You’ve got a special kind of vibe and you know it, girl! It’s what people think of when they think of you because it shows up in all your little details! It’s in the way you dress, the perfume you wear, the type of restaurants you frequent, and the causes you care about. It’s just you. Your engagement photos shouldn’t look like everybody else’s because they’re YOURS, so choosing your photo location well is vital!
If you’re with a quality photographer, they will make almost any backdrop work. But why would you settle for just ‘okay’ when you can have amazing! Think about all the possibilities! Where did you first met each other? Is there a the place you frequently visit together? Did he propose in a spot that was special to you? What are your favorite spots in the city? Once you get going, the ideas are endless!
Your photos shouldn’t look like everybody else’s because they’re YOURS.
Don’t just go to a random park to get your engagement photos done! There are so many amazing photo session locations in and around Charlotte, NC. You’ve just got to know where to look! Lucky for you, we do!
We’ve got a super quick glance at our absolute favorite locations to do engagement sessions in and around Charlotte. At the end of this article, download our PDF with ALL of our favorite photo locations around Charlotte! All you have to do is decide what your vibe is, and we’ll take it from there!
For the sake of simplicity, we’re going to categorize our vibes into four categories: Uptown Classic, Urban Hipster, Romantic Botanicals, and Fresh & Simple or Wild Child. Let’s do this!
Uptown Classic | Elegant Luxury
If you want the vibe of your engagement session to be somewhere between James Bond and The Great Gatsby, check out Sophia’s Lounge. Located right in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, this lounge is dripping with sophisticated charm.
Uptown Charlotte has gorgeous skyline views, but you have to know where to go! Our favorite photo location is right on top of Rhino Market Deli. Nothing says, “We own this city,” quite like a skyline sparkling right behind you!
If your session’s vibe is all about opulence and you also want a little historic charm you’ll LOVE the Duke Mansion. This massive historical treasure brims with elegance from doorbell to garden.
If you like the ritzy mansion vibe, but need a little more whimsical romance, then Champagne Manor is probably the perfect place for your engagement session!
Urban Hipster | Edgy, Artsy & Eclectic
If you favor the raw and culturally rich vibes of artists and art lovers, Camp North End is the perfect location for your engagement photos! Located at the north east corner of Charlotte, this is simply a playground for the perfect hipster photos! With frequent live music, bars, gardens & warm string lights your artist soul will feel right at home!
The NoDa Area is the edgy little sister of Charlotte’s arts district, with murals on every street corner and eclectic one-of-a-kind shops, just walking down the street is an experience! This old city block is becoming a vibrant piece of Charlotte’s colorful history and can be a lively part of your engagement photos!
If you adore the artistic vibes around Charlotte, but want something with a little more sugar and whimsy, check out the Confetti Hearts Wall and surrounding murals. Located right next to Jeni’s Ice Cream, this adorable pastel backdrop contrasts its industrial surroundings perfectly!
Romantic | Botanical Gardens
Few things say romance as poetically as gardens full of lush life and blossoming colors in your engagement photos!
The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, in Belmont, NC, is a slice of paradise with as many light shows as there are flowers, you can absolutely create some epic photos at this location at the right time!
The McGill Rose Garden, right outside of center Charlotte, is an absolute charm! You will want to build a little stone cottage right in the middle of it and never leave. Or, you know, just have a killer engagement session!
Glencairn Garden, in Rock Hill, SC, is filled with gushing fountains, colorful trees and flowers. Dedicated to our veterans, this garden is a well kept Elysium.
Fresh & Simple or Wild Child| Parks & Nature Preserves
Alright, babe, there are literally DOZENS of parks to choose from around Charlotte, and you may be tempted to just go with the one you’re most familiar with, but remember the goal here: achieve the vibe in your engagement photos that you achieve in your daily life!
Are you looking for a natural vibe without losing the city altogether? Parks such as Freedom Park & Marshall Park have got you covered. With great variety in scenery, you won’t sacrifice one look for another. The nature will be a little more manicured and you won’t lose the surrounding architecture of the city.
If you want water front and forestry, check out Frank Liske Park (Concord) and Jetton Park (Cornelius)! Both of these parks have beautiful scenery for the nature lover in you, but you don’t have to break a sweat to get to it!
The Studio Portrait
We’ve come a long way from the days of cheesy props and sky blue backdrops! Instead of trying to mimic the outside world, studio portraits are now focused on capturing the only thing that matters: you. It’s a beautifully timeless thing to capture your essence as a couple. With nothing distracting behind you, every touch and look is amplified. Your comfort and intimacy with each other resonates in the artwork and your story is told.
At the end of the day…
Your engagement photos are a representation of your story as a couple and who you are as people. You don’t need to overcomplicate it, but don’t shrug it off because you think they’re “just pictures”, they’re an investment! You live in a beautiful place, make the most of it!
We want to make your search as easy as possible, so for a more exhaustive list of our favorite locations to do engagement sessions, download the PDF below, complete with vibe descriptions and google map links!
Before you go taking your engagement photos, read our 7 Pro-Tips On How To STUN In Your Engagement Photos!
Looking for a venue too? Check out our Top Ten Favorite Wedding Venues in Charlotte
