New Jersey may seem like a small state, but it’s more expansive than you think! From mountains to beaches, farmland and gorgeous architecture, there’s no limit to where you can go for your engagement session. As a New Jersey wedding and engagement photographer, I see dozens of engagement photo locations every year! Some are favorites, and others are totally new to me! After over 5 years of working in the Garden State, I compiled this list of the BEST NJ engagement photo locations!

With so many places to choose from, I knew a guide like this would be PERFECT for my couples! Each location listed will have a little blurb about the location, down to whether or not it requires a permit! And the best part? I’ll be updating this blog post with new locations as I discover more wonder in New Jersey!

Allaire State Park

4265 Atlantic Ave, Wall Township, NJ 07727

Allaire State Park is a fan favorite! This location is super versatile, but would be best for couples looking for a rustic vibe. The village is well preserved and makes for a beautiful backdrop in any season. At the moment, there is no permit required for Allaire.

Asbury Park & Boardwalk

I could photograph at Asbury Park every day and still find something new each time! This town is big on art and music, and the eclectic-ness translates beautifully for engagement photos. You can get fun, funky shots in front of gorgeous murals, shots on the beach in the water, and then grab a drink or ice cream to finish the session! It’s best to photograph here in the off season (aka local summer) because it tends to get PACKED in the summer months.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

208 Broadway, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006

One of the best spots on the island! This location gives you a perfect, summery backdrop. The lighthouse looks beautiful in photographs and is perfect for couples who love the beach. You also get a rare sunset on the water!

Batsto Village

31 Batsto Rd, Hammonton, NJ 08037

Nestled into the Pine Barrens is the gorgeous Batsto Village. Similar to Allaire, this well preserved village is quaint, rustic, and so beautiful. There’s plenty of variety for engagement photos here! Lots of forested spots, cool textures on buildings, and even the lake make for stunning photographs! There is an annual permit for photography sessions, so once secured, you’re good to go!

Branch Brook Park

Newark, NJ

This is THE location if you want cherry blossoms in the spring. It gives the Tidal Basin a run for their money!

Cape May

Cape May is one of the most adorable shore towns in NJ! The houses are literally STUNNING and add sooo much character! You can get photos throughout the town, and then hop over to the beach to get fun shots by the water! Make it a date night by visiting one of the restaurants after your session!

Cattus Island

1170 Cattus Island Blvd, Toms River, NJ 08753

One of the best county parks in the state! This quaint park on the bay gives you some Pine Barrens magic, AND a sunset on the water! There’s also boardwalk trails to take you through the wetlands which are gorgeous any time of year. The walk to the water is a little over a mile, and just be aware of that with the park hours. They’re open dawn to dusk, which changes throughout the year based on daylight savings time.

Cross Estate Gardens

 61 Jockey Hollow Rd, Bernardsville, NJ 07924

This hidden gem is one of my FAVORITE locations! This beautiful garden is literally perfect in any season. The grounds are meticulously kept and they really pop with color in spring and summer. If you’re looking for a secret garden vibe, look no further! And even better, there’s no permit needed. Becasue it’s part of the National Park Service, this location does close with any government shutdown.

Frelinghuysen Arboretum

353 E Hanover Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960

Another dreamy garden location for engagement photos! I’ve yet to photograph an engagement here, but it was worth mentioning because it is perfect for a couple looking for a garden feel. There is a photography permit required, which you can check out here.

Grounds for Sculpture

80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton Township, NJ 08619

This is an art lovers dream! This giant sculpture garden gives alllll the funky, quirky vibes for engagement photos! You can really have fun at this location and get an incredible amount of variety. While they don’t require a permit, you do have to purchase entry tickets ahead of time on their website!

Hoboken

One of my absolute favorite places for engagement sessions! Hoboken is an eclectic city located right across the water from NYC. Here you can get stunning views of the NYC skyline, which is absolutely magical at sunset! The alleyways throughout the city boast eye catching architecture and fun textures for photos. Annnnd you can swing into the iconic Carlo’s Bakery for dessert!

Island Beach State Park

2401 Central Avenue, Seaside Park, NJ 08752

If you want beach engagement photos but don’t want a busy beach, you definitely need to go to Island Beach State Park. This is my favorite beach to photograph at because of it’s natural landscape filled with dunes, beach grasses, forests, and wildlife. Island Beach State Park encompasses 10 miles between the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay. There are multiple places to park, and you can even catch a sunset on the water on the bay side!

