Oakland Cemetery Atlanta photos have a quiet, timeless beauty that feels unlike anywhere else in the city. Historic Oakland Cemetery is one of Atlanta’s oldest landmarks, with Victorian gardens, brick paths and historic monuments spread across 48 acres. For couples who love history, it makes a meaningful and unforgettable setting for engagement photos.
Capturing your engagement in a cemetery can also be a lovely way to honor a loved one and celebrate your time together. Below are our tips for planning Oakland Cemetery photos, from what to wear to how to choose the right time of day.
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About Oakland Cemetery
Oakland Cemetery started with six acres in the mid-1800s and grew to its present 48 acres by 1867, per Oakland Cemetery’s history page. Families tended the plots of loved ones for generations, creating the gardens the cemetery is known for today. Landmarks include the Bell Tower (1900), the Lion of Atlanta sculpture (1894), the Oakland Avenue entrance gate and the restored Beaumont Allen Greenhouse. Historic Oakland Foundation cares for the grounds in partnership with the City of Atlanta.
What Oakland Cemetery Looks Like in Photos
Victorian gardens. Blooming beds, old trees and winding brick paths give photos a soft, romantic look.
Historic monuments and architecture. Ornate stonework, iron gates and the Bell Tower add a sense of history and character.
Quiet corners. Shaded paths and benches make natural spots for relaxed, candid moments.
Oakland Cemetery Engagement Photo Ideas
Dress Up for the Occasion
Dressing up for your session is a thoughtful choice in a cemetery. Formal attire communicates respect for the setting and for the families who visit. You might also choose outfits inspired by the era of the cemetery for extra meaning in your images.
Go Formal or Fun With Poses and Props
For a classic, respectful look, skip props like balloons and confetti. For something more personal, bring a bouquet of flowers or a meaningful keepsake. We will guide you through natural poses that make the most of this unique location.
Honor Someone Special
If a loved one is remembered at Oakland, or simply in your hearts, your session can include a quiet moment to honor them. We will follow your lead on what feels right.
Planning Your Oakland Cemetery Photos
Get approval first. Oakland Cemetery’s visitor information says the sexton must approve all commercial photography, so reach out before your session. We are happy to help you plan around the cemetery’s hours and rules.
Plan around the light. The softest light comes within a few hours of sunrise or sunset. If you choose an evening session, we add a lighting assistant so your photos stay bright and flattering.
Pick a comfortable season. Spring, fall and winter are the most comfortable times for outdoor portraits in Atlanta. In summer, we recommend an indoor location.
Consider a weekday. From Monday through Thursday, popular spots tend to be quieter, and weekday outdoor sessions include complimentary rescheduling for inclement weather, per our weather policy.
Be respectful of visitors. Oakland is an active cemetery, so we keep sessions quiet and give families space.
Oakland Cemetery Photos FAQ
Can You Take Engagement Photos at Oakland Cemetery?
Yes, with approval from the cemetery for professional photography. Plan ahead and confirm the current rules before your session.
Where Is Oakland Cemetery?
Oakland Cemetery is in Atlanta, just east of downtown.
What Should We Wear?
Dressier outfits in rich, simple colors look beautiful against the gardens and stonework. Our engagement photo ideas guide has more inspiration.
We had a fabulous session a few weeks back photographing these Atlanta park engagement photos with Caitlin & Subodh! They opted to have their engagement session done in one of the prettiest most “Atlanta” parks – Piedmont! If you’re looking for ideas on where to takepicturesinpiedmont parkcheck these out!
Below are a few highlights from their day as well as a few words with our lovely bride & groom to be!
How did the two of you meet? What were your first impressions? Was it love at first sight?
Bride: We met on a dating app. I thought he was really cute and interesting. I wouldn’t say it was love at first sight, but there was definitely a strong connection.
Groom: We met online. I thought she was pretty cute and interesting, and wanted to know more.
What attracted you most to each other? How long before you started dating? Where was your first date? Were you nervous?
Bride: We started dating right away- I asked him out because I didn’t want to miss the chance to get to know him! Our first date was at Krog Bar. I wasn’t really nervous, and we just had a lot of fun together.
Groom: We talked for a while, but before I could, she asked me out! We met at Krog Bar for our first date. I kinda felt like time stopped for a few minutes when she walked into the bar. She was really easy to talk to and we had a lot of fun getting to know each other. I couldn’t wait to see her again.
