Choosing your location for your engagement session can be stressful and hard, here are suggestions to help you narrow your options.
Your wedding venue. Some wedding venues will allow you to have your engagement session there if you are booked there. This can be helpful for both you and your photographer to be able to location scout before your wedding day.
Private property that belongs to you, a friend, or a family member. Do you have a loved one that has a gorgeous farm or lake on their property that you have always loved? Let's use it!! Some of my favorite sessions ever have been on private property.
Your first date location, or another location that has special meaning to your relationship.
A public park or public urban area. I have listed my favorites below with either Google images of the area, or images I have taken during sessions at that location. If you find an area that you like, you can also Google the park or area name followed by an engagement session to find more images of the area or inspiration for your session.
St. Louis
Lafayette Park- 2023 Lafayette Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104
Lafayette Park is gorgeous in the spring, and summer when all of the trees are green and the flowers are in bloom. It's also beautiful in the fall as the leaves begin to turn as well. I would not recommend Lafayette for winter or very early spring when the trees are still bare.
Tower Grove Park- 4257 Northeast Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110
Tower Grove is another area that is just gorgeous during spring, summer, and fall when Mother Nature is giving us her best.
Forest Park- 5595 Grand Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112
Forest Park is a very large area with tons of visual interest even when the trees/flowers are not in bloom.
The Emerson Grand Basin area has beautiful white stone walls, water fountains, bridges, and Art Hill with the Art Museum as a backdrop. It also has a beautiful open field next to it with huge weeping willow trees at each corner.
The Muny area features the big globe chandelier with white pillars lining one side of the walkway at the Muny entrance area, the Pagoda Circle, and Nathan Frank Bandstand (a stone gazebo on a tiny island in the middle of a small lake).
The Worlds Fair Pavillion Area has the iconic arched pavilion overlooking government hill, the boathouse, and tree-lined walkways that are perfect for engagement sessions.
The Jewel Box-the intersection of Wells and McKinley Drives in St. Louis, MO.
The Jewel Box is technically part of Forest Park but it has so many of it's own sub-areas that I thought it best to give it a separate listing. The gorgeous flowering trees, tulip gardens, and water features make it an excellent choice for your session.
Downtown St. Louis
If you want a mix of urban and natural backdrops, then downtown is perfect. The sculpture garden features a lovely waterfall, tree lined walkways, and unique sculptures. One block away Keiner Plaza is tree-lined on both sides of the southern-facing walkway. There is also a parking garage on the northern face that will often allow me to take clients to the roof for some epic Arch views.
Bee Tree Park- 2701 Finestown Ave, St. Louis, MO 63129
Bee Tree Park lends toward a very rustic look, with a red barn and the stone house near the entrance. There are also some open fields and wooded walkways.
Faust Park- 15025 Faust Park, Chesterfield, MO 63017
Faust Park is one of my favorite locations as it has such a variety of natural landscapes to choose from.
St. Charles & Surrounding Area
Klondike Park-4600 S Missouri 94, Augusta, MO 63332
Klondike is beautiful and one of a kind. Klondike is ideal for a winter or early spring session before the trees are in bloom as most of the trees at Klondike are evergreens. You can't go wrong at Klondike any time of year though. With the white sand beaches, gorgeous lake, and evergreens Klondike is always an excellent choice.
Jefferson County
The Covered Bridge- 9001 Old Lemay Ferry Rd, Hillsboro, MO 63050
The covered bridge is well known to many in Jefferson County. There is the stunning covered bridge, a wood-lined field and the creek as options for your session.
