monica and Chandler’s engagement at a big party in the Plaza Hotel. Every true New Yorker and New York lover knows the Plaza Hotel. It’s in almost every great movie set in NYC, from the Great Gatsby to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. You can also see it in scenes from movies like Eloise at The Plaza, Serendipity, Sleepless in Seattle, and Moonstruck. I mean, could it BE any more famous?
The Plaza was built way back in 1907 in the popular French Chateau style of the time. Originally, it was a residential building for the wealthiest New Yorkers. That explains its perfect downtown location by Central Park, the city’s main museums, and more. Inside, you can tell that this place was made to suit the most luxurious residents of the 20th century. It’s got gold, marble, and crystal details fit for any socialite or, in Monica’s case, head chef.
Fun fact: Monica originally put herself and Chandler on the waiting list for a wedding at the Morgan Chase Museum (another real New York City location). Chandler’s discovery of this fact and love of that venue prompted him to finally pop the question. But when their wedding day actually comes, it’s clear that it is being held in a hotel, not the museum that viewers were expecting. Fans explain this as being because the museum had a two-year waiting list, while Monica and Chandler’s love couldn’t wait that long. Aw, you guys!
