Engagement sessions don’t have to be repetitive or take place at the same overused spots you’ve seen online a thousand times. These sessions are meant to capture your relationship as it truly is – to celebrate a new chapter and a shared life together. Below are 7 meaningful engagement session ideas designed to make your session something you’ll genuinely look forward to, rather than something to stress over.
1. Recreate Your First Date
This is how my husband and I planned our engagement session. When choosing a location, I thought back to some of my favorite memories with him and ultimately landed on our first date spot: the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. We spent the session wandering through the area, reminiscing about that first date and laughing over his hilarious attempt to catch a goose. I honestly couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to capture our photos.
2. Recreate Your First Trip
I recently flew to Maine to photograph my couple, Bill and Hannah, at Acadia National Park and a nearby campground. When they were dating, their very first trip together was to a privately owned campground just outside Bar Harbor. They spent that weekend hiking and birdwatching in the park and it soon became a beloved tradition, returning year after year whenever they could.
When we began planning their engagement session, Hannah immediately knew she wanted to revisit those same meaningful places. Choosing a location that already held so many memories allowed them to relax, reminisce, and truly enjoy the experience. Now, their favorite spots in Maine carry an even deeper meaning.
3. Explore a Milestone
Last year, my couple Lydia and Paul chose Mount Rainier as the backdrop for their engagement session and for a very special reason. Lydia had always dreamed of seeing Mount Rainier up close, but as a cancer survivor, she’d faced some health challenges that made it difficult. With Paul’s encouragement, they hiked the Skyline Loop together, and that shared accomplishment became a defining moment for them. It reminded Lydia not only of her own strength but also of Paul’s unwavering support.
Are there meaningful moments in your own relationship that could inspire your engagement session?
4. Ask Your Photographer!
Locations that hold personal meaning will always be my favorite way to celebrate your engagement session. But a close second is when couples ask me about my favorite places. I spend much of my free time scouting locations that feel like a dream within a dream – otherworldly, romantic, and cinematic. Some of these spots carry their own significance for me, like Ruby Beach on the Olympic Peninsula, where my parents spent their honeymoon. Others are places I’ve dreamed of visiting since childhood. All these locations come together to create stories that blend both our worlds, becoming something perfectly and uniquely yours.
5. Whats Your Favorite Movie?
… and why is it 2005’s Pride and Prejudice? This is definitely one of my favorite ideas to share with couples, especially as a period drama lover myself. Draw inspiration from your favorite scene, or even better, visit the actual filming location. What could be more swoon-worthy than having your partner recreate the iconic moment of Mr. Darcy walking through a misty field, or the almost-kiss at Stourhead’s Temple of Apollo?
Here in Washington, you can get playful too, like reenacting the “Where the Hell You Been, Loca?” scene in Forks, or belting out “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” while running wildly across Stadium High School’s grounds.
6. Take Up A Hobby Together
DIY is basically my middle name, and if you’re anything like me, a cozy project together might be your perfect engagement session. Imagine this: you’re snuggled up in your home with your favorite hot drink within reach, and scattered across the floor are photos from your relationship, ready to be cut, arranged, and framed with those charming antique frames you found last weekend.
A few years ago, I visited a couple at their home for their session. They baked homemade pumpkin muffins together on a drizzly morning, then cuddled on the couch flipping through a favorite album while waiting for the timer to ding. Afterwards, they said it was one of the most relatable and enjoyable sessions they’d ever done – and the best part? They never even had to leave home!
7. Roll the Dice.
Still unsure on what to do for your engagement session? Copy the list below into a random choice generator and let fate decide!
Castle Hop in Ireland
Flea/Farmers Market
A Night out Dancing
Pumpkin Patch/Maze/Cider Donut chasing
Theme Park fun – DISNEYLAND!
Going camping
Bookshop & coffee hopping
Play snobunnies
Ice Skating/Roller Blading
Cozy Cabin getaway
Visit a Christmas market
Boardgames by Candlelight
Go sledding!
Thrift Store Funny Outfits
Antique store browsing
Picnic in the Park
Mini Golf Challenge
Hot Air Balloons (this is on my bucketlist – any takers??)
Bird Watching
Paint & Sip at Home
Did any of those resonate with you? Save this blog post to come back to when you finally have that ring on your finger and don’t forget to email me when you are ready for amazing photography!
Already engaged? Here is what to do next!
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