12 Great Dayton Engagement Photo Locations (And Some Pro Tips to Make the Most of Your Engagement Session!)

Getting engaged is an exciting time in your life, and one of the most fun aspects can be your engagement photos! Finding the best wedding and engagement photographer for your needs is extremely important, and that can be a conversation in and of itself, but once you’ve found the best photographer for you, the next step is finding a great location for engagement photos. Having photographed numerous engagement sessions, I can say there are loads of great Dayton engagement photo locations to choose from! Read on, and I’ll share 12 of my favorite locations in Dayton for engagement photos, as well as some photos of the places below.

12 Great Dayton Engagement Photo Locations

• Dayton Quarry
• Carriage Hill MetroPark
• Koogler Wetlands
• Sugar Creek MetroPark
• Eastwood MetroPark
• Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
• Ghostlight Coffee
• Proto BuildBar Dayton
• Downtown Dayton
• Oregon District
• Something Old
• Riverscape MetroPark
• Front Street Market

Above all, have fun with your engagement session locations. Below, you’ll find some engagement photo inspiration, as well as some helpful tips on how to make the most of your engagement session!

Oakes Quarry Park

One of my absolute favorite places to shoot Dayton engagement photos is in the local quarry. While it may sound like an odd place, the quarry offers some insanely diverse terrain to shoot a variety of engagement photos in a relatively small area. It’s a beautiful place to hike, and it is a wonderful place to adventure for engagement photos that don’t feel like they’re in Ohio. With vibes of a desert, wooded area, high grasses, and ponds, the quarry provides just about any outdoor opportunity Dayton offers. I enjoy bringing adventurous, outdoorsy couples out to the quarry, but even if you aren’t big hikers, there are beautiful spots right out of the parking lot. Sunset engagement photos always turn out fantastic here when the light cooperates, and sunrise is just as great. Golden hour is fantastic, so pretty much, any time your photographer suggests you do your engagement session, you are good to go in this beautiful area!

Clothing wise, I recommend my couples bring comfortable shoes to hike in, and if you’re a heels person, bring them, but pack them to put them on when you get to your destination. Rich, earth-toned clothes are always a win here, and don’t forget a complimentary scarf or jacket in cooler temperatures, or a stylish watch or necklace to finish the look in warmer weather. It’s incredible how little pieces and layers can accent and pull a look together, and it’s always fantastic when a couple can collaborate together to pull a look together without being totally matched. Hit that color wheel up, my friends, and find the colors that compliment one another and your location, and you’ll be good to go!

Below are some of my favorite quarry engagement photos in a myriad of times, seasons, and spots within the quarry. You simply can’t go wrong with this location!

