Verona Park: Verona, NJ
Verona Park is located in Verona and is part of the Essex County Parks System. It’s a large park (over 50 acres!) with a 13-acre lake, boathouse and many more amenities.
This park is one of my favorite places to take engagement, wedding and other event photos because there are many picturesque spots on the property. There’s a large fountain, a gorgeous willow tree, a romantic stone bridge, and a small brick house. A stream runs through the north-end of the park and there’s a neat metal bridge and flowering trees in the spring months. “Idyllic” doesn’t even begin to describe it! It’s a bit isolated from the highway, but the distance is worth it.
There are many nearby wedding venues, including The Grove, The Manor, Park Savoy, Il Tulipano and more, making Verona Park a great place for formal wedding portraits. Because there are so many places to wed nearby, the park is famously busy on Saturdays during prime wedding season. There may be upwards of 6 or 7 weddings on-site at a time. During these times, parking is difficult, especially for limos that must park illegally.
Lambert Castle: Paterson, NJ
Lambert Castle is THE PLACE for special event photographs. The castle itself, built in the 1890s, is located in the Garret Mountain Reservation in Passaic County. It’s a beautiful property that includes a picture-perfect balcony, a courtyard with a large fountain, a sprawling back lawn, a brick fence-lined alley, and a multitude of ornate benches perfect for romantic picture ops.
Arched passages and small brick windows throughout the castle provide the ideal backdrop for shaded and stylized pictures. Pictures taken at this castle are both romantic and dramatic.
Since it’s directly off the highway and parking is remarkably easy (there’s even special parking just for limos!), Lambert Castle gets crowded during weekends in the spring and fall. Another downside is the bathroom situation, unlike Verona Park, Lambert Castle has just one portable toilet on-site.
Kip’s Castle Park: Montclair/Verona, NJ
It may be an administrative building for Essex County, but Kip’s Castle Park is anything but ordinary. The castle is modeled from a medieval Norman Castle and the building itself is exquisite.
There are no permit or entrance fees to Kip’s Castle Park and the picture-taking opportunities are endless. Whether you’re looking to get pictures in the entryways of this magnificent sandstone and rock castle, or want to get in touch with nature on the 11-acre grounds, there’s definitely a place for every couple on these grounds.
Asbury Park Boardwalk: Asbury Park, NJ
If you’re searching for a fun, festive photoshoot, look no further than the Asbury Park Boardwalk. There are virtually an unlimited number of backgrounds and scenes here perfect for funky photos or serious poses.
Maybe you’re interested in an array of photos in front of the elaborate glass doors of the Convention Hall. Or it’s possible you’re more interested in some action-shots from inside the Silverball Museum Arcade. Either way, you’re bound to get phenomenal photos and have a blast at the same time at Asbury Park Boardwalk.
Central Park: New York, NY
There’s something truly magical about Central Park and it’s definitely “the place” to take engagement and wedding photos if you live in and around the city.
Your choices here are endless. Park benches, bridges, open green fields with the breathtaking skyline in the background—there’s truly no place more diverse than Central Park. Some of my favorite areas to shoot include the Conservatory Garden, the pond and the Cop Cot.
No matter where we wind up in the park, it’s bound to be a great experience.