The Ultimate Guide to the Best Engagement Photo Locations in Detroit, Michigan
Updated: 4 days ago
Hey, hi, hello! I'm Simone, a trusted Detroit photographer. I grew up in Detroit and have scoured the area for the best photo spots. I believe your engagement photos should let your personalities shine, be a mix of fun and intimate, and give you a sense of how you like to be photographed.
I've shot all around the Metro Detroit area for engagements and here are my favorite, unique engagement session locations! I do keep some locations private for my own clients, so if you're looking for something even more unique or somewhere not many people know about, please reach out to schedule a session below!
Before we dive in, make sure you're thinking about what theme, style, or story you're trying to convey. Do you plan on having a coastal themed wedding? Think Save the Date photos on the beach or on a boat! What about a wedding at a speakeasy? A fun bar or arcade session would align well. Your garden party wedding would pair nicely with a conservatory or lush greenhouse.
One more thing to consider is timing if you're using the photos for Save the Dates. Since you send out save the dates around 6-8 months before your wedding for a local wedding, and around 7-10 months for a destination wedding, you'll need to account for printing and labeling (if you're not having a company do that for you). You'll need to start looking for a photographer for an engagement session about one year before your wedding at the latest! Most photographers book up for the next year pretty well in advance, so my suggestion is start looking right after you get engaged and have found a venue.
Bank on your photographer taking about 4 weeks to edit and deliver your gallery. If you're not having a company print and mail your Save the Dates, then add on another 2-3 weeks for processing time. So overall, you'll need to book an engagement session with a photographer about 12-14 months out from your wedding.
Ok wait, what happens if that means your engagement session is in the winter? No problem - I'll give you some ideas below for winter engagement session ideas!
One question I see come up a lot - Do you have to use the same photographer for your wedding and engagement photos? Absolutely not. But I do recommend it. You'll be spending a lot of time with your photographer on your wedding day, and it's nice to have met them, worked with them, and understand each other. If you're having a destination wedding, most destination photographers don't typically include an engagement session and will instead sometimes offer welcome dinner or farewell brunch coverage. It would be best to find someone local for your engagement photos. I talk more about wedding photographer tiers and what's typically included at each tier here.
Outdoor Summer Engagement Session Ideas and Locations
Nature Preserves and Gardens
Themes they pair well with:
Almost any theme
Outdoor summer wedding
Indoor summer wedding
Weddings with lots of greenery or green color stories
Nature enthusiasts
Best locations in the Metro Detroit area:
Paid ($-$$$)
Stony Creek Metropark - $ - It has trails, a beach, Pine Tree Alley, and tall grassy fields
Seven Ponds Nature Center - A fun bridge, beautiful trails, and a wooded area
Indian Springs Metropark - $ - Open trails, large piney event building, and an underwater dome!
Bald Mountain Recreational Area - $ - Similar to Stony Creek, Bald Mountain has a beach area and trails
St Clair Metropark - $ - I love this spot! The beach and walking trails are a beautiful backdrop any time of the year
Belle Isle & Anna Scripps Conservatory - $ & Permit - Belle Isle itself has so many beautiful spots for engagement photos. The beaches, Sunset Point, the old Lighthouse, the water fountain, and the casino. The conservatory is a beautiful glass structure with flowers and greenery all around.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens - $ & Permit - The greenhouse is one of my favorite places to shoot in the Ann Arbor area, and the grounds during the summer are filled with colorful flowers and lush greenery.
Meadow Brook Hall - $$ & Permit - open to the public and can get busy during the summer or holidays.
Barefoot Blossoms - $$ - You must make a reservation as this is private property. Beautiful flower fields but I did have to get creative with angles here as the flowers are shorter.
Cranbrook Gardens - $$$ & Permit - open to the public and very popular during the summer. Permit required.
Free
For-Mar Nature Preserve - Lots of trails, bridges, and a tree house!
Wolcott Mill Metropark - The walking trails take you to some really pretty areas. This is one of my favorite hidden gems for the fall!
Crosswinds Marsh - Fun boardwalks across the water with lilypads all around
Estates and Mansions
Themes they pair well with:
Traditional weddings
Luxury weddings
Classic clients
Best locations in the Metro Detroit area:
Paid ($-$$$)
Ford House - $$ - open to the public and can get busy during the summer or holidays. You must be escorted around and no drones can be used
Clairwood Estate - $$$ - An old friend of mine used to live here! It has a gorgeous open library, gardens out back, and is right on the water. Beautiful space but can be difficult to get in touch with
The War Memorial - $$$ - Mix of modern and traditional architecture
Downtown Detroit
Themes they pair well with:
Traditional weddings
Homage to Detroit or Detroit-centered clients
Architecture-forward couples
Moodier or edgier vibe
Fashion-forward
Classic and Classy
Best locations in the Metro Detroit area:
Paid ($-$$$)
Fisher Building (third floor) - $$ - Unique architecture with arches that overlook the first floor
The Whitney - $$ - A moody, dark venue with a gorgeous interior, a large staircase with stained-glass windows, and a dimly lit bar
The David Whitney - $$ + Permit - The hotel lobby is a stunning location for photos with a gorgeous clock and open balconies. If the day ends up busier with checkins/checkouts, they reserve the right to ask you not to shoot here at will.
