Ashley and Nate’s Central Park engagement photos began with the kind of setting Nate had in mind: a cool bar scene at McSorley’s Old Ale House. Later, we traded the pub’s lively feel for the arches and staircases of Bethesda Terrace, where Ashley’s long white dress brought a romantic change in tone.
The July heatwave made the time in the park tough, but the session moved between two very different sides of New York. We started casually, giving them time to open up, then let the setting and styling shift the portraits into something more romantic.
Starting at McSorley’s Old Ale House
Nate wanted a cool bar scene for the start of the session, so we began at McSorley’s Old Ale House. Established in 1854, McSorley’s describes itself as New York City’s oldest continuously operated saloon. Its history gives the pub a distinctly old New York character, which made it a memorable place to begin Ashley and Nate’s engagement photos.
We started among the pub tables, letting Ashley and Nate enjoy the setting and settle into the session together. That relaxed beginning helped them open up before we moved on to Central Park.
The contrast made the session feel like two different sides of New York: the lively, historic pub and the more romantic architecture of Bethesda Terrace.
A Change of Scene at Bethesda Terrace
At Bethesda Terrace, Ashley’s long white dress shifted the feel of the photographs. The arches, staircases and stone details gave us a more romantic setting than the casual pub portraits.
The change in clothes and location made the two parts of the session feel distinct while keeping the photographs connected to Ashley and Nate. We went from an easygoing start at the bar to a softer portrait chapter in Central Park.
If you’re planning Central Park engagement photos, choosing locations and outfits with different moods can give your session variety. Ashley and Nate’s portraits paired a lively New York pub scene with Bethesda Terrace’s more romantic architecture.
For more engagement inspiration, take a look at Raquel and Josh’s summer session at Harkness Memorial State Park and Jenna and Abe’s engagement session in Old San Juan. If you’re planning your own session, my engagement session planning guide can help you think through location and timing.
Planning Central Park engagement photos or session elsewhere? I’d love to hear what you’re envisioning.
