“That staircase, though!”
Check out Lauren + Jay’s engagement session at the Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta! Jay is a lawyer and Lauren is a nurse. A lawyer taking engagement photos at the State Capitol? We couldn’t resist. Not to mention, they got engagement at the capitol building in Washington D. C. . So it was kind of a logical next step to shoot at the capitol building in their home state.
Inside the Capitol
We started inside on the grand marble staircase. The light in there is warm and soft, and with stairs going up both sides there are so many angles to work with. We even headed up a floor to shoot straight down the stairwell (see that one below).
Around the Capitol Grounds
Outside, the white hydrangeas along the building were in full bloom. We sat Lauren + Jay down on the granite benches right next to them. Those hydrangeas were the perfect backdrop!
On the Streets of Downtown
Then we walked them out to the crosswalks beside the Capitol for something a little different. Jay dipped Lauren right as a car flew by and we are obsessed with how it turned out.
Planning a Session at the Georgia State Capitol
You’ll need permission to photograph inside the Georgia State Capitol, so book an appointment ahead of time. Shooting hours depend on your appointment, but they usually fall between 9am and 5pm. You can only use certain areas and most rooms are off limits. The grand staircase is open, though, and it’s the best spot in the building!
You can’t book a session while the legislature is in session, which usually runs from January into late March or early April. Plan for late spring, summer or fall instead.
For parking, there’s a parking deck on the corner across from the Capitol.
For the best light, start inside around 4pm, then head outside to the gardens and the streets nearby as the sun gets lower. Lauren + Jay’s session ran about 90 minutes, which was plenty of time to get all three spots in.
When you’re picking outfits, keep in mind that the lights inside are warm and everything is white marble. Avoid colors that might clash with it. Lauren’s white dress and Jay’s navy suit were perfect for it.
Lauren + Jay, thank you for such a fun session! We can’t wait for your wedding day!
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