The Ultimate NJ Engagement Session Planning Guide

 

Thank you so much for selecting Enchanted Celebrations as your wedding photographer and booking an Engagement Session in NJ with us.

While scheduling your engagement session with us is easy, we’ve put together this post to help answer some common questions and to present some very valuable information that will help make your pictures come out looking even better than what you expected!

1. Multi-Use Location
In order to get the most out of your engagement shoot, it’s a great idea to pick a location with multipurpose potential. For instance, planning your session at Allaire State Park, has not only beautiful foliage and grounds, but also the historic village buildings and chapel. This location will give our photographer and you many different “scenes” and will keep your session continuously fresh and sharp with diversity in shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some popular multi-use locations for your NJ engagement session:

North:

Hoboken Train Station
Liberty State Park
The Red Mill, Clinton

 

 

 

Central:

Grounds for Sculpture
Allaire State Park
Asbury Park Boardwalk
Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens

 

 

 

South:

Smithville Inn
Batso Villiage
Cape May Point State Park
Ocean City Boardwalk

 

 

Click Here to See our Full List of NJ Engagement Session Locations

Remember, the more scenes there are in a location the more creative variety will result in your session!

 

2. Permits and Parking
Once you have a location in mind, make sure you verify whether or not you need a permit to shoot your session there. It is your responsibility to ascertain all required permits where necessary. Along with this, you are also responsible for the location’s parking fee of the photographer’s vehicle where required.

To find out this information — if permits or parking costs are needed — a simple call and inquiry will suffice. Typically, you will be directed through the proper channels to obtain a permit or will inform you that there is none needed for your shoot.

 

3. Wardrobe
To make the absolute most out of your engagement session, consider outfit changes to spice up your shoot for optimal creativity! Coordinate your attire for the location and time of year of your session. Keep in mind the colors and style — you do not want to blend in or pop out too much with the scenery. Wear something you are comfortable in and that is versatile. For example, a light jacket or cardigan that can be taken on and off throughout the shoot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out our Engagement Session Attire Inspiration page!

4. Props
Unfortunately, our photographer will not be bringing any props for you to use at your session unless it was originally contracted. If props are important to you, it is important to plan and find props that will be playful enough to fit your personality as a couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click Here to get inspiration for props!

5. Expectations and Photographer Communication
Before your session, please have an idea in mind of what types of pictures that you hope to get. Please understand, we have so many couples and every couple is different of what their expectations are for the session. The best thing you can is make a Pinterest board dedicated to engagement session pictures you love. You can then share that with us and we can have the photographer pull inspiration from your board. We will never copy another photographer’s work, but we can get an idea of what you are looking for from that board.

With that being said, during the session, if for some reason you do not like the direction of shoot, STOP AND TELL THE PHOTOGRAPHER. You’d be surprised with a small amount of feedback how fast your photographer can change their style; literally, on the next click. We promise, you won’t be annoying them, you are the client, these are YOUR pictures, we want you to LOVE these pictures. This cannot happen without open, honest communication between you and the photographer.

 

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs for information 973-268-3500

 

South Mountain Reservation 

W South Orange Ave, Short Hills, NJ 07078

and Ace, Eagle Rock Ave & Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052

 

Frelinghuysen Arboretum 

353 E Hanover Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960

Permit case-by case (as of 6/14/16): Please call  Reservations office 973-326-7631

 

The Palisades

155 Alpine, New Jersey, 07620

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call Palisades Interstate Park Commission 201-768-1360

 

Eagle Rock Reservation 

and Ace, Eagle Rock Ave & Prospect Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs for information 973-268-3500 

101 Co Rd 645, Sandyston, NJ 07826

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Willowwood Arboretum 

300 Longview Rd, Far Hills, NJ 07931

 Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call (973) 326-7600 for more information 

 

Presby Memorial Iris Garden

474 Upper Mountain Ave, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call Essex County Parks Department (973) 268-3500

 

Brookdale Park Rose Garden

Montclair, NJ 07043

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Reeves Reed Arboretum 

165 Hobart Avenue, Summit NJ 07901

Permit case-by-case(as of 6/14/16): Please call 908-273-8787 for more information

 

Thomas Edison National Park 

211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ 07052 

Permit case-by-case(as of 6/14/16): Please call 973-736-0550 x11 for more information

 

Hacklebarney State Park 

Hackelbarney Rd, Long Valley, NJ 07853

Permit case-by-case(as of 6/14/16) Please call 908-638-8572 for information

 

Jockey Hollow 

30 Washington Place, Morristown, NJ, 07960 

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16) Please call 973-543-1949 for more information

 

Solberg Airport Balloon Festival 

363 Route 46 West, Suite 200, Fairfield, NJ 07004

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Colonial Park Arboretum/ Rudolf W Vander Goot Rose 

156 Mettlers Road, Somerset NJ

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call Horticulture Department at 732 873-2459 for information

 

Liberty State Park 

200 Morris Pensin Drive, Jersey City New Jersey 07305

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 201- 915-3403 for more information

 

Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary 

324 Forest Dr S, Short Hills,NJ 07078

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 973-376- 3587 for more information

 

Branch Brook Park 

Lake St & Park Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 973-268-3500

 

Somerville Cruise Nights 

25 West End Avenue, Somerville, NJ 08876

Permit not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Cheesequake State Park

300 Gordon Rd, Matawan, NJ 07747

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16)

 

Mindowaskin Park 

Westfield, NJ 07090

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 732-566-2161 for more information

 

Van Vorst Park 

257 Montgomery St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Skylands Manor/ NJ State Botanical Garden 

2 Morris Rd, Ringwood, NJ 07456 

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 973-962-9534 for more information

 

Spring Lake 

423 Warren Avenue, Spring Lake, New Jersey 07762

Permit not Required (as of 6/14/16)

311 Windeler Rd, Howell, NJ 07731 

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please contact 732-919-0996 for information

 

The Great Swamp 

New Vernon, NJ 07976

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please  call 973-425-1222 for more information

 

Leonard J Buck Garden 

11 Layton Rd, Far Hills, NJ 07931

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 908-234-2677 for more information

 

Sandy Hook/ Fort Hancock 

26 Hudson Rd. Highlands, NJ 07732 

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Pleae call 732-872-5970 for more information

 

Holmdel / Longstreet Farm 

50 Longstreet Rd, Holmdel, NJ 07733

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 732-946-3758  for more information

 

Spring Lake 

423 Warren Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ, 07762

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Deep Cut Gardens 

152 Red Hill Road, Middletown, NJ 07748

Permit case-by-case (as of 6/14/16): Please call 732-671-6050

Strawbridge Lake 

440 S Church Street, Moorestown, NJ

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Mill Race and Main Street 

5 Church St, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060 

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Grounds of Cathedral of the Woods

100 Stokes Rd, Medford, NJ 08055

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Knight Park 

Collingswood, NJ 08107

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Valenzano Winery

1090 US-206, Shamong, NJ 08088

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)

 

Laurita Winery

85 Archertown Rd, New Egypt, NJ, 08533

Permit Not Required (as of 6/14/16)