After photographing more than 1,000 weddings and portrait sessions in central Virginia, we get asked a LOT, “where should I do my engagement session?”. So in order to make things easier for our clients, we’ve settled on these 10 spots as the best engagement session locations in Charlottesville, VA! Anyone who’s ever spent time in the Charlottesville area knows how much natural beauty there is here. And no one knows better than us how incredible this area is for portrait sessions! Of course, our couples are always the subject and main focus of our photography, but a gorgeous backdrop certainly never hurt.

 

We know that with dozens (maybe even hundreds) of options to choose from, narrowing things down to find the perfect location for your engagement session can be a challenge. So let us help! We’ve photographed at dozens of locations in central Virginia. But over the years, we’ve narrowed in on just 10 locations as our absolute favorites. So in no particular order, here’s our list of the best Engagement Photoshoot locations in Charlottesville.

 

 

1. Waterperry Farm

This private residence located about 15 miles outside of town is a true gem. With acres of classic European gardens, water features, a greenhouse, rolling hills, and mountain views, it’s as beautiful as it is versatile. If you really fall in love with it, you can even stay on-property for a night or two around your engagement session!

 

 

Although the owners of the residence ask for a rental fee to rent the space for a session, we think that it is absolutely worth it! Our favorite part about Waterperry is how incredibly accommodating they are when it comes to sessions, and we’ve developed a good relationship with the owners over the years. During most of our sessions at Waterperry, we have the entire property to ourselves!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from Waterperry Farm?

• Kendall and Connor’s Notebook-Style Fall Engagement Session
• Melissa and Jon’s Loving Summer Engagement at Waterperry Farm

 

2. The Blue Ridge Parkway (Raven’s Roost, etc.)

Outside Shenandoah National Park, there are some other stellar locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway! Raven’s Roost Overlook is the most popular location, with a more rugged and adventurous vibe. However, its convenience can be its downfall. It’s an incredibly popular spot to watch and photograph the sunset, so we often have to work around groups of people. As well as other photographers photographing portrait sessions! We don’t recommend weekend sessions here for this reason, especially in April, May, September and October!

 

 

However, reach out to us to learn of some other beautiful overlooks that we love shooting at! No matter where you are on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the natural beauty and panoramic views make for some very romantic-yet-outdoorsy photos. Just keep in mind, the ~2 hours of extra travel means that we’ll ask for a travel fee to shoot along the Parkway as well.

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from the Blue Ridge Parkway?

• Lilah and Alex’s Casual Blue Ridge Parkway Engagement
• Sam and Danny’s Fun-Filled Engagement Photoshoot
• Ariana and Andy’s Rainy Day Parkway Surprise Proposal

 

3. UVA, The Rotunda, and The Lawn

If you have any connection to the University of Virginia, we don’t have to tell you how special the Lawn is. Like all the other free options, it can sometimes be a bit crowded, depending on the time of day and time of year. This is specially true while students are in town late-August through early-December and late-January through late-May.

 

 

However, even in the busiest of seasons, the gardens can lend some privacy on an otherwise crowded evening! Because the Lawn and the Rotunda exterior is open to the public, it’s another location that’s easy to schedule at any time of year. And since lots of the focus is architectural, it’s a great area to photograph in during the winter, when trees are more bare.

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from UVA and the Lawn?

• Jamie and Henry’s Snowy January Engagement Session
• Rachel and Max’s Windy Spring UVA Engagement Session

 

4. The Downtown Mall

Anyone who’s ever visited Charlottesville has probably found themselves on the Historic Downtown Pedestrian Mall (aka “the Downtown Mall” or just, “the Mall”) at least once or twice. But this spot isn’t just a great place to grab a drink and dinner after your session. It’s also one of the best engagement session locations in Charlottesville!

 

 

So whether we’re walking along the brick walkway eating an ice cream cone from Chaps, or sneaking on top of the parking garage for sunset views, there’s of course, no fee required to shoot on the Mall.

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from the Downtown Mall?

• Eesha and Patrick’s Giggly Downtown Mall (and King Family) Engagement Session
• Hannah and Dalton’s Sugar Sweet Downtown Engagement Session

 

5. Blackrock Summit and Shenandoah National Park

For the truly adventurous couple, it’s easy to see why Blackrock Summit would be considered one of the best engagement session locations in Charlottesville (well, the C’ville area). The rugged boulder field that fills the summit is perfectly balanced with the rolling mountains in the distance. It’s one of the most breathtaking views that we’ve found in all of Central Virginia! And an added bonus for summer sessions: it’s always 10° or even 15° cooler in the mountains 😰

 

 

However, we said, “adventurous” for a reason. The summit is about 1/3 mile from the nearest parking lot, so you and your partner should be ready for a brief hike on your way to your session! On the bright side, this location typically isn’t crowded at all, and scheduling a session here is easy, as long as SNP is open to the public. We do ask for a modest travel fee since a session at Blackrock adds ~3 hours of travel for us, not to mention the entrance fee!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from Blackrock Summit?

• Gina and Phil’s Sun-Swathed Shenandoah Engagement Session
• Missy and Whit’s Giggly Engagement Session in Shenandoah National Park

 

6. Boar’s Head Resort

Boar’s Head Resort is another Charlottesville engagement session location that’s easy and convenient for photoshoots… or for dining and staying the weekend! Along with the classic open-field vibe found in many of our other sessions, there’s also fields of tall grass and water features to add a little something extra to your session.

