Houston Engagement Photos – The 22 Best Locations

One of the questions we’re asked most frequently is “What is the best location in Houston for engagement photos?” Houston is so large and there is so many options that it can almost become impossible to pick.

Choosing a location for your engagement photos can be difficult. If you’re worried about it, let’s start by saying that we’re more interested in the people in the picture than what’s behind them. We can make beautiful portraits anywhere, even your own backyard.

If you have zero ideas, we can choose a place for you based on your tastes or even ours (there’s always places we drive by and think, “Oh, I’d love to do a session there”).

If you’re trying to think of a great spot for your engagement pictures there are a few things we want you to keep in mind.

How to choose a location for your engagement photos

First, think outside the box. Just beginning by saying “It doesn’t have to be a park” can really free you up. Remember, we can do this ANYWHERE. Got an idea that might be cool? Let’s try it.

Second, choose something meaningful. Do you have a favorite bar? Do y’all love going to the museum? Was your first date on the Kemah Boardwalk? Those are all great choices for a location. Way better than “the park that google maps says is closest to my house.”

Finally, consider the season. Is your session in February? Then maybe the Arboretum isn’t going to be lush and green like you wanted for your pictures. Is it July? The beach is going to be 110 degrees and crowded.

We think of locations of being one of three different types. Urban, Natural, and Unique (we’re very good at naming things).

Here’s a list of some of our favorite locations in Houston for engagement photos to give you an idea

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Locations for Urban Houston Engagement Photos

Saks Garage

The Saks Garage is one of the only garages that allows photo shoots, so its a pretty busy spot. But it is absolutely worth it. Located right in the heart of Houston, the garage is surrounded by sky scrapers giving it the urban look you’re looking for. Plus, the taller buildings cast a shadow and make nice even light, so you’re pictures look great too.

Downtown Houston

Nothing says urban quite like downtown Houston. Surrounded by tall buildings, glass, concrete, metro busses and cars, your photos taken in Downtown Houston will look very modern and urban. This is a great choice for your engagement photos.

Market Square Park

This is one of our favorite places in Houston to photograph and one of our go-to locations for people who aren’t sure what they want. It’s surrounded by bars, restaurants and store fronts, but  also a nice little urban park with benches, mosaics, and fountains. There’s also a parking garage right by it for easy accessibility as well as great pictures on top of the parking garage.

To see all the variety Market Square park can offer, check out:

Sean and Katie

Sabine Street Bridge

The Sabine Street bridge is iconic. The quaint style of the bridges columns and the old style street lights give it a small main street vibe, but the towering Houston skyline behind you is just such a great juxtaposition. The light is always fantastic here for the end of your session and we get beautiful wide shots of you and Houston.

The Strand

Not technically in Houston, but one of the great things about Houston is how close we are to Galveston and the beach. The Strand, like most of Galveston, is full of historic architecture from the turn of the 20th century. Coffee shops like Mod and candy stores like La Kings are also great places to get a drink or a treat and take photos.

The Houston Museum District

If you two love to go the museum together, then the museum district is an awesome choice for your engagement photos. The architecture of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural Science make striking locations for your photos. The Cullen sculpture garden is unique and fun. We can also pop into the museum for some photos with some dinosaurs.

The Houston Theater District

Houston is lucky to have a theatre district with high quality arts. Do you go to concerts together for fun? Then let’s shoot in front of Jones Hall or the Revention Center! Did you meet in your high school theatre department? Then let’s shoot on the steps of the Alley Theatre!

Get inspiration for your own theater district photos here:

Adam and Angela in the theater district

Houston Heights

The Heights is one of the coolest neighborhoods in Houston. Old style store frontsmake it a great place to just walk up and down on a Saturday afternoon. Some buildings are run down and dilapidated and some are well kept, giving you a lot of urban variety. And Manready Mercantile has an amazing astros themed mural on the side of it that photographs beautifully.

Minute Maid Park

Speaking of the Astros, if you’re a big fan of the best team in the world like we are we think Minute Maid Park is a great place. You can schedule a park tour and photo session here, but just the area outside of it is great too!

Dakota Lofts

This is one of the best spots in Houston for engagement and we’re hesitant to put it on this list because it isn’t currently over run with photographers and we’d like to keep it that way. The converted warehouse apartments and local bodega style corner store feel a lot like Brooklynn and give you a really unique feeling for engagement photos. It really is unlike any of the other spots on this list.

Check out some more engagement photos at Dakota Lofts here:

Zach and Hannah at Dakota Lofts

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Want engagement photos you’ll love forever?

Locations for Natural Houston Engagement Photos

Buffalo Bayou

THE spot for beautiful engagement photos full of greenery and warm sunset light. This is our go to location for anyone who wants more nature oriented photos. Plus, Eleanor Tinsley Park has the best view of the skyline in Houston and we love to get that in our photos to show our love for this city.

Here are some engagement photos we took at Buffalo Bayou:

Amanda and Miguel
Brad and Sara
Laura and Tony

Discovery Green

Discovery Green is another great spot for your engagement photos. At the right time of year there’s tall wispy grass, a path with huge beautiful oak trees making a tunnel, a pond, as well as sculptures, changing art installations, and the famous colored tile walls. There’s just so much good stuff here we could shoot all day and never run out of places to photograph.