Tell me about your relationship
Bride: He’s just so kind and loving, and I know he loves me unconditionally so I can be myself around him. I was a little nervous when my family met him because he’s so important to me, but I knew they’d get along great. He said I love you first, but I said it right back! It was so easy to say to him I couldn’t believe I hadn’t said it sooner.
Groom: I’m always nervous, and Caitlin was perfect when she met my family. Caitlin is so warm and caring, and it’s what drew me to her. I don’t think I can go a day with out talking to her or just seeing her smile. We tend to be a little reserved on our own, but together we like to be a little more adventurous. I get to be myself around Caitlin, and I love how genuine she is with me. I know it’s cliche but she really is my best friend.
When did you know this person was the one?
Bride: I knew pretty early on. It wasn’t a sudden moment, just the realization that I was so happy when I was with him that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Groom: I think I knew for a while
How did the engagement happen?
Bride: He asked me at home after we got back from a night out. He told me nothing went as planned, but to me it was perfect! I was a little suspicious when he not-very-subtly tried to find out my ring size a few months earlier, but I was very surprised in the moment. We told both sets of parents the next day, and everyone was thrilled!
Groom: Nothing went as planned. It’s hard to be sneaky about ring shopping and hiding it when you’re always together. I planned to go back to our first date spot, and ask her as we walked out, but it started raining and we had to run back the car. When we got home I Caitlin left the room and when she came back I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. I think I surprised her, but she might’ve known I was going to ask. I was really nervous and wanted everything to go perfectly. I’m kinda glad it didn’t. We told my mom about it first. She was so excited.
Last Question! What’s the one thing about each other you couldn’t live without?
Bride: His kindness and sense of humor. He always makes me feel better!
If you are looking for some type of botanical gardens in Atlanta, GA, definitely check out the Cator Woolford Gardens, supported by the Frazer Center located in the North Druid Hills area! This is an awesome location for engagement sessions and weddings alike! These gardens sit on 39 acres of property and offer a lot of background variety for photos.
We had the pleasure of photographing Sam & Tim for their engagement pictures a few weeks back! These two are so in love, and were so much fun to photograph! Check out the slideshow below to see their engagement session, or keep scrolling down for some of the highlights!
If you’re looking for a great outdoor location idea for your engagement session, family session, or any type of photography session with a gorgeous outdoor backdrop, consider one of the beautiful sunflower farms in Georgia! Here is a round up of some Sunflower farms to check out –
Anderson’s Sunflower Farms
Located in Cumming, Georgia, Anderson’s Sunflower Farms is a farm that focuses solely on sunflowers! For business hours and sunflower season, check out their website.
Address:
3360 Shiloh Road
Cumming, GA 30040
Copper Creek Farm
Copper Creek Farm, located in in Calhoun, Ga is a great family friendly venue run by David and Sabrina. Not only does this farm offer gorgeous sunflowers during sunflower season, they also do corn mazes, haunted houses, class field trips, and even weddings! Find out more info on their website here.
Address:
1514 Reeves Station Rd SW
Calhoun, GA 30701
Phone: 706-280-5592
Fausett Farms
Perhaps one of the best know Sunflower farms in Georgia, Fausett Farms is a family run business that’s been around for 60+ years! Originally a poultry farm, they made a change in 2011, and now offer 30ish acres of beautiful sunflower fields! Check out their website for parking information, photography permits, and sunflower season.
Address:
11336 Hwy 136 West
Dawsonville, GA 30534
Phone: 706-265-9661
Prospect Farms
Prospect Farms, located at 1839 Prospect Road, in Lawrenceville, Georgia plants sunflowers and other flower fields every year. The fields grow on natural rainfall, so bloom timing depends on when the seeds go in and how much rain the season brings, and sunflowers can bloom at different times of year depending on planting. You can check out their facebook page or instagram (@prospectfarms) for current bloom updates and booking information.
Beyond the flower fields, Prospect Farms offers seasonal styled sets throughout the year, from fall setups to Christmas sets. See our Prospect Farms photos guide for more. Scottish highland cows also graze the farm if you’re looking for a super southern, country style photo session!
Address:
1839 Prospect Rd NE
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Phone: 404-409-6685
William L. Brown Farm Market (Montezuma Location)
While not the center of attraction, you can find sunflowers at the William L. Brown Farm Market if you go at the right time of year. They typically have them in June, but call ahead to make sure they’re in bloom before heading down! Check out their website for more info.
Address:
4334 GA Highway 49 North
Montezuma, GA 31063
Phone: 478-472-8767
Looking for more Georgia Sunflower Farms?
Did we leave out a farm? Are any of the farms we listed out of date? Please post a comment below, and we’re happy to update our information!
