Yay! You’re engaged!!
Now it’s time to start planning for your engagement session. But there are so many places to shoot at, which one is the best one?
Take a look below at some of my favorite places to shoot engagement sessions!
Stafford Forge Wildlife Managament Area
Stafford Forge is such a beautiful, hole-in-the-wall type of spots that not a lot of people think of for portraits! Stafford Forge offers some of the best sunset views and colors with a gorgeous pond and tall grass! This location is best for summer or fall, as they do control burns at the beginning of spring, so the foilage does not come back pretty until summer!
Check Out Cassidy and Joe’s Engagement Session Here!
- Onsite parking
- No permit required
- Pets allowed
- NO public bathrooms
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
I love this beach because it offers a great variety with the jetty and the lighthouse! The sunsets here are gorgeous as well! It can tend to get a little crowded in the summer months.
Check out Jennifer and Mike’s Engagement Session Here!
- Free parking on site
- No permit required
- Public restrooms
- Pets allowed between September 16th – March 31st
Historic Smithville Village
Smithville Village offers a rustic downtown feel with a carousel, mom-and-pop shops, a pond, a bridge, and more! It does have a lot of cherry blossom trees which makes this location perfect for the spring season! I recommend avoiding this spot for a weekend session because it tends to get VERY busy!
Check Out Brittany and Michael’s Session Here!
- Free admission
- Free onsite parking
- No permit required
- Public bathrooms
- Pets allowed
Best in early spring for the Cherry Blossoms or fall for the historic/rustic vibe!
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
I love this beach because it offers a great variety with the jetty and the lighthouse! The sunsets here are gorgeous as well! It can tend to get a little crowded in the summer months.
Check out Jennifer and Mike’s Engagement Session Here!
- Free parking on site
- No permit required
- Public restrooms
- Pets allowed between September 16th – March 31st
Holland Ridge Farms
If you’ve ever seen the tulip fields in Holland and thought to yourself “wow, I really want to go there” then you’ve come to the right place! Holland Ridge Farms is a pristine flower farm, bursting with millions of rainbow blooms. The good news is, you don’t have to travel to the Netherlands to experience it – they are right here in Cream Ridge, NJ! They currently host two pick your own flower seasons – tulips in the spring and sunflowers in the fall.
- Free parking on site
- Small entrance fee of around $20 (depends on time of year)
- Farm closes at 6:00 pm
- No pets allowed
- Tulips sessions are for late April to early May
- Sunflower sessions are for mid to late October
Check Out Cassidy and Joe’s Proposal During Sunflower Season
Sayen House and Gardens
Sayen House and Gardens has beautiful grounds with a bunch of options for scenery! The location is best for Spring and Summer, however, fall is very beautiful as well! Sayen Gardens offers a very laid-back environment offering 2 bridges, 3 gazebos, lots of florals, a fountain, and a public bathroom to easily change outfits. It is a smaller park but has a charming feel.
Check out Abby and Jaime’s Engagement Session Here!
- Free admission
- Free onsite parking
- No permit required
- Public bathroom
- Pets allowed
Fisherman’s Club Pier in Belmar
It is really hard to find a nice-looking pier on the Jersey coast but Belmar Fishermans Club Pier has it!
Check out Jaclyn and Richard’s Engagement Session Here!
- Paid parking on street
- Publix restrooms on boardwalk
- No permit fee
Batsto Village
Batsto has a rustic, historic, natural type of vibe. This location has a variety of buildings from wood, stone, and brick with beautiful landscapes and a stunning lake for sunset shots! Batsto can tend to get pretty busy so I highly advise avoiding it for weekend sessions, weekdays are best.
Check out Daniela and Andrew’s Engagement Session Here!
- Free admission
- Free onsite parking
- No permit required
- Public bathrooms open until 6:00p
- Pets allowed
Side Note: Bring bug spray, sometimes the knats can get a bit annoying!
Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens is an amazing botanical garden that is over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania! It offers a lot of various scenic spots for portraits, however, it can get very crowded at certain times of the year!
Check out Hailey and Chris’s Engagement Session Here!
- Admission Fee Required (non-members $25-$30/pp)
- Free onsite parking
- No permit required
- No pets or outfit changes allowed
- Public bathroom
- Travel Fee of $150
The best time to go to Longwood Gardens is mid-late September! The sunsets are early this time of year. Friday and Saturday they stay open late, however, my schedule is usually very limited for weekends.
