Darren Fuller, 27, right, and his fiance, Chelse Caramucci, 24, pick out wedding rings from jeweler Michael Haniken in New York City’s Diamond District.

MCT / Ellen Creager

NEW YORK

You’ve got the girl. Valentine’s Day is coming. Now all you need is the ring. And is there anything more romantic than getting engaged in New York City?

“We’re so excited. We can’t wait for the big day,” says Chelsea Caramucci, 24, of Weehawken, N.J. She came to a New York jewelry store with fiancé Darren Fuller, 27, to pick out wedding bands for their vows next April.

At the counter, they sit close to one another. His hand covers hers. The couple is glowing — and it’s sure not from the fluorescent lights overhead.

It’s that little thing called love.

In the movies, men always propose to women they love in New York City. They pop the question at the top of the Empire State Building, in Central Park, in a horse-drawn carriage or while ice-skating at Rockefeller Center.

The hard part is all the details. How do you actually make things happen for a New York engagement trip?

Here are a few suggestions:

The ring: The place to go for a ring, if you dare, is the Diamond District. It’s the famous one-block area on 47th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th (Avenue of the Americas) that’s stuffed with diamonds, gold and rubies behind nondescript front doors.

Nearly 90 percent of all diamonds imported into the United States pass through the Diamond District, an institution on 47th Street since the 1940s. It’s packed with 2,500 businesses, many of them wheeler-dealer diamond sellers at little kiosks inside larger buildings called diamond exchanges.

In these shops, little has been spent on decor. Drab white ceiling tiles are overhead, counters are plain, linoleum is tacky and there’s a hustle factor. (Want plush-carpet fancy? Don’t come here — try Cartier, Tiffany or Harry Winston stores over on 5th Avenue, cha-ching.)

Guys, you could sneak over here and buy a ring — or bring her with you to pick something out.

“The man usually picks out the stone, and the woman picks out the mounting,” says Irene Rosner, a gemologist who for 40 years has owned Irene Jewelry Co. at the Futurama Diamond Exchange at 66 West 47th.

“First the man comes,” she says. “He wants to tell me his budget. Or maybe the woman comes, to look. But it’s mostly the man.”

But when shopping the Diamond District, there are caveats. Before you go, visit www.diamonddistrict.org to learn about guarantees and how to shop. Never buy from someone hawking on the street or in a doorway.

A one-carat diamond costs, oh, “between $5,000 and $100,000,” says a noncommittal salesman at Gaby’s Jewelry & Co. at 21 W. 47th. “It depends on quality.”

The Diamond District’s best shopping days are weekdays. On Saturday, some stores are closed due to the Jewish Sabbath. Almost everything is closed on Sundays.

Yes, you can bring your own diamond and get it set; you can get an appraisal; and dealers can usually size or mount a ring the same day.

And yes, Fuller and Caramucci found their perfect wedding rings — at the Haniken Jewelry booth inside the Futurama building.

The dress: Okay, maybe you won’t actually buy a wedding dress in New York City, but it’s fun to look.

At Saks Fifth Avenue’s fifth-floor bridal salon, you don’t rummage through wedding dresses on a rack. They bring dresses to you — Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Kenneth Pool.

“Brides come here from all over the world — Europe, South Africa,” says Elena Geyer, the imposing figure behind the salon reception desk. Walk-ins? Regrettably, no, she says. One must have an appointment so the consultants can prepare for your visit (611 5th Ave; 212-940-2269).

If you’re the spur-of-the-moment type bride, stop at Michael’s Consignment Bridal Salon, 1041 Madison Ave. near 79th Street. Gently used bridal gowns are for sale daily; salon service is first come, first served (www.michaelsconsignment.

com, 212-737-7273).

Something old, new or blue: Take the subway down to 23rd Street and buy a handkerchief, lingerie or designer shoes at one of New York’s most famous vintage clothing shops, the Family Jewels, at 130 W. 23d Street ( www.familyjewelsnyc.com).

This shop is where many Broadway plays outfit their casts in period clothing, and it’s not cheap — a 1940s peach silk robe goes for $149; a 1950s little black dress is $89.

For something new, try the sleek and restful Takashimaya Japanese department store (693 Fifth Ave.). It’s the only branch in the United States ( www.ny-takashimaya.com).

Where to pop the question: Yes, you can do it at the top of the Empire State Building — but the hassle factor of long lines (up to an hour wait on busy days) can put a damper on romance. Be sure to buy your $19 tickets online in advance to skip the ticket line; for $45 you can get an express ticket that puts you at the front of security and elevator lines, too ( www.esbnyc.com. 212-736-3100).

Central Park has many beautiful spots, but one of the most romantic is the arching Gapstow Bridge in the park’s southeast corner, with its backdrop of city skyscrapers. Pop the question there, then go skating at the nearby Wollman ice rink. If you’re the literary type, try proposing near the statue of Romeo and Juliet near the Delacorte Theater ( www.centralparknyc.org, 212-310-6600).

If you want to ask her in a horse-drawn carriage, you can either be spontaneous and hire one on 59th Street at the south border of Central Park, or call ahead to reserve an engagement ride. One choice is Manhattan Carriage Co. (40 minutes, $100, 212-664-1149). They’ll stop at the romantic Cherry Hill alcove in Central Park so you can propose.

And if you want to ask her on the ice at Rockefeller Center, tickets at the famous rink are $13.50-$17.50 per person plus $9 for skates ( www.rapatina.com/iceRink/

engagementOnIce.swf, 212-332-7654).

Once you are on the ice, find yourself a break in the crowd.

Then take a deep breath, take her hand, don’t fall down, and ask that big question: “Will you marry me?”If you go

Dining: Research restaurants ahead of time to keep within your budget. Try www.opentable.com to make reservations. One reasonable and romantic French spot is Gascogne, 158 Eighth Ave. ( www.gascognenyc.com; 212-675-6564). A romantic bar for city views at sunset is the Lobby Lounge on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 80 Columbus Circle (212-805-8800).

Theater: Check out the reviews (online at www.playbill.com or in New York or The New Yorker magazines, at any library) and select your plays before you go. For discounts, try the half-price ticket booth TKTS in Times Square.

More information:

www.nycvisit.com.