It’s just the right time of year for the best engagement photos in Atlanta. So temperate. Very floral. The sun is reminding us of better days ahead. Of all the gorgeous venues to have an engagement session in Atlanta (Ashton Gardens, Georgia Aquarium, etc.), the last location one might consider is… a cemetery? My client (and future bride-to-be) McKenna, however, was pretty psyched about the idea, and I don’t balk at a challenge! I’m more than happy to be where my brides see themselves framed on their walls and in their album. Even if it seems a tad unconventional.
Where Beauty and History Meet Romance
McKenna and Josh have a wedding date of September 2nd at the Historic DeKalb Courthouse. (Imagine: marble walls, arched windows, terrazzo floors—a picturesque gem in the heart of Decatur). So, what better place to document their engagement than the Historic Oakland Cemetery? Founded in 1850 (and re-named in ’72), it’s forty-eight acres are home to magnificent gardens, architecture and an immense arboretum featuring over 1400 trees (some of them almost 200 years old). Its residents are just as impressive. Country music Hall of Famer Kenny Rogers, former Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., and Margaret Mitchell, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gone With the Wind, are just a few of the famous names you can see on the grounds.
Seasonal Colors Make All the Difference
All of that historical allure aside, I still had some reservations. I photographed a session at this cemetery once during the winter and struggled with the colors, the lighting and the lack of in-season foliage. (I hoped then that my clients liked evergreens—JUST evergreens). Imagine my shock when I returned to this location in full springtime bloom! Heirloom daffodils and flowering trees made for a charming landscape. THIS was the Atlanta greenspace I was hoping for.
Atlanta is also home to some stellar eats, so my clients and I decided to meet up for some pre-session fuel at Firepit Pizza Joint (created by Atlanta native, Leslie Cohen– winner of Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen”). McKenna and Josh were eager to chat about their upcoming wedding in Decatur, and Josh seemed to share my (apparently unnecessary) concerns about engagement photoshoot location. The food was incredible, my clients looked stunning, and I was eager to go across the street to the Historic Oakland Cemetery and start making memories.
Best Engagement Photos in Atlanta
I still can’t believe how STUNNING these photos turned out! The lighting was idyllic. The blooms were breathtaking. The architecture—especially this gorgeous gazebo—truly harmonized with the scenery and created the most enchanting backdrop for such beautiful memories. This is just the right place for a long, flowy dress if you’re feeling some Gone with the Wind vibes. For the best engagement photos in Atlanta, a location contender is definitely the Historic Oakland Cemetery. (But maybe not in the winter).
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