Engagement Session Locations!
Southern Ontario Engagement Session Locations
Usually for many people the first professional photos they get as a couple is their engagement photos, they usually know where and when they want their wedding day to happen but not always where engagement photos should happen as well! A lot of couples are always looking for suggestions for locations for their engagement images so I thought it would be a good idea to put together a little blog post with some of my favourite places/awesome locations for some lovely photos in and around London Ontario!
So lets get started with one of my all time favourite places,
Komoka park is located a couple of minutes right outside of Byron! My favourite part about shooting in this awesome location is that it has fields and forest virtually right beside each other so if you want the nature look but can’t decide between the open field look or the forest look you can have both! The other nice thing is that it is such a lovely location for any season for photos but especially beautiful in the fall.
This is quickly becoming one of my new favourite places for engagement sessions, I have had the pleasure of capturing multiple sessions there last year and this year and it has so much to offer! The park is huge and to be honest I only know one section of it really well but the great part about it is that it’s dog friendly and has dunes, woods and beach all within a 2 minute walk from each other! You won’t have to decide what look you are going for because you can have a huge variety to your session! The only downside is that you do have to pay to enter the park but 100% worth it in my opinion!
Another location that has been popular for me this year is Western University, I have had my own photos taken there as well as have done multiple anniversary and engagement sessions within the past year! It is the perfect spot for older architecture and beautiful manicured gardens, plus it offers a bridge over the thames river and wooded areas as well! It is one of my new favourite places to suggest if you are looking for a mix of older brick buildings and iron rod gates as well as some nature thrown in! Plus if you or your fiance went to school at Western or met there it can add some more sentimentality to your images!
The Civic Gardens is kind of part of Springbank Park but has a greenhouse and actually is a wedding venue itself! The nicest part about this location is that it has a ton of manicured gardens, a small pond and in the spring time also has magnolia trees! This location is nicest for spring or summer sessions in my opinion just because of the gorgeous gardens. If you like this location, I would personally recommend doing a weekday session to avoid interrupting weddings.
If you want to add some wow factor to your engagement session I would recommend Rock Glen, it is honestly the most beautiful place and only one hour away from London! Like guys it has a waterfall, beautiful creeks and in the summer tons of wild flowers all over, you can climb out onto the rocks down by the waterfall and in the creeks so it allows for so much variety and for your photographer to get creative! It is an affordable location, they ask for a small donation to maintain the park but totally worth it! Only downside, make sure to check for flooding before your session as if the water is to high they will lock the gate for safety and you cannot get down to the falls.
If you have lived in London or grew up here chances are you have been to Port Stanley Ontario and the beach, with it being only a 40 minute drive from London it is the easiest and quickest beach to get to. Port Stanley has lots to offer for a beach engagement session and also is the cutest little town to wander through for photos as well! Plus it has the most delicious food and ice cream there so totally worth a check out!
Springbank Park and Springbank Gardens is a pretty typical place if you are a London native, it is one of the largest and most beautiful parks right in the middle of Byron! It is a very popular place for images as it has a river that goes right through, magnolia trees in the spring and plenty of forested areas so that you can get a lot of diversity into your images in a small area! The nice thing about Springbank Park is that it is also super easy to get to and with so many different places to photograph your images will never look the same as someone else getting images done in the same place!
Last but not least another location to consider for your engagement session if you are looking for a more urban setting is downtown London. You have everything from older brick buildings, cool graffiti and neutral parking lots at your disposal for backdrops, along with the multiple parks downtown for some added greenery! My personal favourite downtown park is Ivey Park which offers manicured gardens, a suspension looking bridge and views of the river and downtown buildings. It is nice for a combination session to get two different looks!
Some extra little engagement session advice:
* Book your session at least 2 months before your wedding date, this allows your photographer time to edit and return your photos to you in time to use them for your wedding day!
* Choose a location that means something to you as a couple! These listed above are just some places I like to shoot and have nice locations for sessions but if you as a couple have a place in mind it means so much more when it has special meaning to you!
* Choose a time of day that compliments the location! I always try to deter my couples from choosing noon as a time of day to shoot, this is because direct sunlight is not super flattering. I always try and suggest doing a session later in the evening as it is the nicest time to shoot!
* I also like to suggest that brides get their hair and makeup professionally done for their engagement session. You could use the opportunity to do your bridal trial or even just to see what type of makeup you prefer!
No matter where or when you decide to do your engagement photos always talk to your photographer, they are there to help you make decisions so that you get the best possible engagement photos for you as a couple!
Sincerely,
**Michelle A Photography is now booking 2020 wedding dates! Contact hello@michelleaphoto.com to book your FREE consultation today!**