Book Tower - $$$ - Beautiful, spacious interior with gorgeous arches and dimensional spaces
Monarch Club - $$$ - The outdoor rooftop areas overlook the city and are a beautiful backdrop for photos. The interior has a high-end speakeasy feel to it
The Apparatus Bar - $$$ - Lights on lights on lights! This is a famous spot for photos and is a gorgeous backdrop for any engagement session
The Siren Hotel - Candy Bar - $$$ - A high end, fun, pink vibey bar with an intimate feel
Free
Fisher Building (first floor) - one of the most popular locations in Detroit for engagement sessions, its beautiful architecture resonates with many people and is a classy and classic spot for photos - you may have to share the space.
The Detroit Institute of Arts - the marble stairs in the back of the building are another very popular spot and are another one of the most popular locations in Detroit for engagement sessions. Classy and classic spot for photos - you may have to share the space.
Pallister Park/Street - a beautiful cobblestone street lined with trees
Dequindre Cut - fun graffiti, open spaces, greenery, and lots of locations for photos
Eastern Market area - lots of graffiti, colorful areas, overhead bridges, and typically is quieter during the weekdays. Very busy on the weekends
The Belt - A fun, vibey area with colorful bars and scenery
Parker's Alley - Vibey, colorful, and fun
San Morello + Shinola - These two are right next to each other and give such a cute, slightly-european vibe!
Michigan Central - Outside of the old train station is a great spot for photos. In the evenings and on weekends, delivery trucks are typically in front covering the building
Riverside Park - This is an open area that overlooks the Ambassador Bridge and some of the Detroit Skyline
SPKRBOX - The parking structure on top of SPKRBOX is one of my favorites (as it is for a lot of other photographers) for epic downtown shots. SPKRBOX itself is a vibey coffeeshop/technobar.
The Pointed Arches - These are a quintessential spot in downtown Detroit and are a beautiful backdrop for photos
Unique Locations
Themes they pair well with:
Animal enthusiasts
Non-traditional clients
Clients seeking a fun and different experience and special photos
Paid ($-$$$)
Ford-Wyoming Drive In or US 23 Drive In - $ - what's a better way to get fun engagement photos than watching a movie cozied up in your car?!
The Flint Art Museum - $$ - No flash photography is allowed, but some areas allow for photos to be taken for those fun museum photos
Stillwater Stables - $$$ - Private session with horses and a handler
Free
Arcades - Round1 in Auburn Hills is probably one of the most game-dense spots in the area, perfect for some fun pizza and game shots!
John K King Bookstore - A used book store packed with books for a fun session in the stacks
African Bead Museum - I love how unique and fun this spot is! Great for artists or creatives
Indoor Winter Engagement Session Ideas and Locations
Campus Martius Ice Rink - $ - Can be busy on the weekends, but during the week earlier in the day, it's less busy
Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters - $ - Their drinks and food are good and as long as you don't stay long, order something to eat and drink, and are courteous (and you ask permission!), they're usually very kind to let you take pictures inside
Northside Pub (Speakeasy) - $ - A prohibition-vibe bar underneath Fireside Kitchen. It can actually be tricky to find your way in here!
Avalon Bakery - $ - Grab a bite and a cuppa and get some cute photos while eating amazing baked goods
Rust Belt Market - Walk around, grab some fun trinkets, and get some really fun photos in this queer-friendly space! My favorite area is the plant house. Only open on weekends and can get busy.
The Flint Art Museum - $$ - No flash photography is allowed, but some areas allow for photos to be taken for those fun museum photos
Arcades - Round1 in Auburn Hills is probably one of the most game-dense spots in the area, perfect for some fun pizza and game shots!
John K King Bookstore - A used book store packed with books for a fun session in the stacks
Cadieux Cafe - Get some Belgian food (mussels, french fries), and do some feather bowling! Gets very busy on weekends and evenings so be sure to make a reservation
There are so many fun spots in the Metro Detroit area for engagement sessions. It all comes down to what style and feel you want for your photos, how far you're willing to drive, and how much you want to pay. I've shot at or have visited almost all of the above locations so I'm happy to share more information with you if needed. I'm happy to help you with location scouting as well!
One thing to keep in mind for engagement photos if you want something classy or unique - if it's a paid location, fewer people will have had their engagement photos taken there! So it's unique by not being a free location.
If you're still looking for something unique or that isn't a popular spot, I'd be happy to share my private collection of locations with you once we've booked an engagement session! You can inquire below.
Simone Arora is a Detroit-based editorial wedding photographer who specializes in capturing personality-rich photos. She has been photographing people since she was in middle school, and weddings since 2021.
When she's not photographing and editing weddings or engagements, she's usually hiking, cooking, planning her next trip, or yelling at someone driving slowly in the left lane.
Comments