Best Engagement Photo Locations in Nashville | Nashville Engagement Photographer

Best Engagement Photo Locations in Nashville | Nashville Engagement Photographer

Choosing a location for your engagement session is one of the most fun parts of the planning process, and Nashville has some of the most diverse and beautiful options anywhere. From golden fields to historic downtown squares, peaceful lakes to modern city backdrops, there’s a spot for every couple and every style.

Here are my favorite engagement photo locations in Nashville and the surrounding areas, plus what makes each one special and how to know which spot fits your personality.

🌿 Centennial Park (Nashville)

Centennial Park is a classic Nashville staple, and for good reason. Between the Parthenon, the small lake, tree-lined paths, flower beds, and wide-open grassy areas, this park gives you timeless photos with tons of variety. It’s beautiful during every season but especially in late spring and mid-fall when the colors are at their peak.

Best Time: Golden hour for warm, flattering light
Perfect For: Couples who want a clean, classic Nashville backdrop with lots of variety

🌳 Percy Warner Park (Nashville)

Percy Warner feels like a fairytale — towering trees, winding roads, stone staircases, and pockets of soft light everywhere. It’s one of the most naturally beautiful locations in Nashville and almost always feels peaceful, even on weekends. The stone steps are iconic and photograph beautifully from any angle.

Best Time: Early morning or golden hour
Perfect For: Nature lovers, hikers, and couples who want a romantic, earthy vibe

🌅 Radnor Lake State Park (Permit Required)

Radnor is quiet, serene, and full of dreamy light filtering through the trees. The boardwalks, lake reflections, and wooded trails create soft, emotional portraits. This spot works best at sunrise when the fog lifts over the lake — it’s absolutely magical.

Best Time: Sunrise (the light is unreal)
Perfect For: Couples who want calm, intimate, peaceful photos

🌾 Long Hunter State Park (Hermitage)

Long Hunter is a golden-hour dream. With tall grass fields, lake overlooks, and open skies, it’s one of my favorite warm-toned locations. In the fall, the grass turns a beautiful neutral gold, and in summer it’s full and green. It’s wide open, so bring comfortable shoes — you’ll want to explore.

Best Time: Evening golden hour
Perfect For: Couples wanting romantic, warm, airy engagement photos

🌿 Ellington Agricultural Center (Nashville)

Ellington is full of hidden gems — tree tunnels, stone walls, grassy fields, and gorgeous shade that photographs beautifully. There’s a surprising amount of variety for such a convenient location. It’s especially stunning in spring when everything blooms at once.

Best Time: Late afternoon to golden hour
Perfect For: Couples who want nature + architectural detail in one spot

🌸 Cheekwood Estate & Gardens (Nashville – Fee Required)

Cheekwood feels like stepping into a European garden. Think stone terraces, manicured hedges, sweeping staircases, and seasonal blooms. It’s one of the most polished, elevated engagement session locations in Nashville. If you love dressing up, this is your spot.

Best Time: Anytime except midday (lots of open sun!)
Perfect For: Romantic, timeless, editorial-style engagement photos

🌆 Riverfront Park (Nashville)

Riverfront Park offers a beautiful blend of greenery and skyline views. You can get modern photos with city elements, plus softer nature shots near the water. It’s a great “in between” location if you want both city and outdoor vibes in one session.

Best Time: Late afternoon
Perfect For: Couples who want Nashville skyline photos without the chaos of Broadway

🌾 Shelby Bottoms (East Nashville)

Shelby Bottoms is perfect for couples who want relaxed, natural photos without crowds. It has fields, forest paths, small bridges, and quiet corners where the light comes through beautifully. This spot works well year-round but is especially pretty in late fall.

Best Time: Golden hour
Perfect For: Cozy, candid photos with lots of movement

🍁 Walton’s Ferry Arboretum (Hendersonville)

Walton’s Ferry is one of my favorite hidden gems — a peaceful peninsula surrounded by lake views, forest trails, and seasonal leaves. The colors in fall are unreal, and the light is always soft because of the tree coverage.