Laurita Winery

85 Archertown Rd, New Egypt, NJ 08533

Wineries are such underrated engagement session locations! Laurita Winery has some of the most beautiful grounds I’ve ever seen at a winery. At sunset, this location is *chef’s kiss*. Grab a glass of wine and make your session complete!

Liberty State Park

1 Audrey Zapp Dr, Jersey City, NJ 07305

Another favorite that features views of the NYC skyline! I love the urban/industrial vibe you get at this location. Whether sunny or overcast, this location shines and offers incredible opportunity for engagement photos. No permit required!

Historic Smithville Mansion

803 Smithville Rd, Eastampton Township, NJ 08060

Smithville Mansion & Park gives rustic estate vibes, along with plenty of greenery in the spring and summer. There’s a lot of variety here as well which is great for multiple outfits. No permit required!

Kip’s Castle

22 Crestmont Road, Verona, NJ 07044

A literal castle in the heart of Essex County! Kip’s Castle is a “9,000 square foot mansion that replicates a medieval Norman castle.” It’s gorgeous, has stunning views of the NYC skyline, and gives you a lot of variety in a small space. The architecture is a great backdrop for engagement photos, but so are the grounds with plenty of trees and a stonewall. For engagement photos, it’s $50 an hour for their permit, and it can be filled out using this form.

Monmouth University

400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764

This college campus is drop dead gorgeous! It’s been a dream of mine to photograph a session here for years. The grounds are meticulously kept and look absolutely perfect at sunset. While it is a stunning option, the only downside is each location within the campus has a separate photography fee. My suggestion is to reserve for the Erlanger Gardens, as it’s one of the prettiest spots on campus and is $150 for the photography permit. You can read more about the permit process here.

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

Have you ever wanted to visit the real life Hogwarts? Look no further than Princeton University! This ivy league college campus is SO architecturally stunning! Every nook and cranny is boasting attention to detail. There’s no shortage of arches, greenery walls, columns, you name it. You could easily spend a few hours here and still find new spots. Plus, you can make your engagement session a date night and have dinner at one of the many incredible restaurants on Nassau Street!

Sayen House and Gardens

155 Hughes Dr, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690

Sayen Gardens offers lush greenery and plenty of flowers for a serene garden engagement session. There are also plenty of structures including a charming house, bridges, and gazebos. In May, the Azalea Festival shows off all their beautiful, flowering azaleas and creates pops of purples, pinks, and whites in your photos. There is no permit fee to photograph here, but you must be respectful of others visiting the gardens and not block pathways. Located at 155 Hughes Dr, Hamilton Square, NJ, it makes it easy to get to from major highways and local roadways.

Skylands Manor

5 Morris Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456

This is a perfect option for any time of year! There is beautiful architecture nestled among all the gorgeous greenery. Skylands is located within the NJ State Botanical Gardens and Ringwood State Park, so it’s no wonder it’s a breathtaking location for plant lovers! There is a $150 photography fee per session, and you can find the form here.

Van Vleck House and Gardens

21 Van Vleck St, Montclair, NJ 07042

One of the most pictureesque gardens in New Jersey, Van Vleck House and Gardens offers 6 acres of stunning, well kept gardens. You can visit for free any time of year and explore the different seasons of blooms. For photography sessions, there is an application and $300 permit, and more info can be found here.

Ward’s Farm

120 Bassett Rd, Mannington Township, NJ 08079

Ward’s Farm is an organic cut flower farm that allows photography sessions by appointment. The session fee may vary based on the season, but is typically $40-50. They offer a variety of flower fields ranging from wildflowers to sunflowers. There are also other nice spots, such as a pond, across the property to utilize during your session.

Ready to plan your New Jersey engagement session?

As a New Jersey wedding photographer, I’ve had the joy of exploring so many new places in the Garden State and can’t wait to add to the list! If you want a fun, laidback engagement session to celebrate your next chapter, get in touch here!

NEW JERSEY ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER

Luna & Lark Photography is a New Jersey and destination wedding photographer for quirky, best friends in love who love their pets, a good drink, and all things artsy. She captures joyful moments with unposed prompts with a moody, true-to-life flair. Sound like a plan? Let’s do this! Get in touch here! Want to see more engagement + anniversary sessions by Rebecca? Check out the galleries + past blog posts!

BEST NJ ENGAGEMENT PHOTO LOCATIONS

If you LOVED these NJ engagement photo locations, be sure to follow along on all my wedding adventures on Instagram!