A Comprehensive List of the Chicagoland Area's Top Engagement Session Locations
Written By: Jasmine Oliver, Owner & Lead Photographer of J Lauryn Photography
Chicago is renowned for its breathtaking architecture, rich culture, and vibrant atmosphere, making it one of the most captivating and dynamic cities in the world. Its multitude of historical landmarks, from the iconic Bean in Millennium Park to the historic Water Tower, and hidden gems such as tucked-away gardens and charming alleyways provide an abundance of choices for selecting the perfect location for your pre-wedding photos, ensuring a blend of elegance and urban charm in your cherished memories.
It's important to carefully select a location for your photo session that complements the overall theme and style of your wedding. If you're envisioning a chic and elegant wedding, consider choosing a photo location that aligns with this aesthetic. For example, classic architecture in downtown Chicago can provide a sophisticated backdrop for your engagement portraits. On the other hand, if you're planning a more rustic and nature-inspired wedding, a local park or flower-filled fields can create a romantic and natural setting for your photo session. Taking the time to match the location with the style of your wedding can enhance the overall cohesiveness and aesthetic of your celebration.
Finding the perfect location for your engagement session is crucial as it sets the tone for capturing your love story. The best engagement session locations hold sentimental value for the couple, reflecting their unique connection and shared interests. If you're feeling uncertain about which location would best suit your personalities and relationship, our comprehensive list of Chicago's finest spots can offer valuable inspiration. Whether you're drawn to the stunning lake views and iconic urban architecture of the city, or prefer a more rustic setting like apple orchards or charming college campuses, Chicago provides an array of diverse and beautiful options for your engagement session.
CHICAGOLAND ENGAGEMENT LOCATIONS
The Art Institute of Chicago/ South Garden
One of my personal favorite locations to shoot at is The Art Institute. Its vast and picturesque architecture, coupled with the beautiful landscaping around the building, make it a very versatile location. The museum features stunning grand staircases and gorgeous ivy, bringing European romanticism to Classic Chicago right in the center of the Loop.
Permit Requirement: There is no permit fee for shooting in the South Garden. However, admission to the Art Institute is required for photos taken inside the museum.
Chicago Union Station
Chicago Union Station features a series of stunning event spaces that will transport you and your guests to a special moment in our city’s story — one that is steeped in vintage glamour and bustling with excitement and energy. Hold your event at a one-of-a-kind venue. The lovingly restored event spaces of this Beaux-Arts station are perfect for any size and scale of event, from small corporate meetings to large galas and weddings.
Permit Requirement: $150, and the only form of payment accepted is a money order or cashier's check.
Chicago Cultural Center
A Tiffany glass dome, mother-of-pearl mosaics, and a Carrara marble lobby — the Chicago Cultural Center’s dazzling interior is the perfect backdrop for the artful programming hosted here. The building was designed in the Classical Revival style, taking inspiration from the monumental structures of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the finely detailed buildings of the Italian Renaissance. If you are a fan of unique architecture, this place has everything you want.
Permit Requirement: No Permit or Fee
Civic Opera House
Lyric Opera purchased the Civic Opera House (now known as the Lyric Opera House) and adjacent backstage spaces from the building's owner in 1993, the first time in the history of the opera house (built in 1929) that the resident opera company has actually owned the space. Lyric simultaneously launched a $100-million capital campaign: "Building on Greatness...An Opera House for the 21st Century," to finance the purchase and renovation of the art-deco house.
Permit Requirements: No Permit or Fee
Wrigley Building/Riverwalk
The Wrigley Building is the heart of downtown where all the stunning views of historic building along the beautiful Chicago River. If you want a clean bustling street vibe to your shoot, this the perfect location.
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street Parking Available.