Hermann Park

Hermann Park is right next to the Houston Zoo and is usually pretty busy, so we suggest this location only during the week. At peak photography season you often have to wait your turn for the more popular spots. But its worth the wait. There are so many amazing locations just in this one spot. Here’s just a few to illustrate. The oaks over the Marvin Taylor Trail, the Mary Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones Reflection Pool, the Mecom Rockwell Colonnade, the O. Jack Mitchell Garden, the Sam Houston Monument, the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Bridge. And that’s just the things that have official names. 

Check out more engagement photos from Hermann Park:

Colin & Ellen

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

Looking for something a little less manicured than a park? Then the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is perfect. The Arboretum is a 155 acre nature sanctuary on the western side of Memorial Park. We love to just walk the trails with our couples, chatting and stopping where the light catches our attention.

Want to see some recent sessions at Houston Arboretum? check out:
Matthew and Delaney
Tyler and Jess
Justin and Courtney

Mercer Botanical Gardens

The Mercer Botanical Gardens are over 60 acres of manicured and maintained gardens in Humble, TX. If you’re looking for something natural, but not quite wild, then this is the place for you. The colors are beautiful year round as Mercer updates the plant life for the seasons.

The Beach

Again, not technically Houston. But again, we’d be remiss to leave such a beautiful spot so close to us off the list. Just like Hermann Park, we recommend considering the timing of your session when choosing this location. A Saturday afternoon in July will be really crowded, but a Tuesday in October is usually really nice. This is one of the best spots for a really relaxed and intimate vibe. If you’re really adventurous, we can get in the water and make some really fun engagement photos. 

Wondering if a beach session is right for you? Check these out:

Alex and Victoria at Galveston Island State Park

McGovern Centennial Gardens

McGovern Centennial Gardens is technically part of Hermann Park, but we listed it separately because it requires a permit and fee. But it is a beautiful location and worth the small hassle. The Centennial Green is a long manicured lawn with a large mount at the end of it. The Arid Garden is full of cacti and succulents, while the Rose Garden is full of, you guessed it, roses. We can make it look like you’re in the dessert and in a beautiful flower garden while walking only about 100 yards. We’ll handle the permit application if this location sounds good to you.

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You just be yourself, we’ll handle the photos.

Unique Locations for Houston Engagement Photos

Your favorite Houston bar or coffee shop

We love when couples want to be photographed at a place that is meaningful for them, maybe where they had their first date. A lot of times this is a bar or a coffee shop and the photos here are always fun. Some of our favorite bars to photograph are 8th Wonder Brewery, Axelrad, Okra Charity Saloon, and Tiny Boxwoods (which is actually a restaurant, but makes a damn good old fashioned so we’re counting it). Catalina Coffee and Boomtown are among our favorite coffee shops to photograph. You should be aware that Honeymoon Cafe is now a Boomtown and looks completely different than all the cute photos you’ve seen on pinterest. Its more urban and bright, but still a great location.

Gerald D Hines Waterwall

The Waterwall is one of the more unique spots in Houston. Before we ever photographed at it, we’d just go and relax while listening to the 11,000 gallons of water a minute poor over the 64-foot-tall wall. There’s also hundreds of oak trees on the almost 3 acre large park surrounding it, so we can do an entire session here. A permit is required for photography.

Rice University

Rice University is a Houston institution. But its also absolute beautiful. There’s lush green campus, the James Turrel Twilight Epiphany Skyspace, the classic Byzantine style architecture, and the famous Sallyport (the giant arch). Rice University is perfect for a more sophisticated look for your engagement photos.

Graffiti Wall

On the opposite end of the sophistication spectrum are the graffiti walls in Eado. The walls are colorful and vibrant and offer so much variety for a fun and carefree engagement session. This is one of the locations of the famous Houston mural seen below. If you want the have the ultimate engagement photos — Houston style, this mural is pretty much a must.

Your Home

If you want to capture a day in your life, or you’re just not super thrilled about the PDA required for an engagement session in a busy bar or park, your home is the ideal location for your engagement session. Listen to your favorite records, cook your favorite meal together, play your favorite board game, and hang out with your pets. And also be photographed. These photos will be amazing later as they’ll show one of your first homes together and give a small glimpse into what your normal life was like.

You can see some sessions we photographed in our couples homes here:

Clay and Erin at Home
Michael and Lisa at Home

Create your own Adventure Houston Engagement Session

There’s so many more places in Houston to list, and if you think of one we’ll love to hear about it. Don’t feel limited by this list at all, its just to help get you inspired.

We suggest mixing and matching places on this list. Minute Maid Park is right next to Discovery Green. Hermann Park is IN the museum district. Maybe we start at your home and go to your favorite bar. Or take elegant and formal photos in the theater district and then more casual and fun photos at the graffiti wall.

Your engagement session should be all about you!

If you’re looking for a photographer for your Houston engagement photos, we’d love to help you take photos you’ll love for the rest of your life.

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You’ve got the best locations, now you just need the photographer!