Cape Cod engagement locations

Cape Cod might just be one of the most romantic places in New England, which makes it a perfect backdrop for your couple or engagement photography shoot. Everything from the air’s salty smell to the sunsets, the fields of wildflowers, or the beautifully manicured public gardens – it all becomes part of your photography package.

There are so many perfect locations for an engagement shoot, including the beach, dramatic dunes, lighthouses, harbors, and quaint town settings, that I decided to write two posts about locations on the Cape. Let’s start with the beaches and Cape Cod Lighthouses.

The Beach

Seriously – Any Beach on Cape Cod is a fantastic location for a couple, engagement, or proposal shoot. Some couples even elope on one of Cape Cod’s iconic beaches! When you think “Cape Cod”, you think of “the beach.” In the summer, the winter, spring, or fall, on a sunny or overcast day, or even in the snow, the beach is always the perfect location for a couple’s shoot, dramatic or traditional – you simply can’t go wrong with a beach shoot. Of course, I prefer the less crowded beaches like South Cape Beach in Mashpee or Nauset Light Beach in Eastham on the Outer Cape, but we can make any Cape Cod beach be the perfect setting for the shoot. These Cape Cod beach pictures capture the natural beauty so well.

A couple on the beach against the sunset, engagement photoshoot by Ivan Djikaev / Mind On Photography

Buzzards Bay Beaches

As soon as you drive over one of the bridges that separate Cape Cod from the mainland, you will find yourself in the best place on the Cape for all types of photography – Buzzards Bay Beaches! There are so many places to photograph your couple’s shoot; as an added benefit, you can stay after the shoot and be a tourist.

South Cape Beach, Mashpee, is a great location – a 10-minute walk from the parking lot, and we will find ourselves on an empty beach, except for the seagulls. The beach’s soft sand and warm waters are perfect for a shoot. The only downside (really, the only one) is that you have to pay for parking.

Kite Surfers Beach, also in Mashpee. It’s not its official name, but that’s where many kite surfers come to play. This small beach features very shallow, warm water from June to September, making it ideal for engagement photos in water. I can comfortably shoot right from the water itself!. As long as there is no wind, the beach is deserted, which works great as a photography setting, and as a bonus, there is plenty of parking! This beach is a hidden secret, but luckily my son is an avid kite surfer, and he showed me this special spot.

The Knob in Falmouth offers a nature trail, harbor views and a beach setting. Parking is limited, so plan access and timing ahead and be ready to adapt to crowds.

Old Silver Beach and Chapoquoit Beach, also in Falmouth.

Old Silver and Chapoquoit beaches are popular Falmouth locations. Check parking and access for everyone attending, particularly in summer. Sunset can be beautiful, but an overcast sky can also make an expressive photograph. Choose footwear and clothing that keep you comfortable.

The Outer Cape and National Seashore

If you are ready to drive further, the Outer Cape offers some great locations for the perfect couples’ shoot: the shoreline of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and, of course, Provincetown are part of the wild coastline of the National Seashore. It’s dramatic, cinematic, and fun! These wild, untouched stretches make for some of the most breathtaking pictures of Cape Cod beaches you’ll ever see.

The Outer Cape offers dramatic dunes, beach grass and open water. Stay on permitted paths, keep clear of wildlife and check beach safety notices. Plan photographs on dry land whenever water conditions are uncertain.

Some favorites spots are:

Marconi Beach

Marconi Beach offers dunes, sea grass and a long shoreline. If you want to bring a dog, check current park restrictions and keep it on a leash no longer than six feet wherever pets are permitted. Nauset Beach in Orleans and Mayflower Beach in Dennis are other locations to discuss.

Lighthouses

Nobska Lighthouse, in Falmouth

I’ll say it: Nobska Lighthouse is iconic. And yes, everyone wants to shoot there. And although it is not my favorite location for an engagement or a proposal shoot, I am in the minority. The lighthouse is beautiful, but the cliffs that are right across the street and the little beach just down the road provide a variety of photos that are hard to find in other locations.

Edgartown Lighthouse: Martha’s Vineyard

If you’re staying on Martha’s Vineyard, Edgartown Lighthouse is great. I photographed several elopements there, and the photos came out amazing! Is it worth the ferry ride just for a shoot? Maybe, maybe not. Lots of couples enjoy the ferry ride and make a day of it. However, if you’re already on the island, it’s a no-brainer.

How to pick a location?

In my blog post “10 best places for an engagement photoshoot in Boston” I suggested that couples choose a location that is meaningful for you. Of course the same applies to a location on the Cape. But if you are visiting for the first time and have not developed a connection with a particular spot – no problem, just find a beach, any beach, not only the ones I described in this blog post and I will come to your location and we will take some amazing photos!

Hope to see you in front of my camera soon!