The Best New Jersey Engagement Photo Locations by Susan Hennessey
My couples are always asking me for suggestions regarding locations for their engagement session, so I compiled my list of the best New Jersey engagement photo locations! Relax and enjoy my favorite locations from Hoboken to Cape May and everything in between. My list includes my favorite Jersey Shore towns, universities, wineries and historic locations. There’s certainly something here to fit any style!
The Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is 141 miles of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Point in the south and with 141 miles of shore, there are a ton of amazing beaches to use for your engagement session. Reasons why I love the beach? I enjoy shooting on the paths leading to the beach, in front of the dunes and along the ocean. I especially love going to the bay side and capturing stunning sunsets as well! Some things to consider before booking your beach engagement session is wind, crowds and that it can be quite hot! I prefer to shoot on the beach in the Spring or Fall and it’s crucial to begin about an hour before sunset to get the best light. Below are a few of my favorite New Jersey engagement photo locations along the Jersey Shore.
Atlantic City Steel Pier:
The Steel Pier is a 1,000-foot-long amusement park built on a pier of the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, across from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Click here to view Ashley and Tom’s Atlantic City engagement session.
Asbury Park:
Asbury Park is a small seaside city on the New Jersey coast. I love photographing at this New Jersey engagement photo location because of the beach, boardwalk, convention center and murals throughout. Click here to see my most recent Asbury Park engagement sessions.
Avalon:
Avalon has the motto “Cooler by a Mile”, since it juts out into the Atlantic Ocean about a mile farther than other barrier islands. Some of my favorite areas to shoot are around the Windrift and the ICONA Avalon. Click here to see Gwyneth and Steve’s engagement session!
Barnegat Lighthouse:
Barnegat Lighthouse, located on the tip of LBI has ocean and bay views. I love having the lighthouse as a backdrop and photographing my couples in the sand and on the jetties. There are beautiful sunset views here as well! Click here to view Caitlin and Billy’s Barnegat Lighthouse engagement session.
Belmar:
Another Jersey Shore beach I love is Belmar. I love the long pier, it’s great to shoot on and under and it’s a stunning backdrop! The inlet has beautiful rocks that line the water as well. I suggest booking your session as close to sunset as possible to have the best light for your session.
Bradley Beach:
Bradley Beach in Monmouth County is one of the Northern Jersey Shore beaches I love to photograph at. It has a beautiful sunset and the boardwalk with benches adds variety to your beach photos!
Cape May Point – Cape May, New Jersey:
Cape May Point located in beautiful Cape May, New Jersey is the southernmost point in the state and has a picturesque beach that is perfect for an engagement session. The sunset is gorgeous and well worth the drive for beautiful engagement photos!
Corson’s Inlet State Park:
Corson’s Inlet State Park in Ocean City, NJ is located south of all the excitement of the Ocean City Boardwalk and provides a beautiful beach with gorgeous views! I loved photographing here, the beach was less crowded than what you would expect in OC and there was so much more variety than the typical Jersey Shore beach. There were trails between the parking lot and beach plus easy access to the bay side that has a stunning view of sunset! Click here to view my most recent Corson’s Inlet engagement sessions.
Long Beach Island:
LBI is one of the best New Jersey engagement photo locations because I love the paths that lead to the beaches and how beachy this area of the Jersey Shore feels. Click here to view my recent LBI engagement session.
Margate Beach:
Just outside of Atlantic City is Margate Beach. The beaches here have perfect dunes for photos as well as a fishing pier on Essex Avenue. Longport is a couple of minutes away and a great way to end your session with a gorgeous sunset. Follow this link to view my recent sessions at this Jersey Shore beach!
Ortley Beach:
Ortley Beach is just North of Seaside Heights and seeing the amusements down the beach is a great backdrop for photos! Head to the bay side for pretty sunset shots on the water, click here to view Kelly and Make’s Ortley Beach engagement session. We even had swans visit us during their session!
Sea Isle City:
Sea Isle City, located in Cape May County was one of my favorite locations for a beach session. At Samantha and Josh’s session, we had perfect temperatures and barely any wind! Click here to view Samantha and Josh’s Sea Isle City engagement session!
