There are so many amazing locations to have your engagement session near Eau Claire, WI… and that may be why it’s so hard to pick one! That’s where I come in. This blog will be all about what parks, restaurants, breweries, & bars, and places downtown I love photographing engagement sessions to help you choose where to go. Each place will boast different personalities and moods so you can choose what’s best for you as a couple!
First up… Parks near Eau Claire!
Phoenix Park is one of my absolute favorites to photograph engagement sessions at. With its charming bridges, scenic riverfront, and vibrant greenery, it provides the perfect backdrop for engagement photos and offers so much variety. This is for the nature lovers!
Another option is River Prairie. This is an ideal location for the couple that loves BOTH nature & city vibes. It combines modern urban aesthetics with the serene beauty of water features. With the contrast of nature with the peaceful river views and the beautiful architecture it makes the perfect diverse location to get the best of both worlds.
Rod & Gun Park is definitely one of my favorites to recommend to my couples. This park offers a rustic and charming vibe… perfect for country music and nature-loving couples. It features tranquil ponds, wooded areas, and open spaces which means lots of variety… even for a nature spot. It has a very peaceful ambiance which helps calm any nerves you have going into your engagement session with me.
A few other options are Big Falls County Park, Irvine Park, and Carson Park. Big Falls is full of beautiful nature, and Irvine and Carson hit on some historic charm alongside beautiful scenery.
Next up… Restaurants, Breweries, and Bars!
Helix Wine, Craft Bar, and Café is an awesome place to have your engagement session near Eau Claire. Their vision is exactly why I love taking my couples there… they want “to be a catalyst for camaraderie and enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures, and to provide the perfect setting for unique experiences and the creation of special memories.” Me too, Helix, me too!
One of the best engagement session locations to take my couples is The Dive in downtown Eau Claire. It’s inside the Lismore Hotel on their rooftop and has indoor and outdoor spaces, providing lots of spots to take awesome engagement photos! This location helps my couples enjoy the vibrancy of downtown Eau Claire with a tasty cocktail or beer in their hand. Name a better way to loosen up for your engagement session!
Next up is The Brewing Projekt in Eau Claire! Their taproom is bustling with fun and a great spot to see what next ‘Projekt’ they got up their sleeve! Maybe during your engagement session, they’ll have a new beer for you to try. This is a great location to pair with a nature spot from above to get the best of both worlds!
Last up on my list of restaurants, bars, and breweries is Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery in Chippewa Falls, WI. This is the PERFECT spot for a fall engagement session. The winery mixed with the orchard is so dreamy! They also own Dixon’s Apple Orchard and Wedding venue – they know a thing or two about weddings! Beautiful architecture mixed with stunning landscapes… and wine! It can’t get better. Check out their website linked above to see some of their photos and a video of their property.
Fun Downtown Eau Claire Engagement Session Locations
Looking for more of a fun, downtown vibe for your engagement session? There are so many fun options in Eau Claire! One of my absolute favorite spots is this cute parking ramp rooftop. It has an incredible tall wall and a wide open space to spin, twirl and dance the night away at your session.
The cute, quaint streets of downtown Eau Claire are amazing for photos. There typically isn’t a lot of traffic and if you wander around the Barstow Street area downtown you can find cute murals and buildings that make for stunning backdrops!
Finally, I can’t recommend Downtown Eau Claire engagement session locations without mentioning Olson’s Ice Cream (or Ramone’s – they are both great)! I mean, what’s better than sharing an ice cream with your future spouse on a warm summer evening?
Looking for an Eau Claire photographer for your engagement photos? Reach out to me here!
