We can’t think of a more iconic backdrop for love in all its forms in New York City than in Brooklyn Bridge Park engagement photos, can you? We’re sure you’ve all seen an epic shot of a couple kissing and cuddling on the bridge with the city in the background. And maybe even a few photos of the bridge spanning the river.

But did you know Brooklyn has a little treasure trove of places to wander and capture stunning, romantic pictures of the two of you celebrating your engagement? The bridge, of course, is a familiar landmark that’s instantly recognizable. So, we’re excited to share with you everything you need to know about planning the perfect Brooklyn Bridge engagement photos. We can’t wait to show you our favorite spots for photos in Dumbo!

Before we get started, check out this great post about everything you need to know about engagement photography!

What Time of Day to Take Brooklyn Bridge Park Engagement Photos

Let’s start with when to take Brooklyn Bridge engagement photos before we get to where! Of course, an icon like the Brooklyn Bridge attracts a lot of attention from tourists. But it’s a popular walkway for joggers and cyclists too. There’s a lot of foot traffic across that bridge every day!

So, unless you want a whole lot of people traipsing through your photos, we recommend the best time of day to be a sunrise shoot. In fact, we love that time of day so much, it’s the only time we’ll do shoots on the Brooklyn Bridge itself. Like Central Park, having a photo session in the Dumbo area can get crowded so quickly.

Yes, it’s an early start. But we guarantee you that foot and bike traffic will be at its lowest at this time of day. And the light from the rising sun makes everything so warm, soft, and magical. The perfect ingredients for a shoot that’s all about love and romance, right?

Shooting at sunrise is also great if you’re not the most comfortable with public displays of affection when there’s a big audience around. If you find getting in front of the camera awkward or difficult, then the less crowds around the better, we say! That way, there are fewer distractions, and you can concentrate on snuggling up with your beau – woooohoo!

Sunrise is usually the coolest time of day too, weather-wise. That’s great in the summer, but also true in the winter, so make sure you bring warm clothes if we’re doing your engagement session at that time of year.

And the best thing about a sunrise Brooklyn Bridge engagement shoot? When it’s done, you’ve still got the whole day ahead of you! You could head off for a stroll around the city, go and grab some brunch together and enjoy some time in each other’s company. Who doesn’t love brunch, right?

Why Take Early Morning Engagement Photos in DUMBO?

For most couples, engagement photos are taken prior to their wedding day. They are often an opportunity for the couple to have professional photos taken of themselves without the distraction of friends and family on what is typically a busy day full of activities. However, taking engagement photos in DUMBO has so much more meaning behind it! We must admit that we were a bit skeptical when we first heard about couples taking their engagement photos in DUMBO at such an early hour. It’s not that we don’t love our borough, but getting up and out of the house before most people have even had breakfast seemed like an un-necessarily early start to what can be a long day. However, we’ve since realized that getting up early is definitely worth it due to some of these special, unique characteristics of DUMBO only available in the morning hours.

1. The way the light hits the buildings in DUMBO at sunrise is truly magical.

In order to take full advantage of the golden hour, it’s important to actually be there for those “golden” moments as they can be fleeting! We’ve been frantically scrambling to get ready and arrive on location only to see that the magic has passed – but not to worry, it will be back again tomorrow! There is truly something magical about the light that hits DUMBO buildings in early morning. It’s hard to describe, but once you’ve experienced it, you won’t forget it.

2. You can take photos without fighting crowds of tourists or other couples.

Since the early morning is not typically a popular time for taking photos, you’ll likely have most of the locations to yourself. This means that you can take all the time you need to get the perfect shot without worrying about people walking in front of your camera or getting in the way. It’s also a great opportunity to get photos of just the two of you, without other couples in the background.

3. The streets of DUMBO are quiet and the perfect place for a peaceful stroll.

One of the things we love about DUMBO is that it’s always bustling with activity, but somehow it still manages to remain peaceful and quiet. This makes for the perfect backdrop for an early morning stroll with your loved one – especially when weather is cooling off! There’s nothing like walking through the cobblestone streets as the sun rises above the Manhattan skyline.

4. You can enjoy a day of relaxation knowing that your photos are already done and you’re one step ahead!

After taking your early morning engagement photos, you can head right into work (or other obligations) knowing that you’ve already crossed one thing off your to-do list! This is a huge bonus, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed with wedding planning. Not to mention, it’s a great way to start your day – with some beautiful photos of you and your fiance!

How to Get to Your Brooklyn Bridge Park Engagement Session

Brooklyn Bridge spans over the East River, from Brooklyn to Manhattan, so there are options for where to shoot and access the bridge. Yes, we might be kinda biased when we say come over to Brooklyn and jump on the bridge here. But it also has the best view overlooking the city. And there are some amazing spots around the bridge, DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park to continue your engagement session too.

Gorgeous NYC Engagement Photos in Rain or Shine

Ok, let’s get practical here. Because being up on a high bridge in the middle of the river means there isn’t much protection from the elements. In summer, be ready for hot sunshine with sunglasses, water, and sunscreen.

