Ah, the most common question I get after folks book me. Where are the absolute best engagement photo spots in Seattle?! Seattle and the greater surrounding area is chalk full of so many beautiful backgrounds. We could do something more urban, we could do something in nature, we could high tail it out to the mountains for an adventure session… you name it! That’s why I had to come up with my favorite Seattle engagement spots to help you choose.

Engagement photos are such a unique experience to be with your partner in an element that feels true to you two, so we want to make sure the spot you choose brings out your personalities and most true-selves. That could be taking photos of you two sipping on brews at your favorite hole in the wall bar and then strolling with some silly-tipsy photos in the surrounding area, or it could be taking you to the hike you did on your second date when you realized you like-like each other. For the purpose of this post, I will be featuring the easiest, and most versatile spots in or near the city. Don’t worry though, I’m always down for hiking a mountain or planning something more elaborate – stay tuned for another post on those favorite spots 😉

Either way, engagement photos are important. They’re a sweet time to get comfortable with being photographed and getting to know your photographer, and they are so much more accurate than I think any wedding day could capture. After all, we don’t usually wear our wedding dresses or suits on the average weekend, ya know? Engagement photos help capture some of the most honest moments in your relationship, without the feeling of being crunched for time or needing to say hi to all your guests.

So without further ado, here are some of my favorite go-to spots, that I believe are versatile, easy to plan and coordinate,

5 Favorite Engagement Photo Spots In or Near Seattle

1) Ballard Farmers Market and Golden Gardens

Ahh, one of my favorite sessions to date! Leah and Bobby love strolling the Ballard Farmers Market on their days together, so it made perfect sense for them to do just that for their engagement photos. The Market really allows you to sink into the moment, shop around while I photograph you doing normal things, and heck, even get some groceries for the week! Win-win am I right. We stopped at coffee shops and little pockets of exposed brick, and ended with a short drive over to Golden Gardens for a more natural, beachy background to add some versatility. Honestly, the whole shoot was maybe just over an hour, too. It was easy, natural, and so much fun. See more from their session here!

2) Downtown Seattle Ferry + Bainbridge Island

Loved this session especially because Ashlee and Aaron were from out of town, so riding a ferry was brand new to them! I also got to show them a little bit of the layout of our city before they moved over here 🙂 I love this option for engagement shoots because ferries are sooo iconic to Washington state and provide such a dreamy backdrop and lighting. Strolling around downtown Bainbridge Island made for a fun and natural shoot, and ending with some beachy (erm – rocky Washington beachy, to be clear) shots near the water hit everything on their list for what they wanted in their shoot!

3) Discovery Park

All. The. Nature. It’s true, you cannot go wrong with Discovery Park for your engagement shoot. The tall grass, cliffs near the water, trees, and even an old church and the lighthouse – endless possibilities. I’ve done many engagement shoots here and they’ve all been some of my favorites. Not to mention it’s right in Seattle, so makes for an easy day for everyone! Check out this and this for some more engagement shoots I’ve shot here!

4) Downtown rooftop with cityscape background

Okay okay, admittedly I haven’t taken a couple to this gem of a spot yet. But I have taken my friend Soleil there on a random “Wanna take pictures of each other?” day (it’s a thing). It’s the best spot. Ladders and cool backdrops and signage from the city? I’m into it. I’ve got a dream of taking a couple up there around sunset, and driving a cool vintage car up for some badass shots. If you’re in, I’m in.

5) Gold Creek Pond

Rounding out my top 5 with Gold Creek Pond. It’s beautiful, accessible, and just a 45 minute drive east of Seattle. The Fall colors here could not be more beautiful, and if you come here in the winter you’ll be met with a winter wonderland if you’re dreaming of some snowy pics for your session. It’s truly beautiful at any time of the year you could go. To see more of Katelyn and Cody’s shoot here, hit up this blog post!

Welp, those are five of my favorite Seattle engagement photo spots. They’re all so easy to plan and coordinate, versatile, and I feel meet the needs of all the different types of engagement sessions you could want. Of course, there are always adventure-session options, but the above five are a few of my faves for staying near the city and being able to still have the other half of your day available to you. Of course, PLEASE feel free to be SO creative with your engagement shoots. I love adding to this list, and want to hear all of your thoughts and ideas for where and how you want your session to take place. Exploring new spots is one of my favorite things to do, so feel free to take me on your own little adventure as well 🙂

You may also want to read: 7 Tips for an Amazing Engagement Session

Or How to Plan a Wedding from Start to Finish

Pin this for later!