 

 

Boar’s Head is another location that doesn’t ask for a shooting fee, and is totally flexible with their shooting. Because of that, it’s quickly become one of our more popular Charlottesville portrait session locations!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from Boar’s Head Resort?

• Lex and Jimmy’s Sincere Spring Engagement Session (Lol, this was also secretly a maternity session but only us and Lex and Jimmy knew it at the time!)
• Emily and Sid’s Wintery Surprise Proposal at the Boar’s Head

 

7. King Family Vineyards

King Family Vineyards likely needs no introduction. Not only is it one of our favorite wedding venues in the area, but it’s one of the first places we bring friends for a glass of wine or Polo Sunday when visiting Charlottesville! When it comes to your engagement session, if you’ve ever dreamed of dancing your way across a wide-open field as a golden sunset settles over the Blue Ridge Mountains behind you, King Family Vineyards might just be for you.

 

 

King Family also asks for a small session fee, and coordinating with their hours can be tricky in the summer months when the sun sets several hours after they close. Shooting during their “Wine Wednesday” events are usually the best option during these months since they’re open later!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from King Family Vineyards?

• Eesha and Patrick’s Giggly King Family (and Downtown Mall) Engagement Session
• Devon and Samantha’s King Family Vineyards Surprise Proposal

 

8. Swannanoa Palace

Nearly 100 years ago, Swannanoa Palace was the closest thing that Virginia had to an Italian Villa! Although close inspection shows that the years haven’t been kind to the estate, it’s still open for photoshoots by appointment. While they also ask for a rental fee to shoot on the grounds, rest assured that your session fee is going toward maintaining this glorious property!

 

 

That being said, if dramatic views and breathtaking architecture are your thing, this location about 30 minutes from Charlottesville might be perfect for you. And if you’re really looking for something unique (and are willing to double the rental fee), they’ll allow us to shoot inside, which makes for some incredibly dramatic imagery. This makes for a great option during winter sessions!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from Swannanoa Palace?

• Waseem and Sarah’s Stunning Outdoor AND Indoor Swannanoa Engagement Session
• Bri and Quinn’s Joyful Winter Surprise Proposal at Swannanoa Palace

 

9. The Market at Grelen

The Market at Grelen serves as a tree nursery and orchard during the week, and doubles as one of Virginia’s premier wedding venues on weekends! Like many of the locations on this list, The Market asks for a rental fee to staff the property when shooting outside of business hours. However, you’ll certainly get your money’s worth in beautiful vistas and sunsets!

 

 

There are two general locations on their flagship property: the Market itself and “Bloomfield”, a hilltop ceremony site that features a beautiful old wooden barn and panoramic views of the mountains! Keep in mind when scheduling at Grelen that they’re about 45 minutes from downtown C’ville (further than some of the other locations), and we’ll have to work around their (very busy) wedding schedule.

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from the Market at Grelen?

• Charlie and Bailey’s Fall Foliage Engagement Session at the Market at Grelen
• Nancy and Ryan’s Fashionable Golden Engagement Session

 

10. Barboursville Vineyards

If you’ve ever visited Barboursville Vineyards before, you know that there’s nothing quite like it anywhere in Virginia. The Jeffersonian ruins lend a rugged elegance to the photos, but there’s also plenty of natural beauty to be seen! And of course, don’t forget to stop into the tasting room or make a reservation at Palladio while you’re there.

 

 

Barboursville is a great option for history buffs, wine lovers, or anyone who wants a really unique feel to their photos. They’re also SO easy to work with and – just like Waterperry at the top of this list – are often gracious enough to give us the run of their venue after hours! Just a small fee for this location, too.

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions from Barboursville Vineyards?

• Callie and Billy’s Intimate Engagement Session at the Ruins at Barboursville
• Liz and Ian’s Lighthearted Engagement Session at Barboursville Vineyards

 

Bonus Location: Your Favorite Bar, Coffee Shop, Bookstore, etc.

This 11th location is sort of cheating, because we don’t know what your favorite spot in town is! But we can always pop into your favorite bar for a drink! Or your favorite book store to browse a bit. Or even your favorite coffee shop to sip on a latte.

 

 

So long as you are able to confirm with the establishment in advance (this is the only spot on this list that we won’t coordinate on your behalf), this is a great opportunity to really make the session unique to you and your partner!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions inside bars, coffee shops, and private residences?

• Amasa and Don’s Downtown Coffee Shop Engagement Session
• Noelle and Hunter’s Cozy In-Home Engagement Session
• Meg and Scott’s Downtown Bar-Hopping Engagement Session

 

Can’t Decide? Choose Two Charlottesville Locations!

If you’ve fallen in love with two totally different vibes, we’re here to tell you that you can have it all! 😂 Why not mix the green, rolling hills with a downtown session? Or pair the rugged Blue Ridge Parkway with a more architectural location?

 

 

So long as you don’t mind losing a bit of your engagement session to time in the car — or better yet, are okay paying for a bit of extra time to make up for it — we can make most of these locations work in tandem!

 

Want to see more Engagement Sessions that utilized more than one of the best engagement session locations in Charlottesville?

• Ashlee and Mike’s Oceanfront and Barside Engagement Session
• Taylor and Lucas’s Colorful Engagement at the Lawn and Raven’s Roost

 

What’s Next?

If you have any questions about any of these locations, or would like to talk with us about scheduling your own Charlottesville Engagement Session, click here to contact us!

 

 

Thanks for reading 😊