When it comes to wedding planning in New York City, the options are endless. There are several ways to plan an outstanding celebration, as well as numerous amazing venues where your love will be crowned official.
However, before you ride the rollercoaster of wedding planning, it’s important to celebrate your engagement as well. This period doesn’t last for too long, yet it’s filled with so many thrilling moments, which is why it deserves to be commemorated. For that reason, you should consider a New York City engagement session! As you already know, the city is abundant with spectacular and unique spots, posing the perfect backdrops for your photos. To ensure you have amazing New York City engagement photos, I have hand-picked some of my favorite locations which you’ll surely adore!
New York City is full of iconic and beautiful locations that can serve as the backdrop for engagement photos. Depending on your personal style and preferences, here are some popular locations for engagement photos in NYC:
- Central Park
- Dumbo, Brooklyn
- Top of the Rock
- Gantry Plaza State Park
- West Village
- Time Square
- The New York Public Library
- NYC subway
- Manhattan Streets
- Prospect Park
A piece of advice before we start
Let’s have a chat about the creative force behind those amazing pictures—yes, it’s about your New York wedding photographer! Selecting the ideal photographer should make you feel like a million bucks and complement your style, much like selecting the ideal wedding venue. Having an engagement shoot will also be very advantageous – basically, you can have a “test run” with your preferred photographer, and if you like them, you can easily book them for your celebration as well! That said, find your soulmate in photography by asking around and meeting up with people. And also, – don’t forget to check me out!
1. Central Park
Yes, of course, it will be number one – it’s the garden of love! Central Park is the perfect location for taking your New York City engagement photos! Take a passionate stroll throughout the park’s lesser-known areas, stop for a kiss on the famous Bow Bridge, or take a spontaneous picture while rowing a boat on the lake. The beautiful skyline, serene lakes, and abundant greenery make up for amazing Central Park engagement photos!
2. Dumbo, Brooklyn
Or should I say where the bridge and romance come together? DUMBO, or “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass,” is a vibrant area and a great location with streets made of cobblestones, giving you an amazing view of the city. Go to Washington Street to get that iconic Manhattan Engagement photo of your love with the Manhattan Bridge perfectly framing it. It’s a touch too cheesy, but sometimes foolish is wonderful.
3. Top of the Rock
A place where love exceeds limits! The iconic place for New York City engagement photos is the Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock observation platform. This location, which offers 360-degree views of the city, is breathtaking. It has become one of the most popular locations for engagement photos in NYC.
4. Gantry Plaza State Park
Hm, a waterfront spot for romance? Sounds perfect! Visit Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens, located in Long Island City, for a little urban romance. It feels like a romantic private garden by the water, with its idyllic gantries, gorgeous vistas of Manhattan, and promenade along the river. That sunset is an ideal setting for a photographer! I am happy just thinking about the pictures that I can take there!
5. West Village
The village where love lives in cobblestone streets! Its tree-lined avenues, old brownstones, and quaint cafés make it feel like a little pocket of the city. Steal a kiss on a gorgeous stoop, stroll hand in hand down those quaint cobblestone lanes, or snap a photo in front of the recognizable Friends building. It resembles your very own impending romantic comedy.
6. Times Square
Ah, the radiance of love! Yes, it might seem a little bit disorganized, but trust me, Times Square is the city’s pounding heart and one of the best New York City engagement session locations. Your photographer will catch that peaceful and precious moment amid the hustle and bright neon lights. With the famous billboards serving as the background, get that timeless New York City engagement photo! There are many moments when the chaos brings out the best in love!
7. The New York Public Library
Do you two love to read? Even if you are not the biggest bookworm, I strongly suggest you visit the New York Public Library! When you enter, you will feel like you’ve stepped into a fantasy book! The Library, with its recognizable stone lions, opulent staircases, and specific architecture, will serve as a gorgeous background in your Manhattan engagement photos! You can hold hands or hide behind the bookshelves and, of course, explore the gorgeous surroundings! Trust me, your engagement pictures will have a touch of spontaneity and vintage elegance!
8. NYC subway
Want to hear an unusual idea? How about you two lovebirds take a ride on the NYC Subway and let me capture something a bit different? You’ve probably heard the expression, “True beauty lies in the most mundane things”. With that in mind, what’s more mundane than riding the subway? However, you’ll cherish this ride for a lifetime! As you know, it’s not an everyday occurrence for a New York wedding photographer to capture your gorgeous engagement photos!
9. Manhattan Streets
You don’t have to search for the right things – eventually, they come to you. That’s probably how you and your partner began your dreamy love story! Well, the same goes for locations for your Manhattan engagement photos, as they’ll practically be all around you! Just go out and explore the streets of the most luxurious New York borough, spanning from the Meatpacking District to the Upper East Side. Take unscripted photos in front of coffee shops, street art, and whatever else seems adorable to you! At all times, the city itself serves as the ultimate backdrop. You can also take pictures in front of the iconic brownstone stoops, enjoy coffee with your partner on a busy street, or pose in front of the Flatiron Building’s great entrance! There are so many chances for your New York wedding photographer to capture the distinct beauty of you two and the city along these streets!
10. Prospect Park
Let’s head to Prospect Park for a natural backdrop amid the bustle of the city. It’s another version of Central Park in Brooklyn. You can enjoy a nice relaxed afternoon walk in the park. The Prospect boathouse and the waterfront scene is a nice backdrop for your engagement photos. It is definitely the ideal place for your Brooklyn Engagement Photos with some rustic appeal.
Conclusion
Dear lovebirds, no matter which of these places you decide to be your lovely backdrops, whether it’s the calmness of Central Park, the bright lights of Times Square, or a secluded nook in Brooklyn, your engagement pictures will convey a story as special as your love!
After you choose your preferred location, contact me to capture your amazing New York City engagement photos, and watch as your love tale takes shape amidst the metropolis that never sleeps!
Contact me to inquire.