Best Time: Fall evenings
Perfect For: Couples wanting peaceful nature without traveling far

🌲 White House Trailhead (White House, TN)

This trailhead has a beautiful mix of open fields and dense woods, giving you two completely different looks in one short walk. It’s quieter than most Nashville-area parks, which means you get a relaxed, private-feeling session.

Best Time: Sunset
Perfect For: Couples who love simple, natural backdrops

🍃 Cedar Hill Park (Madison/Hendersonville)

Cedar Hill is wide, open, and full of pretty rolling fields. There’s lots of room to move around, which makes it great for playful prompts and candid moments. The trees here turn gorgeous neutral tones in late fall, giving everything a soft glow.

Best Time: Evening
Perfect For: Couples wanting soft, airy, timeless photos

🏡 Ravenswood Mansion Grounds (Brentwood)

Even if you don’t shoot inside the mansion, the grounds alone are stunning — sweeping lawns, towering trees, and pretty pathways. It has that classic Southern charm that brides love, and it works beautifully in every season.

Best Time: Afternoon to sunset
Perfect For: Elegant, Southern-style engagement photos

✈️ Cornelia Fort Airpark (East Nashville)

This location is unique, artsy, and full of character. Old runways, tall grass, abandoned pavement, and dramatic sunsets make for creative, modern, editorial-style photos. It’s a favorite for couples who want something different.

Best Time: Golden hour + blue hour
Perfect For: Bold, modern couples who love texture and contrast

🌆 Downtown Nashville

From Printers Alley to rooftop views to graffiti walls and alleyways, downtown Nashville gives you a fun, vibrant urban backdrop. It’s busy, but the energy is unmatched and makes for amazing candid moments.

Best Time: Sunrise (for emptier streets) or sunset
Perfect For: Stylish, city-loving couples

🌉 Pedestrian Bridge (Nashville)

If you want the Nashville skyline photo, this is your spot. The bridge offers sweeping city views, beautiful leading lines, and modern textures that look great in photos. Pair it with Riverfront Park for a perfect session combo.

Best Time: Sunset
Perfect For: Couples who want classic Nashville backgrounds

🌸 Downtown Franklin

Downtown Franklin is charming, cozy, and full of character. Brick sidewalks, cute storefronts, historic homes — it all photographs beautifully. It’s perfect if you want a small-town vibe without leaving the Nashville area.

Best Time: Late afternoon
Perfect For: Sweet, timeless engagement photos

🏙️ Downtown Springfield

Springfield’s town square is colorful and unique, with vintage storefronts and quiet side streets. It’s a great alternative to Franklin if you want something less traditional but still very charming.

Best Time: Golden hour
Perfect For: Couples who want something fresh and unexpected

🌼 Downtown Gallatin

Gallatin is another adorable small-town square with pretty storefronts and murals. It’s great for couples who want a walkable area with lots of quick photo spots.

Best Time: Early evening
Perfect For: Cozy, relaxed sessions with pops of color

🐴 Harlinsdale Farm (Franklin)

Harlinsdale Farm features wide fields, white fences, barns, trails, and big open skies. It’s a photographer favorite for a reason — the space is beautiful year-round and photographs well in every direction.

Best Time: Sunset
Perfect For: Countryside, rustic, warm engagement photos

🌲 Cedars of Lebanon State Park (Lebanon)

This state park has its own unique look thanks to the cedar trees, rocky textures, and open forest paths. It feels different from typical Nashville greenery and gives your gallery a beautiful earthy tone.

Best Time: Evening
Perfect For: Couples who want moody, textured, natural images

🌄 Preservation Park (Thompson’s Station)

Preservation Park is one of the BEST sunset spots in Middle Tennessee. The hills overlook the entire valley, giving you glowing light, sweeping views, and tall golden grass. It feels cinematic in the best way.

Best Time: Sunset
Perfect For: Couples who want dreamy, romantic, dramatic images with lots of movement

⭐ Want the PERFECT Nashville Engagement Session?

Once you choose the location, we’ll plan your outfits, timing, and everything you need for a relaxed, fun, meaningful session. Nashville has endless beautiful places — we’ll find the one that feels like YOU.