Missouri Engagement Photo Locations
So you got the ring (congratulations my friend!), and now you’re in wedding planning mode. After deciding on a date and a venue, hiring your photographer is your next vendor to book so you can schedule an engagement session. A perfect opportunity to get a beautiful photo for a Save the Date card if that’s on your checklist!
Missouri has a wide range of stunning locations for an engagement session, and I love getting to help couples decide which location(s) is best for their session. Allow me to take you behind the scenes for a peek at the process I guide my Missouri clients through:
Part 1
Consider the following two questions:
What type of location resonates with you ? Something outdoorsy with trails and wide open fields? Something that feels like maybe you escaped to the mountains? Or perhaps something more urban, surrounded by tall buildings and architecture reminiscent of historic New York? While we won’t actually be leaving Missouri, we can get creative with what is here and curate that feel into your session.
How far are you willing to travel? While our state is full of incredible locations to choose from, they aren’t all going to be in your metaphorical backyard. But when you see a location that resonates with what you and your partner love, it is worth the drive to have that location be the backdrop for documenting your engaged era.
Part 2
Choose your location! My favorite engagement session locations are listed below. I hope this gives you some inspiration while you decide where to have your photographer document this once-in-a-lifetime season.
Taum Sauk Mountain
This is the highest natural point in Missouri, and it is located in the Ozarks, a region spreading across Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. There is a very wide variety of locations here for photo sessions.
From Kansas City: 5 hours, 13 minutes (304 miles)
From Columbia: 3 hours, 26 minutes, (208 miles)
From Saint Louis: 1 hour, 47 minutes (98 miles)
From Springfield: 3 hours, 51 minutes (200 miles)
Arrow Rock
The village of Arrow Rock is a National Historic Landmark. It’s the perfect spot for photos that give an old town charm while being a short, 2-minute drive into a beautiful park dotted with stone bridges, an open field, and tall trees. This quaint little town has it all! Click here to see an engagement session I did at Arrow Rock.
From Kansas City: 2 hours, 45 minutes (160 miles)
From Columbia: 1 hour, 34 minutes (96 miles)
From Saint Louis: 3 hours, 2 minutes (197 miles)
From Springfield: 1 hour, 21 minutes (77 miles)
Forest Park
A beautiful urban park, Forest Park is one of my favorite spots to include in St Louis engagement sessions. The park boasts a myriad of location types - forests, trails, lakes, and architectural features such as the area by the STL Art Museum and the Muny Theater. It is also located close enough to other parts of STL for anyone wanting to include multiple locations in their session.
From Kansas City: 3 hours, 50 minutes (244 miles)
From Columbia: 2 hours, 3 minutes (121 miles)
From Springfield: 3 hours, 37 minutes (214 miles)
Hawn State Park
Specifically, Whispering Pines Trail (about 12 miles long) and White Oaks Trail (about 4 miles long).
From Kansas City: 4 hours, 40 minutes (302 miles)
From Columbia: 2 hours, 50 minutes (179 miles)
From Saint Louis: 1 hour, 13 minutes (69 miles)
From Springfield: 4 hours, 19 minutes (226 miles)
Elephant Rocks State Park
The park is filled with giant granite boulders, and it makes for a fun location to explore and get creative with photos! Personally, this one kind of makes me feel like I’m in Utah :)
From Kansas City: 4 hours, 54 minutes (290 miles)
From Columbia: 3 hours, 8 minutes (166 miles)
From Saint Louis: 1 hour, 30 minutes (87 miles)
From Springfield: 3 hours, 33 minutes (189 miles)
Don Robinson State Park
Although not far from Saint Louis, the park’s rugged hillsides keep the area quiet from the city. There is a wide variety of photo locations here.
From Kansas City: 3 hours, 54 minutes (242 miles)
From Columbia: 2 hours, 9 minutes (119 miles)
From Saint Louis: 47 minutes (38 miles)
From Springfield: 3 hours, 32 minutes (194 miles)
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
The park is over 2,200 acres and is located 5 miles south of Columbia. Shooting Star Trailhead is my personal favorite location.
From Kansas City: 2 hours, 5 minutes (131 miles)
From Columbia: 13 minutes (5 miles)
From Saint Louis: 2 hours, 3 minute (129 minutes)
From Springfield: 2 hours, 46 minutes (165 miles)
Three Creeks Conservation Area
Named after the three creeks that run through this area, this is a light hike taking you down from the parking lot to the creeks. There is plenty of wide open space for amazing photos and some good spots for photos along the way down!
From Kansas City: 2 hours, 11 minutes (142 miles)
From Columbia: 24 minutes (17 miles)
From Saint Louis: 2 hours, 8 minutes (136 miles)
From Springfield: 2 hours, 43 minutes (154 miles)
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka has several trails, one of which will take you to some castle ruins from the early 1900’s. From up where the ruins are located, you have an amazing view of the Lake of the Ozarks! Other trails take you down by the lake.
From Kansas City: 2 hours, 45 minutes (160 miles)
From Columbia: 1 hour, 34 minutes (96 miles)
From Saint Louis: 3 hours, 2 minutes (197 miles)
From Springfield: 1 hour, 21 minutes (77 miles)