Spring Lake Beach:
Spring Lake Beach is a great beach for Jersey Shore engagement photos! And I love that Divine Park in Spring Lake, NJ is a short distance from this beach, it’s the perfect location to capture park photos first followed by beach photos.
Stone Harbor:
“The Seashore at its Best”, is how the quaint little town of Stone Harbor refers to itself. This Jersey Shore town occupies the southern portion of Seven Mile Island located just South of Avalon. I loved shooting on this beach since it is just passed some of the big resorts in Avalon, it felt like we had the beach to ourselves for Erica and Jonathan’s session!
Wineries
I love photographing at wineries! They always have a rustic feel and if you ask for permission ahead of time, they are usually willing to allow us to shoot there. Below are a few of my favorite New Jersey engagement photo locations at wineries.
Cape May Winery:
Cape May Winery is my favorite winery in Cape May, the wine is delicious and the rows of grapevines is the perfect backdrop for photos. Just like my other favorite wineries, I love the rustic elements! The Cape May Winery has been accommodating for both engagements and weddings in the past for my couples. Click here to view Nicole & Zach’s Cape May Winery engagement session.
Jessie Creek Winery:
Jessie Creek Winery is a newer winery, but not only is their wine delicious, they were so accommodating. The rows of grapevines at this Cape May County winery was beautiful to photograph in! Click here to view Jessie & Ryan’s Jessie Creek Winery engagement session.
Laurita Winery:
Laurita Winery is one of my favorite locations for a New Jersey engagement photo session. The rows of vines are stunning and they also have rustic elements all over the grounds. Click here to see Kelsey & Greg’s Laurita Winery engagement session.
Renault Winery:
Renault Winery is a winery located in Egg Harbor City and Galloway Township in Atlantic County, New Jersey and it is the oldest active winery in the state. After huge renovations in 2019, Renault Winery is now one of the most popular wedding venues in New Jersey and is filled with romantic spots for both wedding and engagement photos. A huge perk to being a Renault Winery couple is that you get access to the grounds for an engagement session! Click here to view all my recent weddings and sessions at Renault Winery!
Keep scrolling to view more New Jersey Engagement photo locations! And if you’d like to see my engagement portfolio for more inspiration, click here.
Allaire State Park – Wall Township, NJ
The Historic Village at Allaire was once an iron-producing, factory-town known as the Howell Iron Works, Co. I love photographing here because of the trails and the rustic buildings. Click here to see Gina and Desi’s Allaire State Park engagement session.
Barclay Farmstead – Cherry Hill, NJ
Built in 1816 by a Quaker farmer, the farmhouse and surrounding property offer a ton of beautiful backdrops for any type of session. One of my favorite parts about Barclay Farmstead is the cherry blossoms they have in the Spring! Click here to view my most recent sessions here!
Batsto Village – Hammonton, NJ
Batsto Village is a historic community located in Wharton State Forest in the south central Pine Barrens. I love photographing at this New Jersey engagement photo location because how unique it is! Not only does Batsto Village have amazing golden hour light, but there’s plenty of different backdrops, perfect for the couple looking for a rustic themed engagement session. Click here to see my most recent Batsto Village engagement sessions. Please note that Batsto Village now requires a permit for photo sessions.
Beer Gardens, Bars & Restaurants
I love photographing my couple’s in beer gardens, bars and restaurants especially if they are meaningful to your relationship. But be sure to request permission from the location first as many will allow it, but they might require a fee or a specific time frame that will work for them. I photographed Fallon and Matt at Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten in Asbury Park, NJ and it was the perfect location for a pint of beer and a few adorable engagement photos!
Camden Waterfront
The Camden Waterfront has million dollar views of the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Philadelphia skyline. I like to shoot in the areas close to the Adventure Aquarium. Click here to see Jenna and Ach’s Camden Waterfront engagement session.
Christmas Tree Farm’s
Christmas Tree Farms are a great place to photograph couple’s who love the holidays! Be sure to reach out to the Farm ahead of time for permission to shoot there.
Congress Hall – Cape May, NJ
In 2016, Congress Hall celebrated its Bicentennial, marking two hundred years as America’s First Seaside Resort. Located in the heart of Victorian Cape May and directly across the street from the beach, Congress Hall is one of my favorite buildings in all of New Jersey! And an added bonus, their Christmas decor is a pretty addition for any December engagement session. Click here to view my most recent Cape May and Congress Hall engagement sessions!
