Steal these 10 unique engagement photos ideas

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BlissKat 7 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Bliss and Kat, Photo by Kathryn Cooper Weddings

Looking for nontraditional engagement photos ideas that really showcase your personality? A few of our favorite wedding photographer friends from the Offbeat Wed Vendor Guide shared their latest engagement shots with us, and WOW, so much inspiration! We love engagement pics that make you excited for the big day.

At Offbeat Wed, we love a beautifully posed, sun-dappled, romantic pic. We love at-home engagement shoots with pets. but we're also excited to see that fun, quirky, unique, colorful, and even nerdy nontraditional engagement photos ideas are trending now, too! We're proud to showcase all sorts of nontraditional engagement sessions.

In this post, we've got everything from a queer Fried Green Tomatoes shoot, to capturing a “She asked, he said yes” moment, all the way to romantic photos where the couple is surrounded by jarred scientific specimens. Like we said, we're here for all of these engagement photo shoot ideas!

Here are 10 new and unique ways you can think outside of the box for your nontraditional engagement shoot.

Fun engagement shoot idea #1: Shoot at a location where you always have the most fun together!

Pick a destination that's meaningful and fun for both you and your fiancé. I mean, what's cuter than these two beauties in their floral dresses (such a great wardrobe choice!), sharing a kiss on a carousel?

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by BeauMonde Originals2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Rachel and Zainab, Photo by BeauMonde Originals
Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by BeauMonde Originals1 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Rachel and Zainab, Photo by BeauMonde Originals

Nontraditional engagement shoot idea #2: We'll shout it from the rooftops: we love seeing women proposing!

Engagement photoshoots can turn into gorgeous portraits that capture the romance of your relationship. This can mean using your engagement pictures to recreate the moment of proposing… which is especially powerful when it's a woman proposing! We especially love the engagement ring close-ups!

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Rock Your Rebellion1 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Peyton and Lucas, Photo by Rock Your Rebellion Photography

Romantic engagement shoot idea #3: Book a proposal shoot to capture the real-time reaction

Ok, now who wouldn't want to use these photos on their engagement announcement cards or their wedding website? C'mon… these snaps are so sweet.

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Studio A Images1 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Tim and Charlie, Photo by Studio A Images
Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Studio A Images2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Tim and Charlie, Photo by Studio A Images

Quirky engagement shoot idea #4: This couple planned a Fried Green Tomatoes-themed portrait session in the town the movie was filmed!

One way to make your engagement photo session fun to pick shared interests or hobbies to capture in front of the camera. These two decided to do an homage to one of their favorite classic films, Fried Green Tomatoes.

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Raven Shutley Studios3 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Sam and Tam, Photo by Raven Shutley Studios
Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Raven Shutley Studios2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Sam and Tam, Photo by Raven Shutley Studios

Unique engagement shoot idea #5: This couple honored their Indian traditions in a nontraditional way, resulting in a stunning waterfall photoshoot.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, these two went for these moody photos. We love how the bride stands out as the pops of color!

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Kathryn Cooper Weddings 3 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Vandana and Venkatesh, Photo by Kathryn Cooper Weddings
Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Kathryn Cooper Weddings 4 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Vandana and Venkatesh, Photo by Kathryn Cooper Weddings

Fun engagement shoot idea #6: Brings props that are ACTUALLY meaningful to you!

Ok, we all know engagement pics that feel like they're a little too contrived, like the engagement photo poses don't really have much meaning. I mean, we love ice cream and a good golden hour sunset pic too… but it just feels so much more powerful to have a prop that actually has MEANING to you… like this couple by the ocean with their rainbow flag! These kinds of snapshots feel like the best engagement photos! We can practically hear the laughter and the waves crashing in the background.

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Kathryn Cooper Weddings2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Bliss and Kat, Photo by Kathryn Cooper Weddings
Fun and unique engagement shoot by Kathryn Cooper Weddings 5 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Bliss and Kat, Photo by Kathryn Cooper Weddings

Nerdy engagement shoot idea #7: Express your inner nerd with a natural history museum shoot.

How much do we love the angles and perspectives on these photos? Some of the best engagement photo ideas include recreating a first date, or other adventure… except for the advantage of having a professional photographers eyes on you! Museums and galleries make for great winter engagement photo ideas, too. No need to worry about the weather.

Photos By Macramos Photography 1 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Emily and Eric, Photo by MacRamos Photography
Photos by Macramos Photography 4 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Emily and Eric, Photo by MacRamos Photography

Unique engagement shoot idea #8: Make that cool graffiti wall in your neighborhood your new backdrop!

Lots of folks do engagement photography at coffee shops or a picnic in the park… but we love a more colorful urban approach with street murals and graffiti.

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Tara Arseven Photography4 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Lance and Lance, Photo by Tara Arseven Photography
Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Tara Arseven Photography 3 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Lance and Lance, Photo by Tara Arseven Photography

Colorful engagement shoot idea #9: Let your colorful personality shine through with brightly colored ‘fits!

When selecting from your options for engagement photo outfits, you'll definitely want to go with something that really reflects who you are. For some folks, that just means their personal style, or for other it might mean their cultural heritage. These two beauties both look so gorgeous — we love that eye makeup!

Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Tara Arseven Photography 1 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Kimberly and Suselina, Photo by Tara Arseven Photography
Fun and unique engagement shoot Photos by Tara Arseven Photography 2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Kimberly and Suselina, Photo by Tara Arseven Photography

Nontraditional engagement shoot idea #10: Capture your favorite activity together so your photog can snap authentic feels!

Photos by Macramos Photography 3 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Paola and Steven, Photo by MacRamos Photography
Photos by Macramos Photography 2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Couple: Paola and Steven, Photo by MacRamos Photography

You've probably got a lot of fresh nontraditional engagement shoot ideas running through your head!

Worried your photographer will raise their eyebrows at your nontraditional, quirky, or funny engagement shoot ideas? What if we told you we have a plethora of photographers who LOVE. THAT. SH*T. (Like the ones featured below!)

Find a photographer who's enthusiastic about your fun ideas in the Offbeat Wed Vendor Guide. It's our curated list of wedding vendors who get excited by creative and nontraditional ideas. (And if you're a vendor who's eager to book clients for a nontraditional engagement shoot, let's get you in here!)

Meet our fave wedding vendors