The Quest for the Best Places For Engagement Photos in San Francisco
Options! The Bay Area has TONS of locations to choose from. We got Muir Woods to the north, Mount Diablo to the east, and Santa Cruz to the south. If monuments, alleyways, murals and bars are more your style then look no further than San Francisco.
But First, Jamie and Elizabeth’s Backstory!
To demonstrate my San Francisco engagement photo style, I introduce you to Jamie and Elizabeth. They’re friends of my husband, Mike, and I and they had juuuust started to date when we asked Jamie to be in our Mexico wedding. Jamie asked if he could bring Elizabeth and I told him “if it doesn’t work out, it’s on you!” Well, suffice to say that it definitely worked out! A few years later and here I am taking their engagement photos. Maybe it was my wedding that helped them fall in love? Nope, they did that to themselves. ❤️
Palace of Fine Arts
Ahhhhh yes, the Palace of Fine Arts, one of the most iconic San Francisco photoshoot locations. Jamie and Elizabeth made a good choice with the Palace of Fine Arts, and we really can’t talk about engagement photos without mentioning it! It’s a San Francisco gem with great natural lighting, majestic architecture, and serene backdrops. It’s also a public park so entry and use are totally free! There are lots of options for photos underneath the rotunda, across the pond, or in front of the towering green doors or stone pillars. You can keep moving around to play in the shadows or hard sunlight for some classically beautiful images.
Murals in the Mission
So after the Palace, I suggested we head back to the Mission district, close to where Jamie grew up. Cue the outfit change! And that’s a good side note: as you’re traveling around the best places for engagement photos in San Francisco be sure to pack a few outfits. First, because the weather can change on a dime and suddenly you’re deep in a fog bank, and second, new outfits take away the “I just took a tour of San Francisco” vibe.
Point in case, what you’ll wear at the colorful murals in the mission will jive differently than what you’ll wear at the Palace of Fine Arts. These outdoor art galleries were started in the 1970s and the tradition has continued on ever since. (There are some wonderful and insightful guided tours in SF that talks about the message of various murals that is totally worth checking out!) We cruised down Balmy Alley for these shots, stopping occasionally for portraits in front of a few of the stunning murals. Jamie and Elizabeth felt really comfortable in this less formal setting and got real cuddly for some precious engagement photos.
Only Count the Happy Hours
Let’s talk drinks. If you’re like most youngins then chances are you and your fiance have had some memorable drink dates at local bars where the stools scootched closer and closer together. Let’s photo that cuteness! There’s a ton of places down in the Mission to finish out your engagement shoot with a cocktail. The best options are bars with front-facing windows like you can see in the photos below, but just walk around until you find something you like, get comfortable, and order your favorite drink. We chose La Taza, our dear friends family restaurant that Jaime and Mike worked at when they were younger and we all enjoy regularly!
When you’re looking for the best places for engagement photos in San Francisco you really do have hundreds of options. Jamie and Elizabeth chose to stay in the City, but there are so many more options in the North, South, and East Bay. If you’d like to book a native San Francisco photo pro to take your engagement shots, contact me here!