Sunrise at the quarry is always phenomenal, and you beat the later hiking crowd that sometimes occurs. It’s one of my favorite times to shoot with the soft light, and it’s always great to feel those first rays of the day’s sunlight peek through the trees. Above you’ll see Adam + Tenia hanging out on one of the many sets of rock groups at the quarry. Using a single strobe, we amplified the first morning light and highlighted the two of them as they watched the sun rise over dayton together. Light and angles go a long way, and finding a wedding photographer that understands how to use those elements to tell your story in a beautiful manner, no matter the location. Golden hour is one of my favorite times to shoot, no matter what the location. However, the quarry is truly stunning when the warm glow of the sun setting hits just right, and images like this one are possible. understanding light is important, and the quarry is rich in locations, colors, and plenty of beautiful light, no matter the time of the day. A key to killer engagement photos is being comfortable with one another, and my goal is put the two of you at ease throughout our time together, so that you can receive beautiful images of the two of you. Having fun is so crucial to enjoying your engagement session with your wedding photographer. with so many great locations in dayton for engagement photos, the sky is the limit. creativity is key, as well as a little SPONTANEITY. As your wedding and engagement photographer, my goal is to find out what makes you laugh, makes you smile, and encourage you to enjoy every step of the process. One of the things I encourage my couples to do is to take the day off on the day of your engagement session. That way you aren’t dealing with stress, or worried about something that happened that day at work. Instead, you’re focused on enjoying your future spouse, looking forward to spending time together, and in a great frame of mind. Being positive and excited about the experience will help it be a great one, and I want that for you as we work together throughout your wedding planning process!  Autumn is one of my favorite times to photograph engagement sessions, and the quarry does not disappoint! The bold colors of the leaves changing, with the tall grasses, and the beautiful rocky outcroppings lend for some spectacular views that many times people don’t attribute to Ohio. however, they’re absolutely possible, and totally stunning! Dayton engagement photos don’t have to be status quo if your wedding and engagement photographer knows where to take you, and stopping by the quarry is always a win. One of the things people comment about with my images is the intimacy and connection they see from my couples. I can’t take credit for that; it’s all my couples! However, we work extremely hard together to make sure you feel your best. Posing is something that a lot of people worry about, and understandably so. However, never fear: posing is easy when you’re just hanging out with your fiancé, and having a good time! The connections you see in these images stem from just enjoying one another. Many times I send my couples off to a tree, and tell them to wrap their arms around each other and chat, or dance, or maybe even have one lay a surprise kiss on the other. Inevitably, one will say something silly or awkward, and the laugher — the REAL laughter — is where the magic happens. Everyone has a “cheese” smile. It’s my goal to unearth your real smile during your engagement photos, as well as your wedding day.  Ohio seasons can be wild, and it’s true what they say about waiting 30 minutes for the weather to change. However, the quarry looks stunning in ALL seasons, including winter! Stylistically, sometimes people worry about bundling up for winter engagement photos. But done right, with a stylish pea coat and accenting scarf as Dana and Dominic have done here, you really can’t go wrong. And, what better excuse to stay snuggled up than cold weather?! Winter engagement photos can be an absolute blast if you’re game to brave the chillier temperatures and hold one another close! Being a wedding and engagement photographer based in Dayton, Ohio, I find that the diverse weather situations, array of options in location, and beautiful tapestry of people make it extremely fun to photograph all kinds of people throughout southwest Ohio. One thing that never changes, though, is the absolute joy that couples bring to this season of their lives, as they plan their weddings. I encourage my couples to think of all the amazing opportunities and moments that lay ahead, and think about all that they’ve conquered together so far. It’s absolutely a joy to see their faces light up when they imagine walking down the aisle to one another, saying their vows, and celebrating their wedding day with their most beloved friends and family. Regardless of gender, race, religion, or orientation, all couples have this in common: the fact that they were brought together by love, and their desire to celebrate that. It’s always an honor to capture love, in any and all of its forms, for my couples. One of the biggest questions I receive before engagement sessions is, “What do we wear?” The short answer is whatever you feel is YOU…but there’s always a long answer to any question, too! In this image you’ll see Jake + Krysta flawlessly tie together, yet aren’t matchy. I love the accent vibes that come from Jake’s matching vest and hat, but that he keeps it casual with a nice pair of dark denim jeans. Krysta went with an adorable dress that flattered her body in a deep blue that complimented the browns and lighter blues in Jake’s clothing, as well as the environment we’d be working in, and topped it off with a great pair of brown boots that matched Jake’s clothing, and a great long necklace and earrings. Your clothing for your engagement session doesn’t need to be over the top; it needs to be YOU! Working to compliment one another, as well as the location you’ve chosen to do your engagement photos, will allow your style to shine and tie everything together. Don’t be afraid to ask your photographer for tips. I love when couples send me photos of potential outfits to make sure they’re on the right page, and together we work to make sure you shine in your engagement photos! One of my biggest tips I tell my couples for their engagement sessions is to not take yourselves too seriously. Just enjoy one another, be silly, be flirty, and have a really ridiculously good time with one another, and your engagement photos will reflect that. When my couples are willing to get silly, it makes the experience so much more fun, and we can get a little wild with our angles and opportunities, like in the photo above. One of my favorite things to do is to get unexpected angles, and utilizing a drone for engagement photos makes that super fun and simple. When I asked Dominic + Dana if they were game to lay down in the snow and make snow angels while I flew the drone overhead, they were immediately game, and we laughed the entire time while we were creating this photo. So be silly, be fun, and trust your wedding and engagement photographer when they suggest something that sounds a little wild, because it might just turn out to be one of your favorite engagement photos! Golden hour is ALWAYS a good idea! Sunset, or what photographers refer to as “Golden Hour,” is approximately the hour window before the sun sets for the day. Photographers generally love shooting in this window, because the light is always extremely warm and flattering to the subjects, as the sun is low in the sky and not at harsh, direct angles. When planning for your engagement session, make sure you touch base with your wedding and engagement photographer on what time is best for your session. Your photographer will know the optimal times to shoot based on the location of your session, so trust them when they give their suggestions. They’re looking to produce the best photos for you, and want you to look your best! The open, grassy fields of the quarry are perfect for that romantic, boho feel to an engagement session. Bare feet, comfy jeans, and a flowing top look perfect in the sun-drenched light that Hannah + Jake had on the day of their engagement session, and Jake looked dapper but still perfectly in tune with Hannah in well fitted pants and a white button down shirt. Keeping it classy and casual, these two rocked their engagement photos in a beautiful setting, right in Dayton. Don’t be afraid to get in close! I joke with my couples and warn them that by the end of the session, I’ll be all up in their business, but it really is true. Many of the best, most emotionally evocative photos happen when we’ve gotten comfortable together, and you’re comfortable allowing me in your space. Some of the best ways to get real smiles when it’s all awkward with a camera in your face? One of you gives the other a massive raspberry on the cheek! Or, start telling one another your favorite vegetables in your sexiest voice. Nobody can take someone seriously when they’re trying to talk sexy about broccoli, I promise!