Museum Campus
Chicago's incredible Museum Campus is home to three of the city's top institutions all conveniently located in one place. You can spend a whole day exploring natural history and world cultures at the Field Museum, discovering underwater worlds at the Shedd Aquarium, and delving into far-out galaxies at the Adler Planetarium, all while enjoying breathtaking lakefront views. This location is perfect for a leisurely stroll in the park while taking in historic landmark views.
Pricing or Permit Requirements: No permit or fee on the grounds. Permits required to shoot indoors; Street Parking or Parking Lot Available.
Grant Park
Grant Park is a vast urban parkscape with nature and street-style options. With Central Park-inspired landscape, the glamorous Buckingham Fountain, and a variety of trees and flowers, you can go wrong in this main attraction.
Pricing or Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street Parking or Millennium Garage.
Lurie Garden/ Millennium Park
Millennium Park is more than an attraction — it’s an expression of the Chicago experience. The lakefront campus, located in the heart of downtown Chicago, is home to the iconic Cloud Gate statue (aka “The Bean”), interactive fountains, tranquil gardens, free events, public art, skating rinks, rock climbing, and plenty of green space. If you want to be in center of the Loop getting the most iconic spots in the city of Chicago, this is the best location for that.
Pricing or Permit Requirements: Cannot shoot at Cloud Gate (Bean) without Permit; No permit or fee anywhere else;Street Parking or Millennium Garage.
Old Post Office
The transformation of Chicago’s long-neglected Old Post Office building into shiny offices reached a crucial milestone on Monday as it officially took the wraps off its $800 million makeover. The three-year effort to revive the vacant 1921 Art Deco structure designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White represents the single largest adaptive reuse project in the nation.
The abundance of space allowed the Old Post Office to offer wide, sprawling floor plans and an impressive mix of public and tenant spaces. Improvements include a private 3.5-acre rooftop park with a jogging track, a 28,000-square-foot fitness center, and upcoming public amenities such as a food hall and an extension of the Chicago Riverwalk.
Permit Requirements: Yes. A photography permit is required and can be obtained for a fee of $150. Please contact events@tpochicago.com.
Chicago Union Station
Olive Park
Milton Lee Olive Park is a constructed peninsula located near Navy Pier and Ohio Street Beach, offering a unique west-facing skyline view. The park provides a great combination of natural trees and city views. The blend of being within the skyline and having a quaint park feel creates the perfect ambiance for an engagement shoot.
North Ave Beach
Shakespeare Garden's Mission is to increase the knowledge and love of gardening, garden history and design, and the arts of flower arranging and photography; to protect, improve and restore the quality of our environment through conservation activities; and to share the advantages of association through educational meetings and civic projects. if you prefer a private intimate garden space, is space is amazing for that.
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee; Street Parking or Lot Available.
Promontory Point
Promontory Point totals about 600 acres and sits on Chicago’s Lakefront just south of Grant Park. The park was named for Chicago's famous architect and planner Daniel H. Burnham, who envisioned a south lakefront park with a series of manmade islands, linear boating harbor, beaches, meadows, and playfields, as published in his seminal The Plan of Chicago of 1909. This location is perfect if your looking for water side views on the South side of Chicago.
Permit Requirement: No Permit or Fee
Northerly Island
Northerly Island is a quaint and peaceful escape with stunning city views. It features walking paths through flower-filled hills and is just steps away from 12th Street Beach, making it the perfect place to experience serene natural prairie vibes in the heart of the city.
Permit Requirements: No Permit or Fee
Montrose Harbor
Chicago's largest public beach, Montrose Beach, is located in the Uptown neighborhood within Lincoln Park. This popular beach offers patrons many amenities. South of the recreational beach, there is a natural area that attracts many migratory birds during the fall and spring seasons. Additionally, a serene dune area hosts a rare "panne" habitat, which is a flat, wet, and open sandy area for birds. Endangered plant life thrives at this location. If you're looking for a serene natural beach with a skyline view, Montrose Beach is a great choice.
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street Parking Available.
