National Botanic Garden Engagement Photos | Chantilly VA

A Colorful Mixed Bag 

It’s not often I get to photograph an engagement session at a location I’ve never visited before. After photographing couples all throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, I thought I had seen most of what the area had to offer. Then Katie and Eric showed up with a completely different idea.

They had a specific vision for their engagement session and brought me to the National Botanic Garden in Chantilly, Virginia. From the moment I arrived, I knew this place was something special.

Part of what made this session so exciting was the fact that everything felt new. Instead of walking into a location I already knew, I got to explore alongside Katie and Eric and discover the best spots as we went. That created a fun, relaxed experience where every corner brought something different.

What makes the National Botanic Garden even more unique is that it is only open during a limited time throughout the year and a permit is required to be there. I felt like I was one of maybe a few hundred photographers who get to be there in a year compared to the thousands of photographers Washington, DC has. 

The National Botanic Garden offered things that you would not find typically in Washington DC like beam spaces, including a stone pavilion, a lakefront bridge, a stone barn which included a place called “hobbit town”, as well as a stone castle looking structure and an arboretum.

For Katie and Eric, the goal was simple: create engagement photos that felt whimsical, relaxed, and different from the usual spots around Washington DC. The National Botanic Garden gave us the perfect mix of scenery, personality, and space to let their connection come through.

Sometimes the best locations aren’t the ones everyone already knows. They’re the ones you discover along the way.

Whether you’re in Virginia, Washington, DC or Maryland, if you’re planning your engagement session, lets make it unforgettable. Contact me and book your session today!