RAD Engagement Session Ideas
Atlanta Athens Georgia Wedding Photographer

July 6, 2016

Think Outside the Box!

As you know, I love when couples choose locations that are special to them or significant to their relationship when deciding on a backdrop for their engagement photos (ex: where they met, a frequent date location, etc.).  However, some couples are more interested in exploring new locations and ask me for suggestions.  Over the years, I’ve compiled a list of some RAD engagement session ideas… some that I just think would be SUPER cute and some that I’ve been dying to photograph!  Obviously the list of places/”themes” I’d love to photograph is endless, but below are some unique ideas I’ve compiled.  Some of these are seasonal ideas, some are dependent on location, some require a permit, etc., but maybe this will get you brainstorming what cool photos you may want to take!

picnic engagement globe

Hot Air Balloons!  Have you ever seen those dreamy images of the sky filled with colorful air balloons?  How cool with it be to do a bright & colorful styled shoot amongst those balloons?  Paired with a picnic, this could be the cutest engagement session!  And hot air balloon parks are probably closer to you than you think!

Stone Mountain!  There are great locations in Stone Mountain Park that I’ve shot at, but I look forward to the day that a couple takes the “skyride” to the top of the mountain with me at sunrise or sunset.  Getting that golden glow on the rocks with the horizon in the distance would be stellar.  ALSO going during the Yellow Daisy Festival (in September?) is a dream for any wildflower lover, as thousands of yellow daisies grow between the rocks on the mountain.

stone mountain ga engagement

Fair / Carnival!  Do you love neon lights, cotton candy, Whack-A-Mole, carousels, and other fun things you’d find at the county festival?  A “date night” at a fair would make for SUPER fun engagement photos.

Stadium!  Do you & your partner have a sports team you love?  Do y’all enjoy date nights to a stadium?  Many stadiums will allow photographs inside during the week (sometimes with a small fee), and it can make for a super cute engagement session.  For my Dawg fans in Athens, a session in Sanford Stadium has always been on my bucket list! :)

Themed Session!  Share a favorite movie, decade, etc.?  This type of engagement session is more rare, but SUPER adorable.  Examples: Disney Pixar’s “Up” Movie, Zombie Attack, The Notebook, Fifties, etc.

disney pixar up theme engagement

Canoe!  Talk about my ultimate DREAM shoot.  Remember that scene from The Notebook with the swans on the water?  Well, we might not have swans, but how gorgeous would it be to photograph a couple in a canoe or sailboat?!

Let’s go picking!

– Pumpkin Patch!  Do you & your partner love the Fall? And Halloween? And carving pumpkins?  Throw on a scarf and lets go pick out pumpkins together!  Plus I know you’ve seen those cute photos where your date is written on the pumpkins. :)

– Strawberry Patch!  I also feel like an adorable engagement session would be to go out & pick strawberries and twirl in the fields while wearing a cute sundress and sun hat.

– Apple Orchard!  Because orchards are… gorgeous.

Riding bikes!  Especially cute bikes.  On dirt roads.  :)

bike engagement photos

Paint fight!  Have you ever seen those rad photos from the Color Run?  With what’s called “Holi Powder” flying in the air?  This could be incorporated into an engagement session for a super fun couple… although it’d be the last thing we do, since it’s messy! :)

Ice cream parlor!  Do you & your partner have a sweet tooth?  Incorporating ice cream cones into your shoot sounds adorable and… mega tasty.

Seasonal field! 

– Sunflower field!  I mean, how gorgeous are sunflowers?

– Canola field!  Especially if you’re a sucker for yellow blooms!

– Cotton field!  These are only in bloom in the fall & might be tricky to locate, but they’re perfect for a southern / country engagement

– Vineyard!  Pretty much the most classy & romantic setting ever?

– Christmas Tree Farm!  Let’s drink hot chocolate & cozy up with some blankets in a Christmas tree farm around the holidays!

canola field engagement

Beach time!  This is obviously a destination engagement session, but have you ever dreamed of splashing in the ocean during your engagement session or going for a walk on the sand?

Graffiti!  If you live near Atlanta (or any city?!), you probably have a ton of funky street art & graffiti walls.  Exploring the different city walls would make for a vibrant & colorful shoot!  I especially want to explore the Atlanta BeltLine & Ponce City Market!

Greenhouse!  I’ve always wanted to photograph in a greenhouse, because you can’t go wrong with flowers galore + all that natural light!

 Shared Hobby!  This goes back to customizing the session to your relationship… Do y’all love cooking together? Bowling? Painting? Most activities can be photographed!

Claire Diana