A woman sits on a man's lap in a vintage photo booth in New Orleans engagement photos.

Colorful New Orleans Engagement Photos

engagement

May 10, 2025

There are so many ways to go with New Orleans engagement photos. Instead of going for classic French Quarter photos, Taylor and John wanted to do something that combined creativity and a candid approach. We met up at the Columns for a vibrant engagement session.

A man and woman laugh in a photo booth in a New Orleans hotel.

Candid New Orleans Engagement Photos

Four years before I took Taylor and John’s New Orleans engagement photos, I did John’s graduation photos. Taylor tagged along for John’s session, so we took some cute photos of the two of them together. I don’t do graduation photos often, but it turned out to be just the beginning. After that, I did graduation photos for Taylor, her sister, and their friend. Now that Taylor and John are getting married, I’m beyond excited to photograph their wedding.

A man and woman lean back on a vintage sofa in New Orleans engagement photos.
A woman sips a glass of wine at the bar at the Columns Hotel.

Taylor and John live in New Orleans with their two cats. They love the city. Doing engagement photos here felt like an obvious choice. At the Columns, I was able to get creative with angles, lighting, and composition.

A man and woman lean against a bar in a New Orleans hotel.
A man and woman sit on a couch smiling for New Orleans engagmeent photos.

When it came to their engagement photos, Taylor and John wanted a documentary approach. “We often struggle to pose for long periods of time,” they said. “It feels very unnatural for us. We are looking for your role to be more of a ‘fly on the wall’ approach. We want our wedding to be mainly documented in unposed, genuine, candid documentary style pictures.”

A man and woman hold hands for New Orleans engagement photos.

That’s exactly the approach that I took to these New Orleans engagement photos. We started the session at the bar in the Columns. Taylor and John had a chance to relax and enjoy a drink while they got used to having me around. It felt like I was tagging along on one of their date nights.

A man and woman lean against a wallpapered wall in the Columns Hotel.

In all of these photos, Taylor and John look so at ease. Before the session, they told me, “We truly love your art and how comfortable you made our sessions feel.” We really had fun exploring the Columns. You can see the joy in their faces. Even in lightly posed photos, the in-between moments are the sweetest images. They feel really true to Taylor and John.

A man and woman kiss in a patch of blue and pink light in creative engagement photos.
A man and woman hold hands in the blue light of a bar.

A Moody Aesthetic at the Columns Hotel

The Columns is such a cool place to take New Orleans engagement photos. This hotel’s aesthetics are immaculate – the nineteenth-century-inspired furniture, elaborate wallpaper, and rich, saturated colors. On the first floor, the bar combines red velvet, dark woodwork, and bright patches of sunlight for a dreamy experience. The cocktails are pretty good too!

A woman stands beside a seated man in a black and white engagement photo.
A woman sits on her fiancee's lap in a New Orleans engagement photo.

Each of the rooms at the Columns is just as worthy of a photo session as the bar and lobby. I love the amount of intention that went into creating these distinctive spaces. Whether you’re visiting from out of town or planning a staycation, consider staying at the Columns. It would be a great place to start a session or a beautiful backup plan if that fickle tropical weather turns bad.

A man and woman stand on the stairwell of the Columns Hotel New Orleans.
A man and woman sit on the stairs of the Column Hotel for New Orleans engagement photos.
A woman leans towards a man in the hallway of the Columns Hotel.
A woman sits on a man's lap in a vintage photo booth in New Orleans engagement photos.

Outside you’ll find the kind of roomy porch you’d expect from a Southern mansion. Lush plants line the brick courtyard. You can sit under a mint green umbrella and take in the relaxed atmosphere.  

A man and woman pose for a New Orleans photographer in front of the Columns Hotel.
A man and woman lean towards each other for a kiss in a New Orleans courtyard.

The Columns isn’t just a great place for New Orleans engagement photos. You can host your wedding here too. It’s actually where Taylor and John will be getting married later this year! Here are some details to consider if you’d like to host your wedding at the Columns:

Capacity: 300 guests

Starting Price: $15,000

Venue Type: Indoor/Outdoor

Want to see a stylish wedding reception at the Columns? Check out this blog post!

A man and woman hold hands laughing.
A man and woman pose for New Orleans engagement photos with a streetcar in the background.
A man and woman walk towards a New Orleans film photographer on a sidewalk.
A man and woman turn towards each other on a New Orleans street.
A man and woman kiss in New Orleans engagement photos.
A man puts his arms around his fiancee for a New Orleans engagement photo.

Are you interested in having me document your engagement? I’m a New Orleans wedding photographer specializing in an easygoing, intentional photo experience. Inquire with me!

*Thanks to the Columns for welcoming us during this engagement session.

I’m Ali, a wedding and portrait photographer in
New Orleans, LA.