Once you get engaged, nailing down locations becomes almost as important as dates—and not just for your big day; wedding showers, family celebrations, and engagement photos need places, too. When you live in one city, grew up in another, and have family scattered everywhere, choosing a location can feel like one more decision with too many good answers. But these Jefferson Memorial engagement photos are the perfect example of how to make it all work.

Here’s something that might take a little pressure off: your engagement photos don’t have to happen where you’re getting married.

Katie and Garrett are planning their wedding in Chicago, where Katie is from, but their life together is in Washington, DC. So I traveled to them for Jefferson Memorial engagement photos, followed by time around their neighborhood. We even worked in a little Texas, where Garrett grew up: three places, each with a different role in their story.

Getting Married in Chicago, Documenting Home in DC

When you’re planning a wedding away from home, trips can quickly fill up with appointments, tastings, and family visits. It’s easy to assume engagement photos should squeeze into one of those weekends, too.

But I’d encourage you to think about what you’d love to remember about your life right now. The city where you’re figuring out routines together or the neighborhood you come home to. The places that will always remind you of being engaged.

For Katie and Garrett, photographing their engagement in DC made room for that part of their lives. Chicago will have its moment at the wedding. This session could belong to the place they currently call home.

If you’re navigating a similar situation, you can let each occasion reflect a different part of your relationship. You don’t have to fit everything into your wedding day.

Starting with Jefferson Memorial Engagement Photos

We began at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, giving their session a distinct Washington, DC setting. Its stately columns and historic architecture offer a visual starting point for couples drawn to classic, architectural portraits.

There’s something extra special about including a recognizable place in the city you share. Years from now, those surroundings will immediately bring you back to this chapter.

When choosing your own location, think about both the ambiance and how you want the session to feel. Do you love the scale of a landmark? Are you drawn to clean architectural lines? Would you enjoy getting a little dressed up somewhere that feels special?

Start there, then talk through the practical details with your photographer. Timing, walking between spots, and how much you want to fit into the session all shape the experience.

Leaving Room for Your Neighborhood

After the memorial, we headed into Katie and Garrett’s neighborhood. I love that they included the familiar alongside the iconic.

If you’re torn between a beautiful landmark and somewhere personal, a two-location session might give you room for both. One can establish the city; the other can bring the story closer to your everyday lives.

Think about the places you might overlook because you see them so often. Your usual walking route. The street near your apartment. A corner of the neighborhood you’d miss if you moved.

You don’t need a dramatic backstory for every stop. Simply spending your life somewhere is a good reason to remember it.

The key is keeping the plan manageable. Choose places that work together within your session time, with enough breathing room to enjoy each other along the way.

A Little Texas, by Way of Cowboy Boots

These Jefferson Memorial engagement photos may have happened in DC, but for the second half of the session, Katie and Garrett wore cowboy boots—a nod to Garrett’s Texas roots. With their Chicago wedding already connecting to Katie’s hometown, this was a sweet way to include his story, too.

Personalizing your engagement photos can be that straightforward. Something you wear can carry meaning without requiring an elaborate theme or another location.

If outfit planning has become a cycle of shopping carts and second guesses, start with what feels familiar. Is there something you already love wearing? A detail that connects to where you grew up? An outfit you feel especially comfortable in?

Katie and Garrett’s boots gave us a personal detail with a story behind it. Yours can be just as simple.

Meet You There!

You can also ask your wedding photographer about coming to you for engagement photos. I’m based in Chicago, and I love traveling for weddings and sessions like this one.

Working together before the wedding gives us time to get comfortable, learn what feels natural to you, and build a little familiarity before the bigger celebration. Photographing you where you live also lets me see another part of your world.

Bring up travel early so we can discuss dates, travel costs, locations, and a comfortable session timeline.

Whether home is DC, Chicago, or somewhere else entirely, I’d love to hear what makes it yours. Get in touch and let’s plan engagement photos that make room for the life you’re building together.

 

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