Popular Engagement Locations
Wow! You are officially a fiancé! Congrats to the both of you :) Your next steps would be getting those perfect engagement photos taken to cherish and share with your family and friends. So, let’s look at some engagement location ideas relevant to the Virginia state and the Richmond city area.
Outdoor locations are highly recommended as you can capture some amazing scenery and have those images really feeling naturally candid. First, let’s go over some outdoor locations that would be closer to the Richmond City area.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens: This beautiful floral fairytale showcases a diversity in greenery and exploding colors. Richmond locals will likely have visited before and know what I am talking about! This is a wonderful location that will include a true diverse portfolio of backdrops you can choose. This location does require a photographer fee if you are interested that costs $150 for 1.5 hours and $50 for each additional booked hour. Remember, this is additional to booking your own photographer as well as the general admission tickets you would be responsible for as well which is $14 per adult unless members (which is free). There are still restrictions for seasonal booking and their photographer booking hours are from Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. which may or may not work in your and your photographer's schedule. This location is about 15 minutes from downtown Richmond.
Pony Pasture: This location is a little further down the James River and is the perfect fit for couples who might be interested in having some playful water shots together. The riverbank is pretty flat allowing couples to easily get in for some shots or take a full dip if they want! This area does have a designated parking lot that at times can be busy depending on season and time of day. It is common for locals to go tubing in this area of the river because of how flat and slow moving the water is here. This location is just over 10 minutes from downtown Richmond.
Maymont Park: This well-known location is open to the public and does not require any photographer fee or scheduling. This area does require some light walking around the paved trails to get to the different sections of the park such as the popular Japanese Gardens or the Arboretum. This is also a prime location for fun picnic shots with its main meadow at the entrance with large overgrowing trees that could provide great shade. Watch out for those geese and their messes! This park is open from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. from October to March 14 and from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. from March 15 to September. There is no required fee but there is a suggested $5 admission to help fund the upkeep of the park. This is less than 10 minutes away from downtown Richmond.
The Canal Walk: A great option for couples who share an urban and creative personality. The canal walk is filled with artwork and graffiti along its walkway and gives off a real “city” vibe. This location isn’t the only area to get some great graffiti backdrops, the heart of VCU campus can also be a fantastic place as well where just blocks away picturesque walls are waiting for you. There can be difficulties with parking with this location as the only designated parking lot holds very few vehicles and street parking is hard to come by with the nearby apartment buildings. I would absolutely recommend making sure you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your shoot for parking alone. This location is less than 5 minutes from downtown Richmond.
William “Byrd” Park: This park is super popular with locals and it’s huge! There are plenty of places to shoot and also several designated areas to park along with easy street side parking off the main roads. With that, coordinating can be a little more difficult with the multiple entrances but not impossible. This park has large ponds, walking trails, picnic areas, meadows, and more. Once again beware of the geese and their messes! This location is just under 10 minutes from downtown Richmond.
Belle Isle: This location can be swarming with people during the right season. There are a couple entrances to this location but the main entrance is where most people start. There is designated parking but it is often full during weekends or nice weather days. You may have to walk a bit to find the right place to park and be willing to pay for it. This location is great for couples who want water backdrops and interesting bits of history such as the rundown buildings found on the other side of the walkway bridge. Unlike Pony Pasture, the water here is high and fast moving which is why a lot of people kayak here. I would not suggest the playful water pictures here as it would be too risky. There are plenty of “rock hopping” opportunities to get close to the water and get those beautiful sunset photos. Be ready for people, dogs, and cooler wind coming off of the water. This location is 5 minutes from downtown Richmond.
Alright, now that we have gone over those closer outdoor locations, let’s take a look at the more “destination” location engagement spots in Virginia that might be a further drive. This shouldn’t deter you though! Those who travel often reap greater benefits ;)
Grayson Highlands State Park: This park holds Virginia’s two highest mountaintops, Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain. The Highlands is a very easy drive around to see the rolling hills and animals roaming the area. This park is also home to ponies! Yes, you may just see some free roaming ponies about the trails of this park. This park is one of the furthest away from Richmond as it almost touches Tennessee and North Carolina at approximately a 5 hour drive.
Raven’s Roost Overlook: This location is found along the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 10.7. Just about any location along the Blue Ridge is breathtaking but this particular overlook is popular for the perfect backdrop it provides. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the absolute perfect place for those interested in more of an accessible location that isn’t so hiking heavy. You can park pretty close to these overlooks but there are always trails available to hike along your travels if you desire! This specific overlook is about 2 hours away from the Richmond area.
Big Meadows: This location is along the Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive. This is perfect for sunset lovers looking for a vast iconic location. The meadows are known for easier accessibility and gorgeous views. The mountain skyline will be further back in the images for this location but still visible. This location would definitely focus more on the lush meadows than the mountain skyline. This is also about 2 hours away from the Richmond area.
Great Marsh Estate: Changing up the mountain look to a romantic and fairytale seeming estate location. This is perfect for those wanting some more formal attire engagement sessions with 0 hikes involved. This estate is a gorgeous view and definitely gives off ‘Bridgerton’ vibes. This location does have a permit fee of $150 to get those princess pictures you have always wanted. This location is closer to the NOVA area and is about 1.5 hours away from the Richmond area.
Blenheim Vineyards: Now, if you are at all interested in vineyards, here is one suggestion for you. It carries the gorgeous views of the mountain skylines while providing the elegant and classic looks that vineyards showcase. Just about any vineyard will be a great suggestion for an engagement location especially if you want to stick around and make it a full date night with wine tastings after! This vineyard in particular is just over an hour from the Richmond area.
Old Town Alexandria: This is perfect for couples looking to showcase a classical and historic driven location for their engagement pictures. They are timeless and gorgeous with a variety of backdrops such as gardens, meadow parks, cobblestone roads, and waterfront harbors! This location would be great to capture outfits that have a timeless and elegant style to match the gorgeous town. It is also filled with date night opportunities with the National Harbor Ferris Wheel just a short drive away. This location is just over 2 hours from Richmond.
I hope you have enjoyed my personal suggestions! There are plenty of honorable mentions this list could hold but I didn’t want to bombard you with too much information. The location of choice should really express you and your partner as a couple and maybe even hint at what you intend your wedding day to look like for further inspiration!
P.S. Here are some final tips to remember for scheduling and planning your engagement shoot. Always check a location's operation hours for the day you intend to go, the parking situation, what their rules and regulations are, and if they have a photographer’s fee and what it costs. Good luck on your hunt!
