January 27, 2020 /
Best Engagement Photo Locations in Toronto
Looking for unique locations in Toronto for your engagement photo shoot?
[Last update: January 2020]
We’ve meticulously put together this location guide as a helpful reference to find the perfect spot for your engagement photo shoot. There’ll be some familiar names, but I promise you’ll also find a few hidden gems that might not have come across your search before. (If you’re looking for inspirations specific for wedding venues, we also have a guide for the top wedding photo locations.)
In fact, use the guide to plan dates around the city! We truly believe in making efforts to celebrate every day’s small joy, not just the one monumental day that is your wedding.
Discovering new places or new charms in old places is one of our favorite things to do. If you saw a location for your engagement photo shoot that caught your eye, or want to explore with us, let’s chat!
Allan Gardens
Style: Nature-inspired garden in an urban jungle
Elements: Beautiful tropical plants make up the photogenic backdrop for an intimate engagement photo-session, including banana leaves the size of a boat. It’s a quiet little jungle within a bustling city. The glass ceilings give the softest, most dreamy lighting.
Region: Downtown
Distillery District
Style: Hipster, rustic, contemporary
Elements: Red brick walls, charming small shops and restaurants, pedestrian streets
Region: Downtown
If you and your better half are envisioning an engagement session that reflects a city-chic vibe, you’d love the Distillery District.
Liberty Village
Style: Rustic, industrial, urban city chic
Elements: Red brick walls, charming restaurants and cafes, graffitis
Region: Downtown West
These grungy red brick walls give a perfectly industrial and urban look to a photoshoot. There’s also something about the way they form intimate alleyways and bounce light that give a tasteful look.
Casa Loma
Style: Classy, traditional, opulent
Elements: Castle, terrace, formal garden, fountains
Region: Toronto Downtown
Marbles, wood, greenery, and fountains – this historical venue makes a magnificent location for both engagement sessions and weddings. To note, a photo permit with the venue is required for a 1.5 hour engagement session.
See more from this Fairytale Engagement Photo Session at Casa Loma.
University of Toronto
Style: Grand, historical, architectural, classic
Elements: Gardens, arches, traditional architecture
Region: Downtown
It’s not just for alumni of this gorgeous university, many couples love the historical look of this location for their portrait session – which looks especially gorgeous in the fall. There are beautiful courtyards, rustic window arches, and a ton of climbing vines decorating the exteriors of buildings.
Hart House
Style: Grand, historical, architectural, gothic, classic, luxurious
Elements: Traditional stone architecture, formal garden, rich wood-paneled rooms
Region: Downtown
The Hart House at the University of Toronto gives a gothic, traditional look to a photo-shoot. This couple loved it so much they decided to do the session in their wedding attire. Can’t get enough of the detailing in these tall ceilings.
Trinity College
Style: Grand, historical, architectural, classic, luxurious
Elements: Gardens, stone walls, gorgeous folliage
Region: Downtown
Knox College
Style: Grand, historical, architectural, gothic, classic, luxurious
Elements: Manicured garden, gothic arches, grand staircases, dramatic lighting
Region: Downtown
Polson Pier
Style: Urban chic, industrial, hipster, city view
Elements: Waterfront view, the lake, boats, Toronto skyline
Region: Downtown
For the modern, city-lover, this Toronto skyline by the waterfront gives that perfectly modern and carefree look. From sunset to dusk, that’s one romantic view that doesn’t get old.
Graffiti Valley
Style: Rustic, rebellious, urban city chic
Elements: Graffitis, narrow alleyways, ultra colourful
Region: Downtown West
For the rebellious, playful couple, this colourful alleyway is a great way to represent your fun-loving, creative nature as a fun photoshoot. We love a boho-chic, denim style pairing to match this setting.
St. Lawrence Market
Style: Old city charm, hipster, urban city chic
Elements: Red brick walls, European-style lime stone arches
Region: Downtown
If you can’t get to the Big Apple for that classic Flatiron building shot, you can get the same old-city look here. The St.Lawrence market gives that lazy yet stylish weekend brunch feel – also with some European looking arches for lovely framing for the perfect engagement photos.
Cherry Beach
Style: Country chic, cottage vacation, warm and natural
Elements: Cute little house by the beach, greeneries, and of course sand and water
Region: Downtown
From certain angles, this spot feels like getting away from the city to the cottage. Perfect for those running-off-to-the-sunset shots for your engagement set.
Central Island – Ward Island
Style: Beach, free, bright, Un-obstructed view of Toronto Skyline
Elements: Waterfront with Toronto skyline, the beach, yachts
Region: Downtown
Lavender Farm
Style: Romantic, whimsical, natural, free
Elements: Lavender field, luscious forest, greenhouses
Region: Milton, Hamilton, Prince Edwards County
How whimsical and fairytale-like is a sea of lavenders?! There’s a specific timing to the perfect blossom of these beauties – throw in a cute bike and a flowy dress and you’ve got the sweetest setup for a perfect engagement photoshoot.
Alpaca Farm
Style: Farm, nature, carefree, whimsical
Elements: Adorable alpacas!!
Region: Barrie
Need we say more? These fluffy friends add so much fun to a farm-styled engagement shoot. Pair with a casual floral dress, a playful spirit, and enjoy their company.
Glendon Campus – York University
Style: Elegant, whimsical, floral, natural, classic
Elements: Garden, French windows, ivy climbed walls
Region: Mid-town, Lawrence & Bayview
Glendon College began life in the 1920s and still kept its Italianate charm to this day, as you can find at this Whimsical Spring Garden Themed Pre-Wedding Session.
Scarborough Bluff
Style: Natural, grand, carefree, whimsical
Elements: Rocky cliff, the lake, skyline view, great for picnic
Region: Scarborough
Scarborough Bluffer’s Park is the perfect place to soak up the sun and grab a picnic themed engagement session.
Guildwood Park
Style: Earthy, architectural, elegant, whimsical
Region: Scarborough
Jack Darling
Style: vibrant, natural, carefree
Elements: Lake, sandy and rocky beach, rustic boardwalks
Region: Mississauga
High Park
Style: Whimsical, floral, natural, mystical, earthy
Elements: Cherry blossoms in late April and early May
Region: Downtown West
Kortright Center for Conservation
Style: Natural, earthy, botanical, care-free, mystical, earthy
Elements: Gorgeous tall pine trees, forest
Region: Vaughan
What a mystical forest look for all seasons. These giant pines create a grandiose and earthy look for engagement photoshoot for nature lovers.
Adamson Estate
Style: Country-chic, rustic, farm-like
Elements: Rustic barn, serene waters, charming houses
Region: Mississauga
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Style: Country chic, European, Earthy, Boho
Elements: Grapevines, wide-open fields, charming barn with vegetation
Region: Niagara On The Lake
That golden light, highlighting those luscious purple wisteria, draping over this beautiful barn house — what a breathtaking country-side look for a sweet engagement portrait.
Wychwood barns
Style: Casual charm, barns, organic, natural
Elements: Rustic exposed brick walls, modern glass buildings
Region: Toronto
Royal Botanical Gardens
Style: Romantic, whimsical, natural
Elements: Gardens, florals, greenhouses
Region: Burlington
The Royal Botanical Garden at Burlington is a short 1 hour drive from Toronto and is simply an otherworldly space for engagement photos if you want to be adorned with beautiful nature and gardens. See the full set in this engagement session at the Royal Botanical Garden.
Unionville
Style: Old town charm, vintage, warm and cozy, European
Region: Markham Ontario
Humber Bay Park West
Style: Modern, skylines, lake view, urban city chic
Region: Downtown West
