Top Engagement Photo Session Locations in the South

Engagement Sessions pose an excellent opportunity to have a stylized photoshoot with your future spouse.  This session can serve as a chance to capture images to use for your Save-the-Date, reception decor, Christmas cards, or even your thank you stationery.  The other benefit an engagement session provides is the chance to really get to know your photographer’s personality and style. Berit Bizjak, one of our Southern Wedding Collective vendors, says, “It is a great way for us to get to know each other, and it is the beginning of gaining trust and comfort with your photographer. They are also a lot of fun!” In return, they are able to get a feel for you and your partner and how the three of you communicate through the lens before your wedding day.  It’s a trial run for the wedding! Most importantly we all know that the images of your engagement and wedding day last long after the wedding day is over.

Some couples decide to pick an engagement session location based on a place that is special to their relationship or simply because it’s a cool venue for photographs.  There is no right or wrong answer but we’re sharing some top locations in our region that we think would make for an awesome backdrop to your love. Some of those locations may also be worth throwing on your bucket list for your next weekend getaway.

Top 10 Southern Engagement Session Locations

1. Forsyth Park Fountain, Savannah, Georgia. The fountain has been in the park since 1858 and is the most photographed place in Savannah. If the fountain has been posing for the camera for over 160 years then we’re pretty sure you and your betrothed will be photogenic as well!
2. Railroad Park, Birmingham, Alabama. Railroad Park has been open for over a decade and serves as a green space in the middle of an urban environment. With the backdrop of nature, trees, and a lake juxtaposed with the city skyline and an active train station, you and your future spouse can merge outdoor with industrial vibes.
3. The Grove, Ole Miss, Oxford, Mississippi. This location is synonymous with football Saturdays in the SEC but also would be the perfect place to capture a few shots with your forever teammate. If Ole Miss isn’t your team then consider your own alma mater and take a few snaps on campus.
4. The Ryman, Nashville, Tennessee. The Ryman is considered hallowed ground among all musicians, not just country artists.  This historic building has been around for over 130 years morphing from a tabernacle to a concert venue. The iconic multi-colored stain glass windows would be the perfect background to frame with a kiss.
5. Claiborne Farm, Paris, Kentucky. The bluegrass state is known for being horse country so why not have your own horse farm photoshoot. Embrace the rolling hills, barn doors, and all things equestrian, and take off on a wild ride with your fiance.
6. French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana. The crown jewel of NOLA, this location offers unlimited options of Instagram-worthy photographs. Share a hurricane on Bourbon Street, dance along with live street performers, take a horse-drawn carriage, overlook the water by Jackson Square, say a prayer in front of St. Louise Cathedral, or share a beignet at the famous Cafe du Monde.
7. Battery Park, Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston.  The Battery is the seawall that stretches along the Charleston Harbor. The Battery is most famous for the grand, historic homes dating back before the Civil War that line the promenade. You’ll have a hard time deciding what you and your fiance want to pose in front of, the water, gorgeous mansions, or White Point Garden.
8. City Market, Raleigh, North Carolina. Raleigh’s City Market is a bustling shopping and dining experience in the heart of downtown. The cobblestone streets, revitalized buildings, and open-air shopping make this area the perfect spot to capture your love in the middle of a busy city scene.
9. Seaside, Florida. Seaside isn’t just a city but a destination. Between the beach, the hopping town center, and the hundreds of adorable vacation homes you almost forget you aren’t on a Caribbean island. This beach town is worth booking a photoshoot for.
10. Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth, Texas.  Everything is bigger in Texas, so why not make your engagement session worthy of the Lone Star State and head to Forth Worth.  The brick-lined streets, twice-daily cattle drives, and daily entertainment won’t be able to overshadow you and your significant other but it should make for a fun photo op!

We could write pages and pages of suggestions for beautiful southern venues to pick for your engagement session but you and your fiance will know what is right.  Discuss with your photographer, ask questions about what time of day to take your photos and if they have any suggestions or advice for wardrobe options.  

I always advise my couples to ‘be themselves’ – I don’t want to force a couple to do things they are not comfortable with. We will have communications before your engagement photo session that includes what kind of couple you are and what type of photos they want. Everyone is different, so there is no ‘standard’ pda shot!

-Berit Bizjak, Berit Bizjak Photography

At the end of the day, the most important thing is to caption the excitement and bliss of being engaged and planning to spend the rest of your lives together.