Engagement Shoot Ideas
Engagement shoots or pre wedding shoots can help with getting comfortable in front of the camera before your wedding day. I think that they are also a great way of getting more images of yourself. We photograph our kids and our weddings but usually we don’t often celebrate ourselves. Here are some of my suggestions for engagement shoots in London if you can only attend a pre wedding shoot at the weekend or are looking to make your engagement shoot as relaxed and stress free as your wedding.
London is a city that almost never sleeps, and most iconic places attract visitors – loads of visitors. If you don’t want to fight it out with other visitors and are looking for somewhere off the beaten path, or unique then these venues are based in mostly in South London (or Kent) as that is where I am located (oops some are in Central London but even then there are some places that are off the beaten track)!
I am also going to drop some SECRET places I like too so don’t tell anyone else – SHHH!
YOUR HOUSE
Yes, that’s right. Your home will make an ideal place for an engagement shoot. You know every nook and cranny. It is crowd free and welcoming. It stocks your favourite tea and there is no worry about finding a public toilet to change, parking permits, traffic or travelling. Your couch, your garden, your kitchen – it has it all. You will be relaxed without the worry of drawing the attention of onlookers pausing and distracting you. Dress up, dress down there are some many possibilities.
To give you an idea here is a home maternity shoot and a family shoot shot at home as well as a pre wedding shoot shot in part inside a derelict building.
MARGATE
It is easy to get to – one direct train from Victoria or Gravesend with further direct options in the summer from Greenwich, Woolwich Arsenal, Dartford and Abbey Wood. Yes there are loads of people coming here to the beach at weekends (if it is sunny) and half terms in the summer for the Dreamland and the sea. There is almost nowhere to sit on the beach. Come in the autumn, and it is less crowded but cold, so wrap up well. There is a changing toilet hut nearby so you can get changed, so you might throw caution to the wind and jump in the (cold) water and get a few unique shots. Or you could walk along the promenade, eat some chips (seagulls here are not the most ruthless I have ever seen) or play the 2p slot machines.
THE DULUX BIRD/THE A BRIDGE
Only locals know of these places but you have to be quick as the Dulux Bird is on a condemned building due to be pulled down (sadly has now been pulled down in July 2020). The Dulux in the name comes from the paint company who donated the paint for the murals. The A Bridge named for its shape is a short drive (or bus stop and walk) away from Abbey Wood station. It is brutalist and also has an underpass. It is quiet with only the occasional dog walker. On the way back you can also take a few shots (skateboarders not allowed) around Abbey Wood Station or grab a quick meal in the Abbey Arms.
The Dulux Bird Abbey Wood inspiration can be found here.
SOUTHMERE PARK/LAKE AND CROSSNESS PARK
You want free roaming horses then head to Southmere Park. Just don’t feed them as per strict instructions from the owners, as some of them are rescue horses. There is also a lake with boating if you dare! Surprise sunflowers have been planted by the local housing association providing nectar for bees, seeds for birds and a cool backdrop for engagement and family shoots (summer time only).
RIDGEWAY – SO SECRET NOT MARKED ON GOOGLE MAPS
You want wild grasses, a lake, solitude and good wi-fi. This piece of land is owned by Thames Water but is open for ramblers, dog walkers and cyclists alike (though a bit hilly in parts). A nearby 4g mast provides up to 65mb in parts so you can stay in touch.
LESNES ABBEY
I hear you. You are looking for something softer, greener and with more nature. Lenses Abbey is also a short train ride away and maybe a bit of a walk. You can enter via many entrances. There is actually the Abbey itself, a derelict 12th century monastery with broken down walls but also trees and woodland as well as a coffee shop.
Check out the Red Ankara Jacket model shoot to give you an idea of Lesnes Abbey.
BT TOWER
If you grab a tube to Great Portland Street or Warren Street and walk about 5 minutes, not only will you pass the Wedding Gallery, you might bump into some celebs. Fitzroy Gardens is only open during lunchtimes during select weekdays days of the year, but outside the park you can grab a shot of the BT tower or the courtyard round the corner. There is the Indian YMCA, the chippy (Fishbone) and even Guy Ritchie’s pub for lunch options.
LONDON EYE/VICTORIA EMBANKMENT PARK/SOUTH BANK
You want the iconic wheel but you don’t want to hang around the entrance where there are all the crowds. Exit at Embankment station or walk up from Charing Cross. The wheel will be behind, there is Victoria Embankment Park across or you can venture over the Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges to South Bank.
THE O2, North Greenwich
It does get busy with people coming to attend events, cinema and restaurants. However, any of the buildings around here (short walk away) are colourful and there is a little bit of a park. You could even climb up the 02 if you wanted!
LOVE LANE WOOLWICH
It is a short walk from Woolwich Town Hall. It has to be done hasn’t it? Some more of my Woolwich Town Hall weddings can be found here.
More information about my engagement shoots here and you can contact me via email – outdoor engagement shoot Greenwich, engagement shoot Brick Lane and London Bridge engagement shoot.
