Our Top 10 Engagement Photo Session Locations in Boston

Boston- a bustling city famous for the amazing educational institutions and even more amazing baked beans and seafood! It has quite a unique texture of its own. Seldom called the "city of neighborhoods", this city is a fusion of diverse subsections. With friendly neighborhoods and trendy highrises, Boston is the perfect place to live in. With the waterline just beyond the reach and the shiny buildings punctuating the skyline, Boston has the hearts of many!

Boston- the city of sailboats, incredible skylines, and glittery skyscrapers! There are so many refreshing gardens, picturesque university campuses, and sandy beaches, that leave behind quite an impact on people’s hearts, even after one fleeting visit. If you are a water baby or love fishing, this might be the perfect spot for you, because there is no dearth of water in this city. However, it is more than just a coastline city. It is filled with many architectural marvels and urban cityscapes to bring in a balanced contrast.

If you have your heart set on Boston and would love to have this gorgeous city featured in your engagement pictures and you are stuck for engagement session ideas, we hope we are of help! If you want that particular Boston vibe to play a guest appearance in your engagement photo session, we have listed down some of the best locations for you to explore. Choose from some of the most suitable spots in Boston to feature in your photo frame and let Boston work its magic on you!

Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain

Situated just outside of Boston’s city center in Jamaica Plain, this place is quite an amazing sight in itself. It has its own unique beauty throughout different seasons. Its flowering blooms and rich greens look just as mesmerizing every time. Situated at the heart of Harvard University, this location is quite accommodating in terms of space. It offers a range of secluded corners even in the busiest of days. Dressed in pretty cherry blossoms, and lilacs, this is a lovely backdrop for your Arnold Arboretum engagement photography. The cascading greens, the blooming trees, and the changing hues of leaves give this location a lot of dimension and depth, bringing your engagement photographs alive with colors and textures. Established in 1872, Arnold Arboretum is a prime space to absorb a deeper insight and understanding of the fascinating world of plants. 

Website: https://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/

Address: 125 Arborway, Boston, MA 02130-3500

Fees or Permits: No photo permit is required.

Boston Public Garden

This garden is a beautiful green space with a burst of flowering colors throughout the acres, making it a treat for the eyes. From flowering trees to manicured lawns to ducks sailing in the lake, this garden has everything to act as a welcome breather from the city. While seldom you will see the city skyline peeking through the greenery, other times, you will feel miles away. Beat the crowd by going in for a morning session, and this place wouldn’t disappoint. Established in 1837, the stunning Boston Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in America and its Victorian touch was quite a gardening scandal for its time. The unnatural combination of flowering plants in the garden was considered ‘garish’. However, it is now one of the most coveted gardens in Boston and is a favorite amongst the newly engaged couple looking to frame the new chapter of their life in a perfect setting with a picture-perfect Boston Public Garden engagement photography.

Website: https://www.boston.gov/parks/public-garden

Address: 4 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02116, United States.

Fees or Permits: No photo permit is required.

New England Aquarium

The mysterious deep blue of the water is complemented by the colorful fishes-big and small. This 9000-gallon aquatic habitat is a place that is sure to give your engagement session a magical flair. Exploring and capturing the unknown in your frames will give your photoshoot a sense of awe and allure and the result will be stunning! Apart from the aquarium itself, there are several other tourist points and fun things to do in this location. The aquarium represents the rich biodiversity of the Indo-Pacific coral reef community. If you are intrigued about a most detailed pictorial representation of the “rainforests of the sea” which support a hoard of different sea creatures, this is a perfect place to visit. And of course, it doesn’t hurt that everything surrounding you is so pretty and awe-inspiring, that every frame from your New England Aquarium engagement photo session comes out magical and refreshingly stunning.

Website: https://www.neaq.org/

Address: 1 Central Wharf, Boston MA 02110

Fees or Permits: Photo permit is required.

Carson Beach and Island

Carson Beach is one of the most favorite beaches when it comes to engagement photography. It’s perfectly sandy and warm with just the right amount of greenery to add that hue of color. The images will come out perfectly especially if it's an overcast day. There is something about a cloudy day on the beach that has a romance of its own. Carson Beach and Island are filled with terrific walkways, awesome views of the Boston Harbor and Logan Airport, a busy shoreline lined with parks, fun beaches, and a large playground. There is nothing really that beats the old-fashioned charm of a day at the beach, soaking up the sun with your loved one, and just having a good time. There is nothing made-up or posey about it, and having our engagement photographer catch the moment in the camera is just the cherry on the cake. Let your Carson Beach and Island engagement photography speak in volumes and tell tales of sunny days and good times. 