Cross Estate Gardens – Bernardsville, New Jersey
One of the most beautiful spots for an engagement session in Bernardsville, New Jersey is Cross Estate Gardens, this hidden gem of a location contains both formal and native plant gardens and the gardens showcase ornamental grasses, shrubs, perennials, native plants and towering trees. The property was originally called “Queen Anne Farm” by the owners Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson Bensel and it included a 23-room stone house and stone water tower. The property was later acquired by the National Park Service in 1975. Click here to view my most recent sessions at Cross Estate Gardens!
Divine Park – Spring Lake, NJ
Divine Park is a beautiful park in Spring Lake, New Jersey situated on a large lake with multiple wooden bridges that are popular for both wedding and engagement photos. My favorite part about this location is that they have cherry blossoms in the spring and stunning fall foliage in the Fall. Another bonus? It is a couple of blocks from the beach, so it’s a great spot to get both park and beach photos for your engagement session!
Click here to see my recent sessions at Divine Park!
Hoboken, NJ
Located on the Hudson River overlooking the beautiful Manhattan Skyline is Hoboken, NJ! The views are stunning from any angle in this North Jersey city. I prefer to shoot here as close to sunset time as possible to get the best light. Click here to see Amber and Ryan’s engagement session!
Liberty State Park – Jersey City, NJ
Liberty State Park in Jersey City is another great location if you’re looking for views of the Manhattan Skyline. I love the clocktower, the skyline views and the cobblestone streets. This location is a great mix between urban setting that still has a park feel. Click here to see Tiffany & Brian’s Liberty State Park engagement session.
Manasquan Reservoir – Manasquan, NJ
Manasquan Reservoir is a great mix of water views and nature trails, an added bonus is beautiful foliage in the Fall!
Moorestown Community House – Moorestown, NJ
The Moorestown Community House, located right on Main Street in Moorestown, NJ is a charming and historic building. It is a great backdrop for your engagement session. Click here to see Amanda & Ryan’s Moorestown Community House engagement session.
Princeton University – Princeton, NJ
Some of my favorite spots on Princeton’s campus for an engagement session are Holder Hall, Nassau Hall, Clio Hall and Prospect Gardens. I love the neutral tones of the campus and it’s a great location to shoot during any season! Click here to see Kim & Nick’s Princeton University engagement session.
Sayen Gardens – Hamilton, NJ
In my opinion, one of the best locations for a New Jersey engagement photo session is Sayen Gardens in Hamilton, NJ. The garden is open year-round from dawn to dusk without charge, though park activity is at its peak in the spring and that’s due to the stunning cherry blossoms all over the grounds! Other spots I love are the bridges and fountains, the Sayen House and the pretty metal gazebo behind the House. On the other side of the park are willow trees and more green space to photograph in! Click here to see my most recent Sayen Gardens engagement sessions.
Smithville Mansion – Eastampton, NJ
The Smithville Mansion, a historic site located in Eastampton, NJ and it has tons of pretty rustic elements, old buildings, trees, paths, water views, an old barn and a field with tall grass! Another bonus is the seasonal Christmas decor during the holidays! Click here to see my most recent Smithville Mansion sessions.
Smithville Village – Smithville, New Jersey
Historic Smithville Village located in Smithville, New Jersey is an historic village built around The Smithville Inn which was built in 1787 by a local developer named. It was a great stop for stagecoach travelers from Leeds Point to Cooper’s Ferry. Smithville was nearly an abandoned stagecoach stop, until it was purchased and refurbished by a local couple, Fred and Ethel Noyes in 1952.With the popularity of the Smithville Inn, they began to build a town around the restaurant. They purchased historic buildings from South Jerseys past and brought them into the village, many of which you can still see today.
I love photographing on the grounds of historic Smithville Village because of the collection of historic buildings, the cobblestone walkways and foot bridges, the Carousel, Lake Meone that gives lakeside views, plus an added bonus is the gorgeous fall foliage! This South Jersey gem is just minutes from Atlantic City.
