The Top Six Best Engagement Photo Spots

Announcing your engagement to your friends, family and the world is often thought of as one of the most exciting steps along the way to your big day. Engagement photos can capture all of the pure love and excitement that blossoms in the early stages of your wedding planning. 

However, it can sometimes be difficult to select the proper location for your photos. Many couples opt for a venue that aligns with the same aesthetic as their ceremony venue, whether that be elegant, urban or nature-infused. Here are our top six recommendations for the best engagement photo locations in Pennsylvania.

Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square, offers a gorgeous backdrop for any couple seeking elegance to shine through their photos. Boasting over 1,100 acres, at Longwood Gardens you’ll find vivid floral meadows, Italian water gardens and classic architecture. Longwood Gardens is one of Pennsylvania’s most exquisite displays of nature, and is sure to add grandness to any couple’s photos.

Being one of the most popular spots in the area, Longwood Gardens does require a paid permit and photo sessions must be scheduled at least four weeks in advance. For more information about Longwood Garden’s photography and videography policy, read here.

Pittsburgh’s Mellon Park, located right in the city, is most well-known for its Walled Garden, completed with a three-tiered, European-style stone fountain. Secluded from the noise of the surrounding city, this location offers that late 19th century, Gilded Age feel that lends itself well to couples searching for a historic and classy venue.

Mellon Park features blooming flowers and carefully-manicured greenery, as well as brick walls and eye-catching black wrought iron gates. Popular spots to take photos include on the park’s limestone steps, in front of the fountain and along the vegetation-lined stone paths.

Right on the Delaware River lies Old City Philadelphia, widely known as America’s historic square mile. On these streets you’ll find stunning colonial architecture and charming cobblestone roads, perfect for any couple seeking a classic urban-chic vibe. One of the most popular locations for photos is Elfreth’s Alley, America’s oldest residential street, which will give your photos that unique, timeless edge. 

Another breathtaking location within Old City is the Merchants’ Exchange Building, a Greek Revival architectural beauty. Complete with an all-white facade and grand columns lining the building’s round exterior, the Merchants’ Exchange Building completes any photo with a vintage touch.

Overlooking Pittsburgh’s striking skyline, Mt. Washington is home to many overlooks that give sweeping views of both the city and the three rivers. Couples seeking out dramatic, cinematic engagement photos will find their match high up on Mt. Washington.  

With the sprawling Steel City horizon behind you, the grandness of the world and your love will be emphasized in your photos. In addition, if you’re lucky, you might catch a beautiful sunset as it fades behind the city, adding to the mesmerizing nature of your photos.

One of the top-rated botanical gardens in the state, Hershey Gardens is a peaceful respite from the busy world around it. The main entrance to the Gardens is the spacious Welcome Pavilion, located inside the Milton and Catherine Hershey Conservatory. The Conservatory has a glass-ceiling and is beautifully modeled after classic early 20th century conservatories.

One popular photo location is in front of the Conservatory’s wide fountain, easily providing that classic engagement-photos feel. In addition, the Gardens are home to polished and highly romantic floral backdrops, bursting with color as seasonal blooms sweep across multiple pathways. 

Similar to Longwood Gardens, Hershey Gardens is private property, and therefore has a few minor stipulations to the procedures of photography sessions. Click here to read more about Hershey Gardens’ photography policy. 

Engagement photos are where much of the wedding planning fun truly starts to take off, and you get to give the world a sneak peek into your special day. These photos are just as much about you and your personal preferences as your actual wedding day, meaning you can take as much creative liberty as you want. 

Public or private, rustic or elegant, your engagement photos are meant to reflect you, your partner and the love you both share.

Once you have a venue in mind, the next step is finding the right photographer for you. Click here to browse our selection of Pennsylvania-based photographers.