Grosse Point Lighthouse
The historic Grosse Point Light stands proudly in Evanston, Illinois, a testament to the area's maritime history. Following a series of tragic shipping disasters near Evanston, local residents banded together to petition the federal government for the construction of a lighthouse. Completed in 1873, the lighthouse's distinctive architecture and striking presence have made it a treasured landmark. Recognizing its significance, the lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 8, 1976. Notably, there is a charming small greenhouse located on the side of the house that would provide an exquisite backdrop for the shoot.
Pricing or Permit Requirements: In addition, permits are required for commercial (for-profit) photography or videos on site. Phone 847-328-6961 or email us at lpdnhl@grossepointlighthouse.net for more information.
University of Chicago
Step into a captivating, Gothic, and Harry Potter-inspired world at the University of Chicago. The enchanting dark academia aesthetic infuses a one-of-a-kind atmosphere into your photo shoot, setting it apart from anything else in the city.
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee outdoors; Street Parking Available.
Shakespeare Garden/ Northwestern
Shakespeare Garden's Mission is to increase the knowledge and love of gardening, garden history and design, and the arts of flower arranging and photography; to protect, improve and restore the quality of our environment through conservation activities; and to share the advantages of association through educational meetings and civic projects. if you prefer a private intimate garden space, is space is amazing for that.
Permit Requirement: $250 for Private Photo Reservation; To confirm your desired date and for questions regarding photo session at Shakespeare Garden, please contact Kim Perutz
4th Presbyterian Church
This vine-covered Gothic-Revival-style church stands at the corner of North Michigan Avenue and Chestnut Street on the Magnificent Mile. But I also got a close look at the second oldest surviving structure north of the Chicago River on Michigan. I found the extremely well-maintained church, o be lovely with beautiful stained-glass windows and a timber ceiling. The cathedral archways and aesthetics make a beautiful photo opt.
Permit Requirement: No Permit or Fee
Street Parking or Garage Available
Dominican University
Dominican University is a private Roman Catholic university in River Forest, Illinois, affiliated with the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees, certificate programs, and a PhD in information studies
Permit Requirements: Scheduling and Events Services at events@dom.edu
Ravisloe Country Club
The original golf course, designed by James Foulis and Theodore Moreau in 1901, as a 9-hole course. An additional 55 acres were purchased and 9 more holes were designed and overseen by William Watson from 1910 to 1913.
Permit Requirements: Fill out the contact form or reach out to the Director of Marketing & Events
Johanna Morawski jmorawski@ravisloe.com
Parking Available.
South Shore Cultural Center
South Shore Cultural Center Arts Partners: As the gem of the South Lakefront, South Shore Cultural Center is proud to offer a variety of culturally rich programs to the surrounding community. This place is great people looking for a palace with a natural landscape along the shore
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street or Lot Parking Available.
Chicago Botanical Garden
The Chicago Botanic Garden is 385 acres of landscaped gardens displaying millions of plants & flowers in a variety of settings. It is perfect for a shoot with a fairytale garden feels over my different areas.
Permit Requirement: Monday through Friday: $175
Saturday and Sunday: $200
includes parking for one passenger vehicle (additional vehicles will need to preregister for a timed entry)
Lincoln Park Southpond
Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk is a nature oasis in with amazing skyline views from the North. It is the perfect location if you want a natural earthy vibe with a little bit a city.
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee
Street Parking or Lincoln Zoo Parking Available
Alfred Lily Pond
Step through the Prairie-style Fullerton gate and enter a hidden garden of unmatched beauty. Only bird songs and the sound of a gentle waterfall break the restful silence. Follow the stone walk encircling the lily pool and discover a pavilion, council ring, and diverse native plantings. This is the vision of landscape architect Alfred Caldwell: a hidden garden for the people of Chicago designed to resemble a river meandering through a great Midwestern prairie. This place is great for nature lovers who want a peaceful quaint shoot.
