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My mission as a wedding photographer in Philadelphia is to help happy couples celebrate life's biggest joys with high quality photos and a dang good time. I believe the experience is just as important as the photos and that you deserve beautiful, lasting memories.

Hey!! I'm Gabriella.

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morris arboretum engagement session

Top Garden Engagement Photo Spots

I don’t know about you but I have been LOVING garden-style photoshoots recently. There’s just something so romantic about being surrounded by flowers, beautiful architecture and shafts of sunlight peeking through the trees!! The variability that’s possible within the garden vibe is also fantastic for a photo session. And as a Philly-based wedding and engagement photographer, I know some pretty cool garden engagement photo spots around the city! So I’m going to share with you my top 6 locations for garden-style engagement vibes.

1. Longwood Gardens – NO LONGER ALLOWING PHOTOGRAPHY

longwood gardens engagement photos
engagement photos at longwood gardens during christmastime
longwood gardens engagement session

I mean, hellooooooo gorgeous engagement photos!!! Longwood Gardens is one of my favorite spots for engagement sessions for a plethora of reasons. It is a massive expanse of land that is filled to the brim with natural beauty!! The workers of Longwood Gardens continuously update the landscaping with seasonal plants and flowers from around the world. The landscaping is arranged beautifully and is a joy to experience! There are also multiple fountain gardens, a meadow, a beer garden, an indoor conservatory and so much more!! Check out one of the garden engagement sessions I photographed at Longwood Gardens right here.

Fast Facts:

  • 45-60 minutes from Philadelphia in Kennett Square, PA
  • $25/person entry fee (BUT I’m a member so you don’t need to pay for my entry đź’›)
  • Seasonal hour changes (always check before going!!), closed Tuesdays
  • Wear or bring comfortable shoes – you’ll be walking a lot!!
  • Very crowded in the summer months

2. Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

engagement photos at bowman's hill wildflower preserve
engagement photos at bowman's hill wildflower preserve

This is such a beautiful spot up in New Hope!!!! While it’s a bit of a drive from Philly, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve offers the type of space and natural beauty that is not easily found in the city. There’s a trail through the forest with beautiful clearings, plenty of wildflowers and a pretty pond with lily pads and a cute stone building!! It was also pretty quiet empty when I’ve photographed sessions there which is a plus. Check out an example gallery here!!

Fast Facts:

  • ~60 minutes from Philadelphia in New Hope, PA
  • $10/person entry fee
  • Not ideal hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), closed Tuesdays

3. Philadelphia Art Museum

golden hour engagement session at the philadelphia art museum
golden hour engagement session at the philadelphia art museum
golden hour engagement session at the philadelphia art museum

Confused about this one? The area behind the Philadelphia Art Museum near Lloyd Hall is actually filled with beautifully landscaped flowers and even has a gazebo!! Just look at the photos taken here in late spring in this blog post!

Fast Facts:

  • In the city
  • Free
  • Lots of variation in photos
  • Flowers galore!

4. Abington Art Center

garden, woodsy engagement session at abington art center in philadelphia
garden, woodsy engagement session at abington art center in philadelphia
garden, woodsy engagement session at abington art center in philadelphia

Abington Art Center in North Philadelphia offers a more woodsy garden feel than floral. There are no flowers, but the beautiful architecture of the art center combined with the abandoned stone and wrought-iron structures give off a mysterious garden vibe. I photographed an engagement session at Abington Art Center for the first time this spring and I can’t wait to go back!!

Fast Facts:

  • Short drive from Philadelphia
  • Free entry
  • Make sure there is no event planned for the day of your session (weekdays are usually safe)
  • The wood trails are dirt so beware summer storms the day before

5. 18th Century Garden

engagement session at the 18th century garden in philadelphia
engagement session at the 18th century garden in philadelphia
engagement session at the 18th century garden in philadelphia

I mean Y’ALL!!!!! The 18th Century Garden near Carpenter’s Hall in Old City is like taking a peek into The Secret Garden novel (yes I was obsessed as a young girl). I wouldn’t plan an entire session here, as it is a small garden, BUT it’s right next to Carpenter’s Hall which is my FAVORITE photo session spot in the city. Check out this engagement session I photographed at the garden!!

