Richmond Engagement – Maymont Park & Carillon Engagement Photos

Today we are sharing Lauren & Christian’s Maymont Park & Carillon Engagement Photos! There are some Richmond engagement session locations that just work every single time, and this combination has quickly become one of our favorites. For Lauren and Christian’s engagement session, we started at the beautiful gardens and stone pathways of Maymont before heading over to the historic Byrd Park Carillon for sunset portraits with their English Bulldog, Luigi.

The reason we love pairing these two Richmond locations together is because they give you such a perfect mix of scenery for engagement photos. At Maymont, you get romantic gardens, fountains, winding paths, and architecture tucked throughout the property. Then, once the park closes, the Carillon gives you timeless stone architecture, open skies, and some of the best golden light in Richmond.

It honestly feels like getting multiple engagement sessions in one evening.

Why Maymont Is One of Our Favorite Richmond Engagement Session Locations

One thing we loved about Lauren and Christian’s session was that we leaned heavily into the architectural side of Maymont instead of focusing only on greenery. The stone pathways, fountains, and historic details gave the entire session a classic Richmond feel while still feeling relaxed and romantic.

And somehow, despite the park being packed that evening, we still found so many quiet little corners to photograph in.

We are pretty sure graduation weekend was right around the corner because the entire park was absolutely buzzing. At one point, there was literally a line of people waiting to take photos at the gazebo. We usually skip that area entirely, but walking by it that night made us understand why everyone wanted it. It looked incredible in the evening light.

Still, one of the best parts about photographing engagement sessions at Maymont is that there are endless options. Even when the park is busy, there are so many beautiful pathways, garden areas, and tucked-away architectural spots that your session still feels personal and unique.

The Best Part of Engagement Sessions? The People

One thing we always laugh about after engagement sessions is how strange and wonderful our job really is.

We hop on an inquiry call with couples, get to know them a little bit, and then finally meet them in person at their engagement session. Somehow, within the first five minutes, we often feel like we’ve known them forever.

That was exactly how it felt with Lauren and Christian.

Lauren completely radiates joy. Her smile lights up every single photo, and she brought such an easy, happy energy to the entire session. Before we even started shooting, we asked them how they were feeling, and Christian immediately gave the biggest smile and said he was ready to go. From that moment on, the two of them were just effortless together.

Every walk between locations, every little interaction, every conversation — it all felt natural and fun. Sessions like this are such a reminder that engagement photos are not really about perfectly posed images. They are about documenting people exactly as they are together.

And honestly? These two made that incredibly easy.

Sunset Engagement Photos at the Richmond Carillon

After Maymont closed, we headed over to the Carillon in Byrd Park for the second half of the session, and this is where Luigi officially stole the show.

Their English Bulldog arrived with Lauren’s parent, and within seconds we were obsessed. First of all, Luigi is an elite dog name. Second, he was so excited to be there that he was basically out of breath from the short walk from the parking lot.

Classic bulldog behavior.

What made it even sweeter was seeing how attached he was to Lauren and Christian. The second he saw them, he ran straight over for attention and cuddles. It was honestly one of the cutest things ever.

We were a little nervous at first because there was a massive event setup happening around the Carillon that evening. There were tents everywhere across the lawn, but thankfully this is another reason why we love this Richmond engagement session location so much. Even when something is happening nearby, the actual architecture and upper areas around the Carillon still photograph beautifully without distractions.

And once the sunset light hit the stone building with Luigi included in the photos? Absolute perfection.

Richmond Engagement Photographers

Sessions like Lauren and Christian’s are exactly why we love engagement photography so much. Great locations are always helpful, but the real magic comes from couples who fully enjoy being together and trust the process.

Between the gardens at Maymont, the historic architecture of the Carillon, and a very lovable bulldog named Luigi, this Richmond engagement session felt like the perfect combination of romantic, relaxed, and fun.

We already know their wedding day is going to be filled with nonstop laughter, joy, and some truly incredible moments.

For now, enjoy a few from Lauren & Christian’s Maymont Park & Carillon Engagement Photos session. Congratulations, Lauren and Christian!

Looking for other engagement sessions around RVA? Here’s the VMFA and a brewery!