Website: https://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/beaches/p249.php

Address: William J Day Blvd, Boston, MA 02127

Fees or Permits: No photo permit required

JFK Library & Museum

The JFK Library is an iconic building in Boston. It’s a pristine white building with the glass foyer facing the water making it a perfect spot to create that perfect engagement shot. It comes with gorgeous views of the Boston skyline, the beautiful dock, and the lovely tree-lined garden bringing in the perfect equilibrium to the setting. Our Boston engagement photographer will love the clean lines and the striking contrast of the water lines and the greenery. The glass walls with contrasting geometric patterns add an element of edge to this otherwise neutral piece of architecture. The silhouette of the building cuts through the blue sky, creating quite an impact. No wonder so many newly-engaged couples are fixated with getting their engagement photoshoot clicked with this location in the background. JFK Library & Museum engagement photo session promises to be unlike any other photoshoot, with inspiring architectural structure and the breathtaking rolling greens ahead. This location comes with ample opportunities for both an interior and an external shoot. Go for monochromatic or bold structural outfits to match the drama and history that this space provides.

Website: https://www.jfklibrary.org/

Address: Columbia Point, Boston MA 02125

Fees or Permits: Photo permit required.

Harold Parker State Forest

 What can be better than a walk in the woods? Getting clicked with your loved one while you are walking in the woods! A while from Boston, placed in Reading Massachusetts, is Harold Parker State Forest, a sprawling 3000-acre nature preserve and a perfect spot to nail your engagement photography session. Rolling woods, hiking paths, natural ponds, and a treasure chest of wild natural beauty, you have struck gold with this location. Whether you are walking through the trail into the darkness, or you are riding bikes under the boulevard of trees, there are a lot of exciting opportunities for you to explore with this lovely spot. Your Harold Parker State Forest engagement photography will surely leave you content and with a lot of lovely photo squares and memories. This is the perfect location for fall mornings as the changing leaves and the tranquil ponds leave this place looking magical. Go for earth-toned colors to help the color composition remain in the same family. 

Website: https://www.mass.gov/locations/harold-parker-state-forest

Address: 133 Jenkins Rd, Andover, MA 01810, United States

Fees or Permits: Photo permit required.

The Harborwalk

Wide-open space, along with rising skyscrapers lit up like Christmas lights reflecting on the sheet of water brilliantly, there is something about the Harborwalk that remains unmatched. Spreading across 50 miles, this location offers a phenomenal view of the cityscape which is worth writing back home about. This walkway covers miles of varying sights, like festive piers, sandy beaches, and green parks. The seemingly infinite blue water offers the perfect backdrop for you to live your dreamy Boston engagement photography. As the day transcends into the night, the sights only get better, offering glittering water. Let your Harbourwalk engagement photo session do all the talking for you, as you capture the scene forever! As if the water and the stunning sight is not enough reason, there are some fun architectural backgrounds and archways that you might want to use in your photographs.

Website: https://www.bostonharbornow.org/what-we-do/explore/harborwalk/

Address: Harborwalk, Boston, MA 02128, USA

Fees or Permits: No entry fee is required.

Smolak Farms

Sometimes, all you need is a fresh breath of air, and this location offers just that. If a countryside landscape with rolling farms, cattle, and poultry in good measure, old barn houses, and tractors speak to your soul more, this is the location for you to get that engagement photo session taken care of. Smolak Farms breathes in the country charm, with a serenity that comes with the terrain. In addition to wide-open spaces, the farms also offer apple orchards, sunflower patches, and cornfields, so you get a bit of variety to grace your Smolak farm photography. Get in touch with yourself by stealing a moment away from the blurry city life, and let our Boston engagement photographer catch you in your organic natural self. You will come back happier, healthier and a ton of charming pictures to tell the story!

Website: http://www.smolakfarms.com/

Address: 315 S Bradford St, North Andover, MA 01845, United States

Fees or Permits: Photo permit is required.

Strega Waterfront

 There is something captivatingly beautiful about the comfortable juxtaposition of urban architecture coexisting with nature, and this location is the perfect example of the same. Situated near the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, Strega Waterfront will let you capture Boston in its full glory. The dock, the high-rising glass buildings, and the stunning sheen of the water, all fall in your frame like pieces of a puzzle. Let the panoramic view do the talking on its own and all you need to do is pose in front of an already postcard-ready scene! A Strega Waterfront engagement photography will need no explanation. It will speak of Boston and your love is just one pretty frame. 

Website: https://stregawaterfront.com/

Address: 1 Marina Park Drive, Boston, MA 02210, United States

Fees or Permits: Prior reservations and permits are required.

The Cabot

Are you that couple who has a penchant for all things vintage and drama? You would have found your calling in this location! The Cabot will ensure that the spotlight never leaves as you pose for your engagement photographs. First opening in the 1920s, this location first intended to show only vaudeville and silent films but later moved on to cover talkies and magic shows. This location will take you on a quick trip to the yesteryears and make you realize how far entertainment and theatre have come. With a neutral color palette of creams and gold, the location is timeless rather than garish but is still reminiscent of the past. This Cabot engagement photoshoot will let you live your vintage broadway dreams and will capture beautiful moments along the way. The secret is in having fun and letting the pictures unfold. Make way to The Cabot and get ready for a great show! 

Website: https://thecabot.org/

Address: 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915

Fees or Permits: Photo permit is required.

Please note that permits and fees are subject to change. Please confirm the policies with the location before planning your session.