Our phones allow us to capture special, spontaneous moments, but, when it comes to the wedding, it’s worth turning to a professional to tell your photo story. Engagement photos personalize your wedding event and celebrate your commitment. Incorporating engagement photos into Save the Dates, centerpieces, and the guest sign-in table, help make your wedding feel uniquely you.
Forest Park
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When it comes to photo ops, it’s hard to beat Forest Park. Given the sweeping views, undulating hills, and incredible architecture, Art Hill, the Jewel Box, Muny, and World’s Fair Pavilion, each presents idyllic scenery in any season. There are less iconic areas worth incorporating in your photo session: the historic Victorian Footbridge, which leads to the mythical White Mulberry Tree; the Seven Pools waterfall, a lovely picnic area; and Council Circle, a limestone amphitheatre on the east side of the park. Still farther off the beaten path is the Successional Forest, a tranquil forest habitat that offers a wild, dreamy photo-scape. 5595 Grand Drive.
Additional Parks: Tower Grove, Lafayette, and Faust
Grand Center
Grand Center teems with local landmarks, but two places should be must stops on your engagement photo tour, the Church Ruins and the Contemporary Art Museum. The ruins of the former Church of God in Christ are as breathtaking on a cloudy day as they are when the sun is streaming through its ivy-strewn walls. Couple often flock to the concrete shell for engagement and wedding photos, a vanishing, beautiful site. A mere couple of blocks from the burned out church sits The Contemporary Art Museum. The sleek, modern space brims with natural light, especially well-suited for a black and white photo palette. Inside CAM’s shared courtyard with Pulitzer Arts Foundation is Richard Serra’s torqued steel sculpture, “Joe.” The structure’s front, entrance, and center generate memorable scenes. 3750 Washington.
Central Library
More than a century old, the Central Library stands opulently among the modern structures of downtown. Inside, the space offers splendid flair for your photos, from vaulted ceilings and marble floors and pillars to massive chandeliers. Architectural replicants from the Pantheon and Vatican and the grand white stairs create romantic Renaissance ambiance.1301 Olive.
Missouri Botanical Garden
The Missouri Botanical Garden is nothing short of an urban oasis, perfectly-tailored for a moment as magical as your engagement photos shoot. Pathways wind through green spaces suited to any taste and vibe, including the rustic English Woodland, stunningly-sculpted Japanese, and lush Rose gardens. Sculpture nooks, fountains, and gazebos (the Chinese Garden’s is a favorite) provide picturesque scenes for your photos. The varying degrees of natural light, from sun-dappled, shadier spots to full sun, allows your photographer to capture a variety of moods. 4344 Shaw.
The Graffiti Wall
If you want to bring the funk to your engagement photos, consider the floodwall south of the Arch along the Mississippi River, aptly nicknamed “The Mural Mile.” Celebrate your engagement and your city against a backdrop of spray-painted fleur de lis, Busch Stadium, and several iterations of the Arch. If you want to capture the eclectic spirit of St. Louis in your photos, this is your spot. A splash of color among the sea of gray, the Graffiti Wall serves as a uniquely dynamic location. 1000 South Wharf.
