Alex and John’s Asbury Park engagement photos were such a good example of why we often tell couples to think of their engagement session more like a date night. This is especially helpful when a couple isn’t totally sure where they want to take photos, because it can bring out natural opportunities for places that are unique, meaningful, or just tied to who they are together. For Alex and John, a lot of their early relationship was spent around Asbury Park, so it made sense to build the session around a few places that already meant something to them.
We started at Johnny Macs, a little Irish pub they’ve been to many times together. We photographed them outside the bar, then inside while they shared a drink, talked, laughed, and just lived in the space a little bit. They also brought their puppy at the start of the session, which is always fun for the pet lovers out there. And, of course, they shared a slice of the free pizza that comes with any drink purchase, which is such a fun little Johnny Macs detail.
From there, we moseyed around town and stopped at Lola’s European Cafe, where they picked up gelato to share together, another thing they enjoy doing when they’re on dates in the area. We also found some great photo spots along the brick exteriors of the former beer hall, which is one of the nice things about Asbury Park. Within just a few short blocks, you can find a lot of texture, variety, and cool backdrops without the session feeling like you’re constantly jumping between unrelated locations.
To end the session, we took a quick drive down toward the beach area for photos along the Asbury Park boardwalk and then finished on the beach. It was a colder day, though you probably wouldn’t know it aside from the jackets, and we were still able to make the most of the whole session. Between the pub, the town, the boardwalk, the beach, and all the small moments in between, this felt like a really full reflection of Asbury Park and a place that has been meaningful for these two. Getting to meet and talk with Alex and John was honestly a blast, and it made us even more excited to photograph their wedding coming up.
If you’re planning Asbury Park engagement photos or want your session to feel more like a real date than a stiff photo shoot, we’d love to hear from you!
We are the husband + wife photo team behind Hand and Arrow Photography, specializing in the documentation of wedding, elopements and couples portraits in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and beyond!