Carriage Hill Metro Park

Carriage Hill Metro Park is part of the Five Rivers Metro Parks system, and it’s a beautiful place for Dayton engagement photos. With its farmsteads, ponds, and wooded areas, it’s a really unique setting for engagement photography. One thing to keep in mind is that many of the areas do close fairly early, so being aware of what time to get there to take advantage of the entire space is important.

Koogler Wetlands

Koogler Wetlands is one of my favorite, most serene places in Dayton to take couples for engagement photos. With its high grass areas, its beautiful nature trails, rad boardwalk through a marsh, and some cool spots old homesteads used to stand (and still partially do!), it has a little bit of everything to work with. The hikes are super easy, and it’s not far from the main thoroughfares on North Fairfield Road to go grab a bite to eat after your session. With most of it in the woods, I recommend to start your session earlier so the sun can stream through the trees, and end out in the fields during golden hour. In no time you’ll have a solid set of looks, and never have to leave the one area! (Pro tip: because of the marsh, during summer, Koogler can be buggy. Plan for this and apply bug spray if you’re prone to being loved by the bugs!)

If you haven’t figured it out yet, sunset is one of my favorite times to be out photographing with my couples! I always love trying to find ways to create a beautiful silhouette for my couples that highlights the colors in the sky. The trick is finding a place that clearly shows off the couple, and still tells the story. Pro tip for the couple: on silhouettes, your job is to be uncomfortably close to one another, but NOT to touch! The moment you touch, your faces become a blob of black silhouette confusion, and that’s no good. So, put on your biggest tease ever and get close to kissing, but not quite! It looks super awesome in the silhouette, even if it feels super weird while you’re doing it.

Eastwood Metro Park

Eastwood Metro Park is a treasure trove of an area for Dayton engagement photos. With its beautiful ponds, mini dock area, arched bridges, not to mention the wooded areas and other stunning water features, there’s really endless opportunities for fresh looks and options for photos. One of the key elements I look for when I assist my couples in choose their engagement photo locations is that they have multiple “looks” in a relatively small area, so that we can minimize our travel time, and maximize our shooting time, without sacrificing style or opportunities. With Eastwood Metro Park, I feel as though it’s a hidden gem in Dayton for this very reason, and I love when couples are game to have their engagement sessions there! With the varied outdoor options, it’s great in all seasons, and loads of outfit options are possible here as well, with many different styles and tones. My favorite seasons for shoots here are early and late summer, as well as the fall. As with Koogler Wetlands, sometimes bugs can get a bit ridiculous in the humid months with the abundance of still water, but with the proper precaution (I always have bug spray in my car for my couples, just in case!), it’s a really lovely time, with beautiful scenery for engagement sessions. You simply cannot go wrong with your engagement photos in Dayton at Eastwood Metro Park!