We adore photographing engagement sessions at Piedmont Park! Piedmont Park photography allows us to capture the heart of Atlanta. For their Piedmont Park engagement photos, Ana & John decided to start at the Belt Line!
These first couple of photos were taken right along the side of the beltline next to Piedmont Park!
We couldn’t get enough of this beautiful lighting!
Would believe these two are not pro models???? Goregeous!!!
Beautiful artwork everywhere – you would never guess this rainbow wall was painted under an interstate overpass bridge! We cannot get enough of this amazing wall! (UPDATE: We are sad to say this artwork is no longer present on the Atlanta Beltline! The rainbow wall and coy fish wall are no longer there.)
See the TINY DOOR on the wall next to John’s arm?? Hehehehe
Guys…. This. This is what we live to create.
And this. OMG. That coy fish wall was insane! Gorgeous artwork. Guys, this was an interstate overpass bridge! Can you believe it???
These two were SO cute!
And of course, some rockin’ photos of the ring. John did an excellent job, don’t you think?
Lookin’ super fly guys!
Straight out of the pages of a magazine.
And of course when you’re at Piedmont Park, you just have to shoot here. You HAVE TO.
And these silhouette shots! Ahhhh! We can’t get enough of them.
Does it get anymore GQ than this???
And we gotta get more of that beautiful Atlanta city skyline! Could you do Piedmont Park photography without it???
And last but not least, probably some of our FAVORITE photos from this engagement session, saving the best for last! Taking some shots on that wall with the city in the background.
Bianka & JB decided to do a Piedmont Park Photoshoot for their engagement session! We absolutely loved every minute with this sweet, adorable couple! Piedmont Park is such a fun place to shoot at the center of Atlanta – it is a must see if you’re stopping by to visit.
The park affords gorgeous views of the city skyline, and is right of the Atlanta Beltline. As an Atlanta wedding photographer, this might be one of our favorite places to photograph!
Below are a couple of our favorites from Bianka & JB’s engagement photos as well as a brief interview with the bride & groom to be!
How did the two of you meet?
Bianka: After being introduced to each other, we talked almost nonstop for a little while. I think we stayed up on the phone until 8am one night! He was very sweet, charming, and extremely disarming right from the start.
It wasn’t QUITE love at first sight because he was sooo shy that I couldn’t tell if he was comfortable with me. But after literally sweeping me off my feet on our first date, I was pretty smitten!
JB: When we first met we almost couldn’t stop talking to each other. We would have these marathon phone calls early on where we would talk about any and everything. I would be hoarse by the end of them but still wishing we didn’t have to hang up.
It wasn’t love at first sight, but the first time I saw her smile I could tell how kind and caring of a person she was (and that I was way out of my league! Still don’t know how I pulled that off).
LOVE that dress! Killin’ it Bianka! 😉
This lighting is killer! OMG! <3
How/ when did you start dating?
Bianka: He was so kind that he seemed too good to be true! I was really drawn to how gentle and considerate he was – and even more so now. We had our first date at Saigon Cafe in Woodstock – even though he lived all the way in Atlanta! – after a few weeks of talking.
At first, he was so much more timid in person that I was a bit afraid that the date wasn’t going well for me! Thankfully, he warmed up during the meal, and after some silly adventures in Town Center Mall that involved me getting stuck on a super plush mattress, we were both feeling really good about our future.
JB: She had a sense of humor that was irresistible, but I could tell she was holding back. Thankfully she’s opened up more and has no problem with any material now. We had our first date at Saigon Cafe in Woodstock after talking for two weeks, and I was nothing but a ball of nerves. She was able to put me at ease effortlessly, and by the end of the date I would say we were very sure we would see each other again soon.
Tell me about your relationship
Bianka: He is such an honest, considerate person. I hadn’t had a relationship with such open communication before, where we talked about every little thing and made sure to check in on each other’s happiness daily. It was really hard for me at first, but six years in, I think it’s one of the best things about our relationship. And it’s all thanks to him.
As for meeting his family, he might not know it, but I was pretty nervous! I’d heard SUCH good things about his parents and brother and knew how important they were to him, so I was worried I wouldn’t make a good impression. When it came to meeting my family, it’s always a bit nerve-wracking to have those first introductions, but I knew they would come to love him. And they have! Especially my 6-year-old nephew who’s so used to his Super Mario sessions with Uncle J.B.! He was the first to say “I love you,” and he did it right as I was feeling the same way.
