Top 10 Engagement Session Locations in Chicago – Chicago, the windy city, is home to a plethora of stunning picturesque vistas, so much so, that couples often feel overwhelmingly spoilt for choice when it comes to picking one for a photoshoot. From classic skyline backdrops to bustling streets making for high-fashion paparazzi-style photographs, the city has great variety to offer when it comes to wedding photography.
Depending on your unique vision, it is possible to narrow down your choices and pick a location or two that perfectly suits your vibe. However, it is important to partner with an experienced wedding photographer in Chicago for this, as they can guide you through the location selection process, being well-versed in the scenic locales of the city. With their expertise, they can help you finalize a venue that best fulfills your vision.
For a head start in your journey, here is a selection of 10 of the best engagement session locations in Chicago.
Wrigley Building and Riverwalk
The Wrigley Building is one of the most evergreen iconic venues for wedding photography. Located on Michigan Avenue, the place which is named after the famous chewing gum brand, is well-known for its beautiful façade and river views. Between the building’s sparkling brass golden revolving doors, architectural details, and stunning skylines, you will receive an array of options for photography frames and narratives. Close by is also the famous Chicago Riverwalk – another popular venue that is flooded with tourists and engaged couples year-round. The city skyline in the distance is one of the most attractive highlights of a Riverwalk photoshoot. A skilled photographer will be able to craft spectacular portraits with these amazing frames.
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is an excellent engagement photoshoot location that offers a ‘two-for-one’ deal when it comes to photography backdrops. The place permits shooting indoors as well as outdoors. Featuring beautiful winding spiral staircases, towering pillars, and exquisite art sculptures inside, the location provides ample natural light for photography as well. The gardens on the other hand offer generous green plants, lawns, and trees that make for more backdrop options. You will also find a stunning central water fountain graced by an intricate sculpture in the courtyard – perfect for wedding photography.
Garfield Park Conservatory
The Garfield Park Conservatory is an excellent option for an indoor venue that offers outdoor beauty. The 184-acre park features an array of summer amenities like swimming, fishing, athletics, and a colossal greenhouse filled with lush botanicals. Its protective glass roof helps capture the beauty of the sky while being comfortable indoors even during the colder months. The expansive greenery that blooms year-round offers the most beautiful natural backdrop for wedding photography; complimented by the peeking sun rays falling through the glass top. The venue is equally beautiful during the fall and winter seasons when you can incorporate the sparkling snowfall into your portrait photos as well. A skilled wedding photographer can provide some of the best pre-wedding photographs at Garfield Park Conservatory.
North Avenue Beach
The North Avenue Beach is one of the most popular and versatile locations in the city, as it offers the quintessential Chicago ambiance. With the sparkling shores, waterfront location, the city skyline in the distance, and lake views, the place features a variety of backdrops for wedding photography. During the summer months, you may also get a glimpse of dune grass; beachfront photos are particularly magical during the golden hours. Couples also typically like to walk down the pedestrian bridge over Lake Shore Drive holding hands while the photographer clicks beautiful pictures, and then get more photos taken at the beach.
Union Station
Union Station is an excellent indoor engagement photoshoot location that offers classic architectural details. The front façade features lovely towering rustic columns with staircases that offer a grandiose appeal. The interiors on the other hand feature more opulent frames with vintage European-inspired details. The venue is known for its unique classic and timeless ambiance that no other venue in the city offers. Couples typically like to wear elegant formal outfits with classic fabrics like satin and silk in neutral or contrasting colors to stand out against the beautiful ivory background of the building.
Chicago Board of Trade
The Chicago Board of Trade offers the best of the windy city when it comes to photography. Featuring iconic historic buildings and busy streets with crosswalks, the place is ideal for movement shots and mesmerizing long exposure shots with neon lights in the background. Located in the Financial District of downtown Chicago, the strip is perfect to get high-fashion-inspired paparazzi portraits as well. Between the tall contemporary-style buildings and classic street elements, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to picture frames. The most skilled wedding photographers in Chicago can spectacular and unique photographs with the iconic elements at the location.
Montrose Harbor
The Montrose Harbor and Beach offers one of the best varieties of frames for photography. Featuring every aesthetic element you need, starting from white sandy beaches to sparkling blue waters, the paved harbor front, and the majestic city skylines, the place offers a unique frame for every wedding vision. In addition to the natural elements, you can also request special permits to shoot aboard a sailboard, which will give you more magnificent nautical-inspired portraits. The options are endless at the Montrose Harbor; an engagement session scheduled at the right times to incorporate ample natural light, including the golden hours, can do wonders.
Buckingham Fountain
The Buckingham Fountain is an iconic location in the city that attracts tourists as well as engaged couples alike. Located at Grant Park, it is one of the largest fountains in the world, and for the same reason represents an excellent Chicago landmark. Created in the shape of a rococo-inspired wedding cake, the Buckingham Fountain offers an exquisite and romantic ambiance, perfect for elegant engagement photoshoot sessions. Aside from the beauty of the fountain, the place also offers beautiful skyline views in the distance, along with views of Lake Michigan nearby. Night-time photography is particularly popular at the venue as the fountain lights up in vivid colors at the end of the day. An efficient wedding photographer will be able to capture some alluring colorful and creative shots.
Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk
The Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk is another highly popular engagement session location in Chicago that offers some of the most spectacular views of the city. Located north of downtown Chicago by Lincoln Park Zoo, it features several natural and structured elements that will lend an exotic appeal to wedding pictures. One of its core highlights aside from a large local pond and sunflowers, is the “The Honeycomb” – a stunning dome structure, perfect for capturing romantic portraits. The pond sometimes offers magical reflections of the skyline that many photographers like to take advantage of. The boardwalk is another excellent option for couples to take strolls while having some stunning photos taken against the backdrop of the Chicago skyline.
Jane Addams Memorial Park
The Jane Addams Memorial Park is a hidden gem in Chicago that features a refreshing, tranquil, and beautiful ambiance, ideal for romantic portraits. Located off Lakeshore Drive, very close to the Magnificent Mile, the venue offers an array of natural elements like green open lawns lined by towering mature trees, elegant stone pathways, arches, and staircases. The trees form gorgeous canopies creating the illusion of a forest area while being in the heart of the windy city; this opens the scope for moody portrait pictures within negligible distance from other iconic locations, in case you need more varieties of backdrops. In every way, the Jane Addams Memorial Park is a lovely option not frequented by many.
Wrapping up
Chicago is a vast treasure chest when it comes to picturesque photo-worthy locations, making it the perfect city to document your love story. The above-mentioned top 10 engagement session locations are among the hundreds of others that you can choose to pop the question or have a romantic shoot with your significant other. Choose one from the list or consult with our experts at Shan Photography to plan your engagement.
As one of the most experienced wedding photographers in Chicago, we have first-hand knowledge of the best places in the windy city, including less-frequented hidden gems. Feel free to seek guidance from our team when choosing locations for your shoot. We can help you find the perfect place for your vision.
Contact Shan Photography today!
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