Eastwood Metro Park is one of my favorite places for Dayton engagement photo sessions. Above you’ll see one of the docks at the park. There are plenty of areas to use in the park for amazing engagement photos, but the docks and bridges over the water features are some of my favorites. Choosing rich tones that compliment the greenery of the area is a great idea, and as you can see, blues and khakis are always a great choice for outdoor engagement photos! Autumn is always a fantastic time for engagement photos, and Eastwood MetroPark boasts some of the most beautiful areas in the Dayton area for engagement photos. Ashlea and Mike came in the perfect tones and style for their outdoor engagement photos, choosing to go with a deep green jewel tones, with pops of red. They looked great playing in the tall grasses, and their carefree natures translated to fantastic engagement photos! Enjoying one another is key, and these two do that with gusto.  The stone arch bridges at Eastwood MetroPark are some of my favorite features at this Dayton engagement photo location, and it’s easy to see why! They boast such amazing character, and with the beautiful greenery surrounding them, you can’t go wrong with your engagement photos. One thing I love to do is layer my engagement photos with an interesting background, then the subject (that’s you!), and finish them with and interesting foreground to give the image a 3D feel. You can see here that by crouching in the bushes and shooting through them with my Nikon 105mm f/1.4 (one of my favorite portrait lenses!), I’m able to compress the image and tell the entire story by building layers in the image. I want your engagement photos to tell the full story, and I love doing that creatively in many different ways. Back to those docks at Eastwood MetroPark! Mike and Ashlea brought their own canoe for their engagement photos, which was super rad! I love outdoor excursions, and when couples want to incorporate their own pieces into their engagement photos, that’s awesome! After paddling around the pond and capturing photos, these two docked and opted for a snuggle. Eastwood MetroPark offers such an array of options, and when you add in your own ideas, it’s the perfect place for an engagement session in Dayton! Golden Hour at Eastwood MetroPark is truly one of my favorites! When the light pours through the trees and tall grasses as it sets, it’s one of the most beautiful sights, and perfect times to photograph an engagement session. Jeremy + Mary chose rich, solid colors with great textures in them for their photos, and they look great against the warm glow coming off the grasses and trees in the background!  There’s a beautiful little “waterfall” feature at Eastwood MetroPark as well, where on many evenings you’ll see kayakers practicing their moves. The rushing water and textures from the clothing choices that Mike and Ashlea chose go perfectly hand in hand to make a great image. Their content smiles in this cozy engagement photo make it hard not to love this image, and it was made with of my favorite lenses for intimate portraits, the Nikon 58mm f/1.4. The character and depth of this lens makes for beautiful, intimate images, which is perfect for Dayton engagement photos.

Sugarcreek MetroPark

Sugarcreek MetroPark, part of the Five Rivers MetroPark system, is located in Bellbrook. Primarily wooded areas and hiking, it provides more of a wooded feel, and I recommend going well before sunset to ensure you have light through the trees most of the year. The walking stones along the waterway and the orange blossom tunnel are two of my favorite features of this part, and it’s a beautiful place for an engagement session in Dayton, especially for those game to hike and wander a bit in the trails!

The stone walking path along the riverbed is one of my favorite features of Sugarcreek MetroPark. Because of most of the park being in the woods with hiking trails, I recommend getting there earlier, and pack good shoes to hike in if you’re also thinking you’ll have nicer dress shoes for the actual photos! Nothing is worse than sore feet from hiking, and it’s worth packing a little backpack to keep comfortable shoes and a bottle of water on hand.

Downtown Dayton/Oregon District

Downtown Dayton is a fantastic place for engagement photos! With all of the character of the buildings, the beautiful green spaces like Riverscape Metro Park, fantastic creativity with the art along the walls, and the great locations in-between, you cannot go wrong with a stop in Downtown Dayton for your engagement photos. Any style can work downtown, whether you want to dress it up for a night on the town, keep it casual with jeans and comfy shirt, or something in between, the Oregon District and Downtown Dayton can make it all look great. And, with it having a more urban feel, a downtown Dayton engagement session can look great in any season. Whether it’s a warm sunny day and we hit Riverscape, or it’s a snowy day in February and we walk along the beautiful brick buildings that line downtown, you can find something that will suit your vision for your engagement photos.