Fast Facts:

  • Located in Old City Philadelphia
  • Free entry
  • Too small for a full session (pair it with Carpenter’s Hall!)

6. Morris Arboretum

This is like a local version of Longwood Gardens … but without all the crowds!! Morris Arboretum is located near Chestnut Hill College in North Philadelphia (and the Northwestern Stables at the end of the Wissahickon, for all you runners like myself!). I photographed a beautiful surprise proposal here the summer of 2022 – check it out right here!!!

Fast Facts:

  • ~20 minutes from the city
  • $250 photo pass (includes admission for up to 10 people)
  • No crowds
  • Make sure there is no event happening that day
  • Not-so-ideal hours

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- AARON & LYDIA

“Gabriella is the BEST photographer and we could not have asked for anyone better to capture our proposal! I had intentions of interviewing multiple photographers, but after seeing her work and talking to her over the phone, I immediately booked with her. Her passion for photography is so evident. She goes above and beyond to make your shoot about YOU. She does a great job of taking control and guiding you with poses that you will love, and her candid shots are unbelievable. She had a smile on her face the entire time and we felt like a close friend was there doing this for us. Would recommend her 100 times out of 100!

Gabriella was absolutely amazing. She made the photography session so easy and effortless. Her personality is so warm and inviting, she made us feel so so comfortable during these pictures. Gabriella went above and beyond for us and I’m so grateful my significant other found her as a photographer. I would highly recommend!”

"SHE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND"

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- ALEX & MIKE

“Gabriella is not only an amazing photographer, but she is an amazing person! She was incredible to work with and made everything from our engagement photos to our wedding day extremely easy. She really understands your vibe and does everything she can to help make that come true! My husband is extremely camera shy, but he was so comfortable with her and the photos were amazing!”

"SHE IS AN AMAZING PERSON"

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- KEVIN & RIYA

“Gabriella is the BEST photographer and needless to say she went above and beyond our expectations! She was hired by my fiancé for our surprise proposal and she did a phenomenal job at capturing every single detail of it. She made our lives easy by understanding us, our personality, the way we wanted to be captured and she did just that! From showing us every beautiful inch of Longwood gardens to telling us about different poses to capturing the beauty and essence of nature! She made my dream come true with these beautiful pictures. We spent 2 hrs with her and there was sign of rush of ending the session and it was more like whatever we felt in the moment which is what I truly enjoyed. She sent us our sneak peak pictures the day off just several hours later and needless to say not only did our jaws dropped but every single person who viewed those pics while asking who the photographer was! We proudly share her information with every member of our family and friends because she truly deserves the best❤️ Thank you Gabriella for capturing the most beautiful and intimate moments of ours and We can’t wait to work with you again!”

"SHE MADE MY DREAM COME TRUE"

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- BRANDON & NASIA

“Gabriella captured our special moments perfectly! She photographed our proposal, Holud night before the wedding, and wedding day. She was very easy to work with and always communicative and responsive. She was able to handle a 300 person wedding with ease and always got the shot. I've only seen the sneak peek from our wedding weekend but I am already in love with the pictures. She truly captured the joy and happiness of the weekend through her photos, which I will treasure forever. She is also just a genuinely kind person, which makes working with her even better :) Highly recommend.”

"TRULY CAPTURED THE JOY AND HAPPINESS"

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- MELISSA & JOHNNIE

“Gabriella was absolutely amazing!!! Words cannot even describe how perfect she was, but I’ll try my best. Right from the beginning, I knew she was the one. She was so caring, calming, organized, and just a genuinely happy person. She made me feel even more excited for my wedding. She was so helpful throughout the entire process right down to the big day. AND THE PICTURES - OH MY GOD. They are absolutely breathtaking and she definitely tells the story of your day in the most perfect way. She captures every precious moment while having a smile on her face the whole time she’s with you. I can’t say enough amazing things about her. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking to have the BEST photographer for any occasion. We had such an amazing experience with Gabriella and we can’t thank her enough!”

"WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW PERFECT SHE WAS"

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