Permit Requirement: No Permit or Fee
Street Parking or Lincoln Zoo Parking Available
Jackson Park/ Garden of the Phoenix
On the south side of Chicago, Jackson Park sits quietly, regally, on the shores of our blue lake—a jewel in the crown of Chicago parks. But the quiet it brings to urban Chicago belies a very busy past and a complex emerging future. This serene park is great for cozy photoshoot
Permit Requirements: No Permit or Fee
Street Parking or Parking Lot Available
Lincoln Park Conservatory
Lincoln Park Conservatory step into beauty and tranquility. Feel the clean, oxygen-rich air. Smell the fragrant tropical flowers. See ancient ferns and towering palms. Experience the charm of a Victorian Era glass house on the North side of the city.
Permit Requirements: Filming & Photography Permit Pricing includes a $35 Application Fee + $45 Permit Fee (per location, per hour)
For questions, contact them at info@lincolnparkconservancy.org ; Street or Lot Parking Available.
Garfield Conservatory
Traveling through the conservatory allows visitors to experience lush flora and tropical temperatures away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago. This indoor greenhouse is great for shoots that want an urban jungle feel in a controlled environment.
Pricing or Permit Requirements: Filming & Photography Permit Pricing includes a $35 Application Fee + $45 Permit Fee (per location, per hour)
For questions, contact them at MediaApp@chicagoparkdistrict.come grounds. Permits required to shoot indoors; Street Parking or Parking Lot Available.
Gold Coast
Gold Coast is a delightful mix of aspirational and historic, evolving into a neighborhood of high glam, bougie restaurants, and upscale shopping housed near (and sometimes inside) ornate buildings that have stood the test of time. If you want a high end historical neighborhood feel with luxury stores in the mix, Gold Coast is very ideal.
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee
Street Parking or Garage Available
Board of Trade / Financial District
The Financial District shows the gritty hustle of the city. With art deco features in every corner, its prefect for the edgier or fancier looks
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee
Street Parking Available
West Loop / Fulton Market
Now, it's an edgy, gritty neighborhood filled with new office buildings, apartments for rent and some of the trendiest restaurants in town—not to mention Google's Chicago headquarters and a seriously stunning, seven-story co-working space.
Fulton Market—also referred to as the Fulton-Randolph Market District—is Chicago's fastest growing neighborhood.
Permit Requirement: No Permit or Fee
Street Parking or Garage Parking Available
Logan Square
Situated along the CTA's Blue Line on Chicago's Northwest Side, Logan Square has become a destination in recent decades. Walk along the streets here, and you'll find beautiful boulevards lined with vintage buildings and a commercial corridor along Milwaukee Avenue that hosts to a long list of notable restaurants and bars.
Today, Logan Square has become a hub of the city's culinary and nightlife scenes, attracting Chicagoans and tourists who come to visit the acclaimed restaurants and bars that are seemingly always opening.
Rental fee may be required for indoor spaces
No permit or fee for outdoor spaces
Hyde Park/South Kenwood
The site of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, home to former President Barack Obama, an incubator for Nobel Prize winners history is made in Hyde Park. Also in Hyde Park, the DuSable Museum is the country’s first institution dedicated to African American history and culture. It resides within Washington Park, home to a bird and butterfly sanctuary and the much-photographed Fountain of Time. If you want a shoot with a neighborhood feel, historical black culture, and vibrant affluence, this is the right neighborhood.
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street Parking Available.
Wicker Park / Bucktown
Start your day at the vibrant Six Corners area where North, Milwaukee, and Damen Avenues intersect. This is the always-bustling heart of the neighborhood, where you’ll find vintage stores, record shops, noodle joints, award-winning eateries, cool coffee houses, bookstores, art galleries, and more.
The lively vibe continues late into the night. These adjoining neighborhoods are home to some of the city’s favorite indie music venues, late-night clubs, pubs, speakeasies, and neighborhood dive bars.
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street Parking Available.
