As you have probably noticed, I’m always ready for a quick road trip to some of New Jersey and New York’s most romantic and stunning destinations. Today on the blog, I can’t wait to share Sami and Mike’s engagement photos on Long Beach Island! When it came to choosing a location for their engagement photos, I have a few favorites but when I get the chance, I do like to personalize it to the couple! Sami and Mike mentioned that they visit Long Beach Island every year so it felt like the perfect place to tell the next chapter of their love story. And honestly? I love Long Beach Island. If it’s one of your favorite locations, make sure to check out Chelsea and Jeremiah’s Long Beach Island wedding here as well. I will never get sick of these beachy waves and ocean views!
Engagement Photos Review
Before I go any further, I just have to say that feedback from my couples is EVERYTHING. I want you to absolutely LOVE your photos. When I sent these off to Sami and Mike, I couldn’t wait to hear back and make sure they loved the photos as much as I did. Sami responded with the sweetest note EVER!
I haven’t even had time to email you because I have been staring at these photos for the last 2 days straight! They are more amazing than I could have ever hoped for! Literally looks like a magazine…I am obsessed! Thank you SO MUCH!!!! Thanks again for coming down to LBI and capturing our vision for these photos. You’re the best!
New Jersey Proposal Photographer
Are you looking at Sami and Mike and thinking…I recognize them? You might recognize them from my post on planning a perfect proposal! Mike absolutely nailed it. He held Sami close before he dropped down to one knee (so I knew to get into position), stayed on one knee for just long enough for me to capture the perfect shot, and bought her the most incredible engagement ring! It was all checks in my books! The New Jersey waterfront with the incredible NYC skyline in the background didn’t hurt one bit either.
Personalizing your Engagement Photos
Seeing Sami and Mike almost a year after their proposal was like seeing old friends. I had the best time hopping around the island and snapping cute pics of them. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I love to personalize my sessions and I’m not afraid to ask a lot of questions to get to know you better. For Sami and Mike, we were able to choose a location that was meaningful (Long Beach Island) and start off the session at one of their favorite spots to grab a bite to eat!
I include an engagement photo shoot in most of my wedding packages (it’s SO important for us to connect before the wedding day!) and I book a little extra time so we never feel rushed. Whether you personalize your engagement photos with a favorite location, or choose to personalize it with a favorite activity – make sure to include a little YOU in your session.
Sunrise Engagement Photos
For Sami and Mike, we chose to do a sunrise session (with an early 6AM start!). Since LBI is a 2-hour drive from Hoboken, I booked an Airbnb the night before so I could be bright eyed and ready for their session. Honestly, I could not WAIT. I’ve talked about it on the blog before, but sunrise is one of my favorite times of day to take engagement photos. Golden hour is more popular (an hour before the sun sets in the evening) but if you and your fiance are willing, a sunrise session gives you the same dreamy soft lighting AND a little more privacy in some of the best photo spots. You might find it difficult to get beach engagement photos without a ton of people in the background if you go in the evening, but for Sami and Mike, it felt like we had the beach to ourselves!
Long Beach Island Barnegat Lighthouse Engagement Photos
Although I love sunrise engagement photos, there was a point in the morning where the island completely clouded up. Since we saved the lighthouse for last, we started to worry that we wouldn’t even be able to see it by the time we got there. As fate would have it, the sky cleared up for amazing lighthouse views just as we arrived. They ended up being some of the most incredible photos! They were worth a little stress on the cloudy walk over.
Booking your NJ Engagement Photos
If you are ready to book your own New Jersey engagement photos, don’t hesitate to reach out sooner rather than later! My schedule is booking fast but I absolutely LOVE to connect with couples all over the tri-state area and tell their love stories. If you are looking for wedding and engagement photos that feel authentic and true to your relationship, I’m your photographer.
In the meantime, I will just be counting down for Sami and Mike’s wedding on November 4, 2022 at Liberty House in Jersey City, NJ!
Mile Square Moments is a New Jersey wedding photographer. We love telling our couples’ love stories through their photos. And we love getting to know each couple personally before we ever start taking photos. Getting to know our couples before the camera comes out allows us to better capture the chemistry that already exists between each couple. Do you love a night in binge-watching Netflix and aren’t afraid of a little PDA? Planning a wedding in Hoboken, NJ or beyond? Get in touch to inquire about our photography services. Or follow along for some fun love stories on Instagram. For more engagement photo ideas, check out our ultimate guide to engagement photo locations (and a few outfit ideas!).
