When it comes to your engagement shoot, location is everything. Luckily, couples planning to take their engagement photos in Seattle, Washington, have a variety of gorgeous backdrops to choose from, including rainforest, desert, water, cities and everything in between. “It’s one of the most diverse landscapes in the country, which can make choosing a location for your engagement photos a real challenge!” says Seattle wedding photographer Emily Keeney of Emily Keeney Photography.
The photos you take during this sentimental shoot are more than just keepsakes. You can use them throughout the planning process, for everything from your creative engagement announcements to save the dates and your wedding website. With that in mind, Keeney always tells couples to choose a location that’s meaningful to them. “If hiking is a big part of their lives, it makes sense to involve that in the location,” she says. “If their idea of a good time is brunch and record shopping, then an urban setting makes a lot of sense.”
Keeney, along with other top wedding photographers Jonas Seaman of Jonas Seaman Photography, Malorie Kerouac of Malorie Kerouac Photography, and Dacia Pierson of Eager Hearts Photography Co., share their top picks for stunning locations to take engagement photos in Seattle and the surrounding communities.
1. Belltown
“Belltown is the best for urban nooks and crannies,” says Seaman. “The alleyways are brick, and the building windows create awesome reflections of light in the late afternoon.”
2. North Cascades National Park
“Not far from Seattle, the landscape [at North Cascades National Park] turns rugged and is dense with old-growth trees, rocky peaks, and lush greenery,” says Keeney. “Being out there is an experience in itself and creates a free and vast setting for engagement photos.”
3. Discovery Park
“Discovery Park is a photographer’s dream,” says Pierson. “Wide-open spaces, minimal crowds, and everything beautiful the Pacific Northwest has to offer: rocky beaches, fields of wildflowers, and if you’re lucky, unencumbered views of Mount Rainier.”
Seaman adds: “The thing I like best about Discovery Park is the amount of variety it provides. You’ve got the expanse of green grass at the top end of the park, the beautiful hiking trails and forest in the middle, and then the beachfront and lighthouse at the bottom. It’s like having three locations in one.”
4. Downtown Seattle
“To avoid the hustle and bustle of Downtown Seattle, a lot of couples take to rooftops for their engagement session,” says Kerouac. “That way they get the urban feel without anyone else around!”
Seaman also recommends looking up for Seattle engagement photo inspiration. “Downtown Seattle proper is also an incredible urban landscape. There are plenty of staircases, sky bridges, and balconies that are great for capturing couples in the city itself.”
5. Gas Works Park
“Gas Works Park is a true Seattle landmark,” Kerouac says. “It highlights Seattle’s industrial history in a modern way and also offers grass, trees, and Lake Union — not to mention, the amazing view of Downtown Seattle and the Space Needle!”
6. Georgetown
“Personally, Georgetown is my favorite urban area for engagement sessions,” says Seaman. “It’s a few small blocks of artist spaces, antique shops, and restaurants with more of a DIY aesthetic to it — a bit more off-kilter than downtown, Belltown, or Pioneer Square. There are lots of hand-painted signs and strings of lights. Always great for a fun session.”
7. Hurricane Ridge
“Hurricane Ridge is an incredible viewpoint in the Olympic National Park,” Kerouac explains. “It has dozens of deer regularly roaming the grounds, and [there are] wildflowers everywhere—not to mention, the incredible view of Washington’s Olympic Mountain Range!”
8. Lincoln Park
“Lincoln Park offers plenty of variety with forest trails but also a very long stretch of beach that is often covered with driftwood,” says Seaman.
Keeney also loves Lincoln Park for Seattle engagement photos because it’s so close, yet still feels remote. “It offers lush greenery, fall foliage, and iconic evergreens. There are plenty of eagle sightings here, too!” she says.
9. Luna Park
A former amusement park, Luna Park closed in the 1940s but is marked by an old 2.5-ton anchor secured at the site on Alki Beach. “Luna Park is a lesser-known gem. It’s down the street from the more popular Alki Beach, but unlike Alki, you can often have the place to yourself. It has a gorgeous beach with a view of downtown.”
10. Pike Place Market
“Pike Place Market is iconic to Seattle,” says Keeney. “It’s not for the camera-shy, though, because it’s always very busy. You have to be okay with having other people in your photos, but it captures the bustling city life so well, and with the lights and signs, it’s very visually stimulating.”
Seaman adds that Pike Place is always fun, especially if the couple wants a Seattle landmark as an element of their session. “I especially love the alley leading to the bottom of the market. It is always popping with color from flyers and graffiti.”
11. Pioneer Square
“Pioneer Square gives you the best of ‘old’ Seattle,” says Seaman. “The storefronts are incredible and every corner is filled with atmosphere.”
12. Rattlesnake Lake
“A short drive from Seattle, Rattlesnake is a beautiful lake scattered with moody and rugged tree stumps and offers a serene mountain backdrop,” says Keeney. “If you like the look of mountain photos, but don’t want to hike, this is a great spot. The parking lot is right next to this vista!”
13. The Seattle Ferry
“One of my favorite things to do with a couple is to hop [the Seattle Ferry] to Vashon or Bainbridge,” Seaman says. “It’s always fun. You get the wind blowing, the water, and views of the city in the distance.”
14. The Seattle Waterfront
“Farther down from Pike Place Market are the piers of the Seattle Waterfront,” Seaman says. “It’s always beautiful to spend time there with couples and to capture the Ferris wheel at sunset.”
15. Snoqualmie Falls
“Snoqualmie Falls is one of Seattle’s best spots,” says Kerouac. “It is just 40 minutes outside of Seattle and feels like you are somewhere in Iceland. It is an amazing and powerful waterfall destination that showcases one of Seattle’s most stunning natural landmarks.”
16. Washington Park Arboretum
“Washington Park Arboretum is a huge park in essentially Downtown Seattle, just minutes from the University of Washington,” Kerouac says. “It has tons of options including a Japanese botanical garden, but all of it is beautiful. It has Seattle’s iconic lush, green foliage, and glimpses of Lake Washington’s shore.”
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