Merchandise Mart / Franklin Bridge
Merchandise Mart is on the South Side of the Riverwalk, which connects River North to Downtown. If you still want city views but want a quieter, lesser-used part of the River, this is a great option.
Permit Requirements: No Permit or Fee
Street Parking or Garage Available.
Chicago Theatre/State Street
The structure is seven stories tall and fills nearly one half of a city block. The 60-foot (18 m) wide by six-story tall triumphal arch motif of the State Street façade has been journalistically compared to the l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The central arch-headed window adapts the familiar motif of Borromini's false-perspective window reveals of the top floor of Palazzo Barberini, Rome. If you are looking for a street style with city lights, this is a great spot. Permits are required to shoot indoors; Street Parking or Garage is Available.
Ping Tom Memorial / Chinatown
Ping Tom Memorial Park's 17.44-acre site was originally a Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad yard located along the edge of the South Branch of the Chicago River in the Armour Square Community Today, Ping Tom Memorial Park holds a children's playground, community gathering areas and Chinese landscape design elements.
The park's fieldhouse, named in honor of the late Advisory Council President Leonard Louie, was completed in October 201Pricing or Permit Requirements: Filming & Photography Permit Pricing + $45 Permit Fee (per location, per hour)
For questions, contact them at MediaApp@chicagoparkdistrict.com. Permits are required to shoot indoors; street parking or parking lots are available.
Chicago History Museum
Tucked along the grounds of Lincoln Park, steps from the lake and a short cab ride from downtown, the Chicago History Museum is the perfect place to host a celebration for the record books.the historic building features Georgian architecture, high ceilings, and large windows overlooking Lincoln Park. If you are looking for a beautiful staircase on the north side of the city.
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee outdoors,
Street Parking Available
Rookery Building
Located in the heart of downtown Chicago’s financial district, The Rookery was built to be a prestigious business environment. The building has an unrivaled history in Chicago and has proven, throughout generations, to be a place of bold progress and great success.
Permit Requirement: $275 permit for an hour access ( up to 10 guests, $50 per added 10 guests)
Please email completed out form to llaporte@tjbc.com
Street Parking Available
Bahai Temple
The Baha’i temple in Wilmette, IL (about 30 minutes from Chicago) was officially named one of the 7 Wonders of Illinois and is the only Baha’i temple in US and one of only 8 in the entire world.The temple is a circular, symmetrical, nine-sided building, so if you want to avoid people in your shots, just pick a side with less people. Each side has a fountain and a prayer garden. There are a couple of reflecting pools as well.
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee outdoors
Street Parking or Lot Available
Museum of Science & Industry
The Museum of Science and Technology is the only relic of the World's Fair that still stand today. The classic architecture with the standing lily pond and blooming trees is such a sophisticated vibe.
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee outdoors
Street Parking or Lot Available
Humboldt Park Boathouse
The park itself dates to 1871, but its present layout — with lagoons and a river that seem to naturally meander through a formal garden guarded by two bison statues and the boathouse With three large arches beneath a low-slung roof and ornamented all around with assorted patterns of circles and squares, it's also a great perch for watching people fish, float in swan paddle boats or look for turtles around the edges of the park's north lagoon.
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee; Street Parking Available.
Glencoe Beach
Glencoe Beach is ideal for group and family outings, work picnics, or summer camp groups! During the summer months, admission is required to visit the beach. During the off-season, visitors can enjoy Glencoe Beach from sunrise to sunset free of charge. The location gives romantic Mediterranean-esque vibes for a cozy stroll on the beach.
Permit Requirements: Non resident daily pass: $20 per person Non-resident season pass w/ guest pass: $170
Daily admission tickets will be available on weekdays during the beach season. Tickets cannot be purchased at the beach and must be purchased online in advance. Ticket sales start at 9 AM each weekday for admission; you may not purchase tickets in advance. Daily admission tickets may not be used on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) or holidays (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day).