One of my favorite things to do is to wander downtown Dayton with a couple, and see what we find in the process. As we headed toward the Oregon District, we found this little hill along our travels, and we had to implement it! Dayton is full of fun places to shoot, and getting creative is always fun, no matter what the location is. This is technically Lebanon, but there are so many suburbs surrounding the immediate Dayton area, I’m calling this a bonus area. Downtown Lebanon is such a prime place for engagement photos, because their downtown is perfectly lined with brick, small sparks perfect for sneaking into for a wooded look right in the heart of the city, and plenty in between. Jake, Leiah, and I had a great time wandering the streets of Lebanon to capture the charm of the city, and I highly recommend it as an option for your engagement photos! One of the fun things about doing a downtown Dayton wedding is the sheer amount of opportunities all over the downtown area! For this engagement session we hit Wegerzyn Garden, went downtown and captured the bricks and urban feel of downtown, and finished at Crafted and Cured downtown for drinks and a charcuterie board together. Now THAT’S a fantastic engagement, and definitely something to jump about!

Want to get out of downtown Dayton, but want to still have a great location? Why not head to the Greene Towne Center for your engagement session? With loads of interesting corners to get lost in, you’ll have plenty of great backdrops for your Dayton engagement session at the Greene!

These two are smiles no matter where you take them…so much so that even a simple bench looks amazing when they’re hanging out! Alex and Sam wandered downtown Dayton with me for part of their engagement session, and we found a few wonderful nooks I’d never even known were there. The beauty of downtown Dayton is there’s something new around every corner. It’s amazing how varied photos can be downtown, and there’s a little something for everyone. Finding beautifully manicured areas of a downtown with a small town charm, it’s always nice to find spots that are new, or photograph spots in a new way. Here Jake and Leiah snuggle up on a walkway over a small river and enjoy a moment in the sun. I encourage my couples to snuggle up and enjoy one another throughout their engagement sessions, because many time those intimate moments are the best photos!

I am in love with quiet moments, and here Dominic and Dana share a moment together. While it’s in downtown Dayton, these moments can happen any and everywhere, and I love when they do. Once we’ve gotten comfortable with one another, I always get in close and capture a few intimate moments in a different way, so your engagement photos are diverse and you have plenty of looks to choose from. One of my favorite spots in downtown Dayton is Riverscape MetroPark, and across from that beautiful green space are some fantastic walls and art murals to use for a different look. Dillon and Corrie were so much fun, and no matter where we went, we were laughing the entire time! Being silly and just enjoying time together is the best way to make the most of your Dayton engagement session, and above, Dillon gives Corrie a raspberry to show her how much he loves her. Clearly it’s a lot, judging by the ensuing laughter! Laughter really is the best medicine, and the joy in this photo is so apparent. I love photographing engagements and weddings because of the sheer joy in such a great time of your life. It’s an honor to be present as a couple joins their lives together, to be able to cheer them on, and capture the moments as they happen. Getting to know my couples during engagement sessions is a blast, and by the time the wedding arrives, I know how to best serve my couples and how they operate as a couple as well. These two were an absolute blast, and it was a joy to get to capture their engagement and wedding photos for them. Sometimes the beautifully manicured areas of downtown Dayton aren’t necessarily your vibe, and that’s totally cool! I love exploring the more urban, worn areas of Dayton as well. The fantastic textures of the peeling paint, the rust, and the grit is perfectly juxtaposed with the style and masculine elegance Alex and Sam possess. They were a blast to photograph in all scenarios!

Hands down, my favorite studio to shoot in is Something Old. Their studio space is absolutely amazing, and even the hallways of the Linden Building are full of character and warmth. No matter what your vision, Something Old can accommodate it with either their stunning white studio, or their urban studio, complete with exposed brick. Or, plan to utilize both, as well as wander the hallways for a perfect trio of indoor options when the weather is less than ideal for an outside engagement session. Something Old Dayton is absolutely an amazing spot, and I highly recommend it for both engagement sessions, as well as vintage rentals for your wedding day! Sometimes we hop out into the road in the Oregon District of downtown Dayton to capture those downtown vibes in a moderately safe way…while looking both ways for traffic! 🙂 The Oregon District in Downtown Dayton is such a fun place for engagement sessions, and right after, you can hit one of the many fantastic restaurants to cap the day off right!

Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark

Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark is a fantastic option for outdoor engagement photos in the Dayton area. With its beautifully manicured floral areas, the hedge gardens, fountains, and boardwalk through the wooded areas, there are plenty of opportunities for a varied engagement session. Some of my favorite features are the mall area lined with evergreens, the tall grasses (have you noticed my affinity for nature?), as well as the water along the other side. With Wegerzyn being extremely close to downtown Dayton, it’s a great spot to start an engagement before heading downtown to make a second look in an more urban area. With everything on even terrain and in close proximity, Wegerzyn Gardens offers a very easy walk through manicured areas, with little effort. As with a few of the other location I’ve mentioned, Wegerzyn has a slight bug issue (as with many areas of Ohio), so if it’s summertime or early autumn, spray up with bug spray before venturing out!

Sunset is always a win for engagement photos! Wegerzyn Gardens is phenomenal no matter the time, but sunset is special. However, if you choose Wegerzyn Gardens for sunset, be sure you go a little earlier than you think you should; the wooded areas and the high hedges cause the light to drop off quick, and you don’t want to miss the great golden light you’ll be treated to if you’re there on time! As mentioned above, the hedge gardens are absolutely breathtaking at Wegerzyn Gardens, and even in the autumn they are fantastic, as they change from rich, vibrant greens to warm golds and reds. No matter what season, Wegerzyn Gardens is a great choice for a Dayton engagement session, and you can’t go wrong! Pro trip: bring the bug spray! While one of my favorite places in Dayton, it’s extremely buggy on humid days. Don’t let that deter you, but come prepared! Oh, that luscious golden light at the peak of Golden Hour. It’s stunning at Wegerzyn Gardens, and this image proves it! Dillon and Corrie came in their rustic attire, and it was perfect for the gold light that washed over them as the sun set low before dipping below the horizon. Corrie’s beautiful bracelets perfectly accented with her hat, and she pulled off a stunning look to compliment Dillon’s classic dress shirt and suspenders. Sometimes all it takes to make a killer image is beautiful light pouring in from behind a couple, hedges lining the walkway, and a fantastic couple! After having an outfit that was more downtown date night-esque, Alex and Sam changed into a more casual look that perfectly complimented the feel of Wegerzyn Gardens. In the flower garden area of Wegerzyn Gardens, it can almost give the feel of a Monet painting come to life. The beautiful flowers give a perfect backdrop for more intimate engagement photos, and in the autumn when the leaves are changing on the trees, but the hedges are still green, you get the beautiful look you see above! Finding little pockets of awesome are my favorite thing, and these two had a fantastic engagement session in all kinds of awesome spots! Ohio provides some fantastic sunsets, and framing them through the opening in this wooded area with the colors setting fire to the sky, it was a great way to end their engagement session.

Lost & Found Vintage Rentals

This isn’t a specific place, but rather a business that makes engagement photos really darn rad, no matter the location in Dayton! Lost & Found Vintage Rentals has a studio, but the really neat concept behind the business is that they will travel to you with amazing vintage armchairs, couches — heck, even chandeliers — to transform whatever special place you have into a beautiful backdrop for your engagement session. Having worked with them multiple times, I can attest that if you have a flair for the spectacular, or even if you’re just feeling like a really awesome vintage couch in the middle of a field will set your images on a level you’d love, Lost & Found can make it happen. And, having just opened The Honey Farm as a new Dayton wedding venue, Lost & Found is stepping their game up to provide experiences for couples all the way through their engagement, to their wedding day.