In the winter, bring a warm jacket or coat for between photos (if you’re brave enough to whip it off for photos!). And yes, there’s always a chance of rain any time of year, but we think raiNYC photos are adorable, so we’re good to go with it if you are!

Find out more about what to wear for your engagement session here.

Best Locations for Brooklyn Bridge Park Engagement Photos

Yes, there’s the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, but there are a ton of other amazing locations in the surrounding streets and neighbors of Brooklyn too. Are you ready for a whistle-stop tour of some of our favorites? Then let’s do it!

Jane’s Carousel

This stunning wooden carousel, built in 1922, has 48 glorious carousel horses spinning around on it. It sits behind a wall of glass, and it makes the prettiest backdrop for your Brooklyn engagement photos. If you’re the kind of couple who loves a bit of color and magic, then this is a great place to incorporate into your engagement session.

Washington Street

Almost as iconic as the bridge itself is this view of it from Washington Street. You’ll have seen this view a thousand times and, we swear, it never gets old. Washington Street is a fantastic spot too. From those beautiful red brick buildings through to the cobbled stones framing that view, you can’t go wrong including this spot in your Brooklyn engagement shoot. We also love that one of our favorite coffee spots lives here. It’s a great place to stop, warm-up and get to know each other a little better while we’re capturing your Brooklyn Bridge engagement photos!

Brooklyn Bridge

Yes, we’ve already talked about the bridge. It’s the main feature around these parts! But did you know the bridge was the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge? We’re all about the trivia around here, so here’s a couple more… Brooklyn Bridge has been standing since 1883, and it’s almost 500 meters across! We love it for all the interesting shapes and those lovely gothic style arches though. It’s literally one of the most beautiful backdrops for engagement photos we can think of.

Colorful Wall off Washington Street

Ok, so this is a bit of a “hidden gem”, but it’s one of our favorite spots, so we make sure to bring all our couples here who want a Brooklyn Bridge engagement shoot. Photographers have a thing for walls, you know. But when you see how colorful this spot is, just off Washington Street, we know you’ll love it too.

 The Waterfront in Brooklyn Bridge Park

This 85-acre waterfront park stretches 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River shore. It has the loveliest views overlooking the New York skyline and Brooklyn Bridge. There are so many pretty corners and spots here, from Pebble Beach to the piers. You can’t fail to get some incredible Brooklyn Bridge Park engagement photos, wherever our wandering takes us. Do you want some greenery? It has that. A little water? Yep! How about a cityscape. Yes, it really has it all!

Pier A by the Fulton Ferry Landing

There are several piers running along the waterfront near Brooklyn Bridge. But Pier A is one of our favorites. It’s nice and close to the bridge, so you can include it as part of your Brooklyn Bridge Park engagement photos, and it has a great view over the Manhattan skyline. Overlooking the salt marsh and the old pier standings, it has an air of “old New York” about it. And it’s right near the stunning water gardens too.

Max Family Garden

As part of your Brooklyn Bridge Park engagement shoot, we could head on over to this quirky and unique space. The Max Family Garden is a triangular garden set amongst the red brick walls of a 19th-century tobacco warehouse. It oozes history and vibrancy, and we love the mix of nature, city and history in one lovely spot. It really is a beautiful background for your romantic engagement photos.

DUMBO, Brooklyn

This awesome little neighborhood sits roughly between Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge, and it’s brick wall heaven! The colors and textures of the walls here are a photographer’s dream. They’re great fun to incorporate into some DUMBO engagement photos for the two of you.

Brooklyn Heights Promenade Engagement Photos

This 500+ meter long pedestrian walkway, also known as the Esplanade, is a great spot to wander for your Brooklyn Bridge engagement photos. It was built around the 1950s and, as you stroll along, you have views over Manhattan, Governors Island, Staten Island and the Brooklyn waterfront. It’s also considered one of New York City’s top ten most romantic spots, so where else should you go for your Brooklyn Bridge engagement session?

Squibb Bridge

This adorable little footbridge connects Pier 1 with Squibb Park. It’s only recently been updated and replaced, so we’ve yet to get some engagement photos here. But if you’d love to be the first couple, hit us up and let us know!

Some Final Tips from Brooklyn Wedding Photographers

Remember that all these places are a little walk from each other, so prepare to do a bit of walking between taking photos! Bring along some comfortable shoes to wear between shooting. As lovely as your incredible heels are, we’d hate for you to be in pain and trying to walk over cobbles in them!

Restrooms are also pretty limited so if you’re thinking of including any outfit changes, let us know to factor that into our route. And, you know, for the obvious rest breaks too!

Also, right now, some of the locations might be closed due to restrictions. But we’ll definitely keep an eye on that for you, and we’ll be happy to let you know what the current situation is. 

We’ve loved sharing all our favorite places for getting Brooklyn Bridge engagement photos taken! So, if you’re interested in having your own session here, we should talk. Get in touch and let’s chat about your engagement and wedding plans.