Lot Parking is Available.
Cantigny Park
The gardens of Cantigny Park offer beauty and tranquility for all to enjoy. Experience them at your own pace, and be sure to return throughout the seasons – our display gardens receive new plant material every spring, summer and fall. Cantigny’s horticulture team is known for creativity, so expect a few surprises, too!
Permit Requirement: Standard (1–7 people): $50 per day. Permits are non-refundable and available for purchase at the Parking Booth or the Cantigny Shop in the Visitors Center.
$10 parking fee per car
Danada House
The 19-room Danada House was once the home of Dan and Ada Rice. Today, the house and its bright, airy annex are available for receptions, meetings, showers, parties and other catered functions for up to 250. The adjoining gardens showcase native and ornamental plants.
A walk along a DuPage forest preserve trail is a great way to spend time outdoors, but we have a lot of ways to enjoy nature and experience the preserves right at home!
One-time permit $75, Photographers can purchase a photography permit through Visitor Services
Lot Parking Available
Morteum Arboretum
Explore an oasis of magnificent trees and beautiful landscapes.
Conveniently located approximately 25 miles from Chicago, the Arboretum features an award-winning Children’s Garden, Maze Garden, and 16 miles of hiking trails. Whether you seek a quiet stroll or an active family adventure, the Arboretum offers a variety of exhibitions, activities, events, and classes for all ages to enjoy
Permit Requirement: No permit or fee outdoors
Lot Parking Available
Columbus Park Refectory
Located in the Northeast corner of historic Columbus Park, the beautiful Refectory building is a popular destination for weddings and other special events.
The design for the grounds of Columbus Park, considered the masterpiece of Jens Jenson — dean of Prairie-style architecture — was inspired by the site's natural history and topography. This inspiration is evident in the Refectory's serene setting — a surrounding landscape that features two natural-looking waterfalls, stratified stonework ledges, a large lagoon, and abundant native plant life.
Permit Requirement: Permit obtained from the Chicago Park District
Street Parking or Lot Available
Mayslake Forest Preserve
Mayslake features 13 acres of wetlands, 9 acres of lakes and ponds and a 15-acre savanna and restored prairie. It offers fishing on Trinity and Mays' lakes, a trail, picnicking and off-leash dog area, and beautiful flower and herb gardens surrounding the mansion and chapel.
The District continues working to restore Mayslake Hall, now a registered national historic landmark, and establish it as a cultural and educational center. The hall currently serves as a venue for architectural tours, lectures and artistic performances
Permit Requirements: No permit or fee outdoors One-time permit $75 for Peabody Estate; Lot Parking Available.
Redfield Estate
The prairie grove, covering 123 acres of ecologically diverse prairie land, is preserved and maintained as former home of the visionary horticulturist and educator Dr. John Kennicott.
The prairie grove, covering 123 acres of ecologically diverse prairie land, is preserved and maintained as former home of the visionary horticulturist and educator Dr. John Kennicott, who brought his family from New Orleans to settle on his land in 1836. The Grove, located in Glenview, is a National Historic Landmark and is on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Permit Requirements: $50.00/2-hour period of time. Additional fees may apply if more time is required or indoor use is requested and available
A permit is required for all posed formal photography and videography.
Contact: Redfield Estate redfieldestate@glenviewparks.org
Lot Parking is Available.
MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Jasmine Oliver; Owner of J Lauryn Photography
Hello there, and welcome to our journal. Our timeless wedding photography captures the true essence and emotions of a once-in-a-lifetime day so our clients can relive and share their individual love stories for generations to come. We work for unique & diverse couples who are focused on crafting a love-filled celebration of their wedding in Chicago, NYC and destinations worldwide. My passion is telling my clients unique, authentic love stories to enjoy and share for a lifetime.
BECAUSE YOU DESERVE WEDDING PHOTO THAT LOOK & FEEL AUTHENTICALLY LIKE YOU
