LGBTQ New England Engagement Session

Luci’s Massachusetts Marriage Proposal

My initial client was Luci, who inquired with me when searching for a Massachusetts proposal photographer. She had this great idea for proposing to her partner, Megan, and I was excited to help her out.

Planning the Perfect LGBTQ Engagement

Luci was a lot of fun to work with, right from the beginning. She and Megan met years ago and discovered that they were in similar social circles. Among other things, they built their connection on a mutual love for football.

Megan spent much of her time growing up while kayaking and fishing with relatives in Massachusetts. Naturally, Luci was excited to try and incorporate a specific riverside location into her marriage proposal.

With my photography, I work hard to build a connection with my couples. Sadly, as I helped Luci plan her proposal, we discovered that the logistics of a sunset, riverside proposal were a little too tricky. But we adjusted and pulled it off beautifully!

Quick Advice for Proposal Planning

You can absolutely pull off a candid proposal yourself. Here are some quick tips for doing so:

• Plan it: Ignore the photography aspect for a minute and just plan your proposal! You love this person and of course you want everything to be perfect when you pop the question. And like Luci, be ready to have a contingency plan. Here’s a post that can help you create a proposal plan.
• Have an engagement session afterwards: Once your partner says yes, you’ll truly appreciate how big a deal this is. You’re engaged now! Whether you’ll be having an LGBTQ engagement session in New England or otherwise, you should definitely photograph your proposal yourself or have someone do it for you. And yes, this includes the big question itself as well as at least a quick engagement session afterwards.
• Choose a solid proposal photographer: Unlike weddings or regular engagement sessions, marriage proposals are total one-offs. Luci never would’ve booked me as her proposal photographer if she didn’t view me as a person she could trust with the occasion. She wanted sort of a celebration after she proposed to Megan, in the sense that the two of them could have some fun in front of the camera and create some cool art. This post provides example questions to ask your prospective photographer.

Fun Massachusetts Proposal and Engagement Session

Once Luci had popped the question, it was time to celebrate with the small-town Massachusetts beauty all around us.

We headed to Deerfield, MA. If you know anything about this town, then you’re familiar with its downtown area that’s a lot like Mystic. And if you love beer, then you know that it’s the home to Treehouse Brewing’s famous brewery location.

I knew when I took the job that these wanted the vibe of their engagement session to be laid back. The day was theirs, marking the start of them preparing for their wedding.

We tried to keep the feeling light throughout their engagement session. I love the way things turned out! From walking around, to getting ice cream, to crashing a skate park, this New England LGBTQ engagement session was definitely a hit!

Best Places for an LGBTQ Engagement Session in New England

I want to be frank for a second: as a black wedding photographer, I understand the idea of checking on where I’m going before I get there. Similar is true for many members of the LGBTQ community, especially if you’re planning to just exist as a couple out in public.

So as you two get into the early states of wedding planning and consider your engagement photography, here’s a little research on some of the most welcoming locations for an LGBTQ engagement session in New England:

Mystic, Connecticut

One of the best villages all of New England. Packed with restaurants, walkable spots, and water access. Mystic is perfect for date nights and engagement sessions alike. There’s also an annual, week-long Mystic Pride event hosted here.

Providence, Rhode Island

A cool city with many neighborhoods with much to offer. Providence is also home to the largest LGBTQIA+ pride festival in all of New England, Rhode Island Pride, which takes place mid-June every year.

Boston, Massachusetts

By far the largest New England city by population, Boston probably offers the most opportunities for your LGTBQ engagement session. Its early June Boston Pride for the People festival is also a hit.

New Haven, Connecticut

Connecticut’s most interesting city, New Haven, has a lot to offer the LGBTQ community. Its New Haven Pride Center, for example, has everything from wellness programs to performing arts links. And if you’re foodies, this city is home to the best pizza in America.

Provincetown, Massachusetts

If you looked up “best place for an LGBTQ engagement session” in a dictionary, P-Town would probably be the definition. According to Gay Real Estate, “Provincetown was built for the LGBTQ lifestyle.” It’s tough as hell to get here given that it’s at the tip of Cape Cod, but it’s worth it once you make it. Yes, it’s that awesome (I’ve been with my wife) and great for everything for couples.