JB: She honestly has unending patience and kindness. Even at my most difficult she’s still soldiering on and calmly talking things out with me. I was exceedingly nervous to meet her family because I was worried they wouldn’t approve of me and it was fairly early on in our relationship. But I think that’s an obvious theme here. Nervous man, in lucky break, wonders how he is dating this wonderful, beautiful woman.
Meeting my family was much easier as we’d been together for quite a while. Plus our mothers hit it off right away. I said “I love you” first after a hamfisted attempt at playing a relevant song to test the waters. I felt immediate relief when she said “I love you” back.
We are the luckiest Atlanta engagement photographers ever! Bianka & JB totally rocked some serious style at their session. Loved their formal engagement outfits!
Way to go JB! Way to go on that ring!!!!
At this point in the shoot, we’d ask Bianka to look at JB and tell him why she loved about him the most. Her reaction was priceless! <3
When did you know this person was the one?
Bianka: I think I realized it all at once. It struck me suddenly one day that I loved him so much and wanted a future with him, which was a wonderful and exciting feeling. Suddenly, romantic movies made more sense! But we were young, and we both wanted to take everything into consideration. We chose to take a few years to just be in love and learn more about each other. These were the sweetest years, and he spoiled me terribly. I’m so excited to be marrying him!
JB: It was a slow realization, seeing the little things she would do for me, how she could catch me off guard so easily and make me laugh so hard I could hardly breathe. But most of all she was devoted to our relationship and had a love so true that I can’t understand but am eternally grateful for. I of course questioned myself at this moment.
Even though I knew I loved her just as much, I wondered if I would be able to make her as happy as she makes me. As always, her love and kindness assuaged my fears and I’m thankful to finally be marrying the woman of my dreams.
Sharing a knowing look.
And of course that beautiful wall at Piedmont Park! You gotta get it.
How did the engagement happen?
Bianka: He did SO MUCH for the engagement! I was blown away. Long story short – I shattered my kneecap in 2015 and had to endure intense physical therapy for more than a year to be functional again. He said he wanted to celebrate my recovery by going to St. Lucia this year, which I thought was pretty extravagant, but of course I allowed him to do this for me. 😉 Little did I know, he was planning our engagement!
On our first full day on the island, we were supposed to go to the resort restaurant. Instead, he turned down to the beach and led me down a carpet to a candlelit dinner on the water. To my surprise, he’d arranged a 5-course private meal! He excused himself before dessert and came back with balloons and the MOST smug smile. The server was behind him, recording us on J.B.’s phone.
I couldn’t help myself and started laughing at him because I was so nervous and excited – I knew he was proposing! He had already told my parents and best friend, so when I spoke to them first, they were all like, “oh, really? We had NO IDEA.” It was perfect.
JB: I decided to go all out and take her on a dream vacation. We went to St. Lucia in May of 2017 and I surprised her with a beachfront dinner. She had a dream years earlier where I proposed by rowing up in a rowboat full of balloons to her standing on a pier. I knew I couldn’t actually navigate a boat up to her on a beach so I did my best to get close to that. I smuggled balloons down with me for the trip and located some helium and had the staff hide the balloons nearby.
The only part that didn’t go as planned was getting a tiny boat to hold the ring, but the balloons were plenty for her. I excused myself partway through dinner to grab the balloons and managed to catch her off guard staring at the ocean. We both got a little choked up but we managed to get the question and the answer out, and I couldn’t be happier that she said yes.
It was finally dark enough to take these GORGEOUS sunset photos!!! LOVE THEM!!!
Those colors!
Sharing a quiet moment together at the end of the day.
Last Questions! What’s the one thing about each other you couldn’t live without?
Bianka: His kindness, for sure. He always shows me love, even when I’m being difficult, and it makes me feel at home.
JB: Her sense of humor. No question. Even though I know she’ll make me laugh, she still has a way of sneaking in something you’d never suspect in perfect delivery.
Hi! We're Jaimie & Kyle (+Associates) with Jaimie Dee Photography. We're Atlanta photographers based in the metro area and service clients all over the globe. Jaimie Dee Photography was established in 2008. We're primarily a wedding and portrait studio. Our images are crisp, clean & colorful and strike a balance between classic and candid styled portraits. Aside from the photography, we help you craft the perfect photo experience - from the beginning planning stages to the finished artwork hanging on your walls. When you're in front of our camera, we'll also offer you gentle guidance through a combo of stationary and movement based poses. We'll help bring out your inner diva too - even if you're shy! If you're looking for a photographer in the metro Atlanta area or beyond, we'd love to meet you!