When Allen came to me and asked me to help him plan a surprise proposal for Jenna, I was beyond excited. With Jenna being one of my good friends, I knew it needed to be extra amazing, so enlisting the help of my friends from Happy Kamper Films , Lost & Found Vintage Rentals , Sherwood Florist , and Ivory House Creative to build a gorgeous scene for Allen to propose to Jenna on his family’s land.  Wrapping trees with twinkling lights and building a beautiful area lined with candles, Allen came up with the perfect way to propose to Jenna on a cool winter day. Lost & Found provided beautiful candle settings and lights to set the scene for this fantastic surprise proposal! Using Ivory House Creative, we had these adorable, custom made mugs to commemorate Allen and Jenna getting engaged! Having a surprise proposal gave the perfect excuse for some great celebratory pieces during their engagement session, and these custom mugs were perfect for the occasion.  Boasting a beautiful, all white studio, Lost & Found has a great, clean look to it that I love. Stripping away all the fanfare, these two simply enjoyed one another during their engagement session, and these images speak to that simple truth. Sometimes less is more, and this studio is perfect for highlighting just that! Again, I can’t express how much I love the simplicity of these images…so much so, that I had to share two of them! Using the white studio of Lost & Found Vintage Rentals, their rich earth tones popped, and you’re left with the true intimacy of the couple.

Special Locations/Date Inspirations

One of the best things you can do as a couple on the day of your engagement session is to have a day to celebrate one another and this journey you’re on, and there’s no better way to do that is to incorporate some of your passions or go to favorite spots to visit as a couple. And, one of the things I love doing the most is tagging along and capturing the two of you enjoying a date together, or after we’ve had a great time at one of the many Dayton engagement session locations I mentioned, let’s go hit one of the fantastic places to eat or hang out for coffee and finish on a fun note. Some of my favorite places are shown in photos below, but to give suggestions for great places to start or end an engagement session in Dayton, here are a few of my top picks for a great date:

• Ghostlight Coffee
• Proto BuildBar
• Crafted & Cured
• Wheat Penny
• Press Coffee Bar
• Thai 9
• Salar

At the end of the day, there’s no wrong way to do your engagement session, and no wrong location in Dayton to do them. I love to do multiple locations when couples are game to wander, and it’s always fun to grab a drink or coffee with you before or after! Engagement sessions shouldn’t be stuffy or canned; they should be a ridiculous amount of fun, and make the best parts of you and your relationship shine! Enjoy every step of your engagement and wedding planning process, and celebrate yourselves with killer engagement photos!

You have things you’re passionate about. Why not incorporate them into your engagement photos? AJ + Kriscinda are huge football fans, and though they root for different teams, they both share the love of the sport, so I knew we needed to make that part of their engagement photos. AJ had connections to be able to get into a local football field, and that was that! Finding unique ways to tell your story is so important to me, and this was one that was a blast to create for the two of them! Never forget to date your fiancé! I always encourage couples to do an activity, or hang out with one another during their engagement session, and if possible, take the day off work to just be with one another. One of the best ways to break the ice and just enjoy one another is through grabbing a coffee, and Ghostlight Coffee in downtown Dayton is one of my absolute favorite Dayton coffee shops to go hang in! With their fantastic lattes and array of pastries, you really can’t go wrong from a food standpoint, and their cozy vibe is perfect for engagement photos. Find a couch, grab a latte, and snuggle up! Proto BuildBar is one of the coolest places I’ve accidentally stumbled upon for an engagement session in downtown Dayton yet! Not only do they make a mean latte, serve great beers and wines, and have a fantastic vibe, but you can BUILD stuff with their 3D printers! Talk about the best of all worlds! And, don’t sleep on the fact that they have the Guinness World Record’s largest claw machine. For a great date night and a unique setting for some awesome engagement photos, check out Proto BuildBar. You’ll have a blast! Crafted and Cured is one of the coolest little spots in town for a ridiculous array of wines and beers, as well as amazing charcuterie boards. This is another place I love to take couples to hang out after a great engagement session, and it’s the perfect place to wind down after a long day, even if it’s not your engagement session spot! The vibes are so fun here, and you can never go wrong with wine, right? Another image from Proto BuildBar, this huge mural wall dedicated to Nicola Tesla is amazing! The high top tables and the hanging Edison bulbs are a great touch for a location dedicated to energy and the inventors of our times, and their coffee is top notch. It’s the perfect place to get something unique for your engagement photos in Dayton! Life is always better with coffee. No matter what location you choose for your Dayton engagement photos, make sure you have a great time, celebrate one another, and enjoy every moment. I can’t wait to discuss all the options possible for your engagement session, and please, don’t hesitate to bring your own ideas to the table as well! Let’s create amazing images together for your special moments in time, and have a blast doing it!

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