Nashville has so many amazingggg spots where you can take stunning engagement photos that fully capture your love story. It’s also the perfect place to take your engagement photos if you want them to feel authentic and full of meaning and not like everyone else’s.
As a queer elopement photographer with a homebase in Tennessee I’m all about capturing engagement sessions that feel purposeful, joyful, and full of the energy that makes your relationship unique.
I am always open to any kind of adventure and planning a session that feels offbeat, quirky, or simply doesn’t adhere to traditional expectations of what an engagement session “should look like.”
Read on to discover my best tips on how to have incredible Nashville engagement photos and some of my favorite engagement locations in the city!
How to Have Authentic LGBTQ+ Engagement Photos
Here are my pro tips on how you can have authentic engagement photos:
Add in your favorite activities
While location is always important when it comes to any engagement session, I also think it’s incredibly significant to add in your and your partner’s favorite activities. If you add in an activity you both love, you’re going to feel like you can fully express and be yourselves, and that’s going to show in your photos – in the best way possible!
Furthermore, your engagement session doesn’t have to take place in just one spot. You can choose a beautifully scenic location and your favorite coffeehouse, bookstore, hiking spot, or treasured spot where you always go for date night, etc.
In my engagement sessions, my couples typically go to at least two different locations during our time together, but if time permits, we can always add in more.
Bring significant items to your session
One of the best ways to make your session feel like it’s authentic and unique to you and your partner? Bring along sentimental and significant items.
This could be a pride flag, your crystals, your favorite book, a meaningful gift you’ve given each other, etc. I’ll make sure to highlight any items you bring along in your session!
Choose unique, fun outfits
You can dress however you want for your engagement session. If you and your partner want to wear capes, matching hats, bright, colorful outfits, or outfits with lots of sequins or fringe, etc, for part of your session, then you totally should! Remember, you get to make the rules.
Unique Engagement Photo Locations in Nashville
Here are a few of my favorite locations for you to consider that you might not typically see on the general lists of “engagement photo locations in Nashville”:
- Barista Parlor
- Grimey’s Record Store
- Novelette Bookstore
- Pins Mechanical
- Dream Nashville
- The Gulch
- Shelby Park
- Downtown Nashville Parking Garage Rooftop
- John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
- East Nashville murals
- 12 South Neighborhood
Bebo and Monica’s Nashville Engagement Photos
When Bebo (they/them) and Monica (she/they) came to me, they told me they knew they didn’t want typical engagement photos. They booked a couples lifestyle session with me (by the way, this is also for engagement sessions) and told me that they wanted their photos to reflect things they love about their life and relationship. Their engagement session was also a proud celebration of their identities.
We planned a truly unique session around exactly what they wanted. Bebo and Monica’s engagement session was so special because for these two, the focus wasn’t on just going to locations around Nashville with a pretty backdrop.
It was meaningful and intentional because they intertwined activities they loved into every moment of the time they spent with me.
Here’s everywhere we went for their session:
Shelby Park
We started Bebo and Monica’s session outdoors at Shelby Park. We explored this charming park, and Bebo and Monica brought along tarot cards, a tarot book, and stunning flowers for this part of their session. Shelby Park has lots of great spots throughout the park that are truly perfect for an engagement sessoin!
Novelette Bookstore
After snapping a few pics in the park, we then headed to visit Nashville’s only queer-owned bookstore called Novelette. This bookstore is a fun, vibey, safe space for book lovers of all ages!
Bebo and Monica both love books, and this location has so many different colorful backgrounds, making it a magical place to grab some heartfelt pictures of the two of them.
Desert and Vine Botanical
Right next door to Novelette is an awesome plant store called Desert and Vine Botanicals. This plant shop has an ever-changing selection of plants and sources goods from nearly 40 fellow small businesses!
We wandered around, checking out the variety of plants they had on display and finding some different private corners to take pictures in.
Barista Parlor
The last location we visited was Barista Parlor, which is an adorable cafe where I took pictures of Bebo and Monica hanging out, playing games, and drinking tasty lattes together.
I loved everything about Bebo and Monica’s engagement session, especially how they made it authentic to them and their shared interests. Their session radiated happiness, affection, and genuine love.
I also had the opportunity to capture Bebo and Monica’s stunning, witchy forest wedding at Ramble Creek, an LGBTQ-affirming wedding venue. Want to learn more about this incredible venue that comes with a glowing recommendation from? Go here!
Ready to Plan Your Nashville Engagement Photos?
I hope you found this guide on Nashville engagement photo locations + inspo helpful! Remember, the most important thing about your engagement photos is that they feel like they genuinely reflect and represent who you and your partner are and are a beautiful celebration of your relationship.
And… if you’re planning an engagement session and you want your photos to reflect your true personalities and passions, reach out to me here or learn more about my services here. Let’s create beautiful memories that tell your love story in the most authentic and heartfelt way.
Check out these posts next:
Discover the Perfect LGBTQ-Friendly Wedding Venue in Tennessee
Lesbian Engagement Photos in Nashville, Tennessee | Dixie + Jessica
