Everything To Know About Planning Dow Gardens Engagement Photos
September 19, 2026
Some engagement sessions are giving an editorial city date in Grand Rapids, others are spent running around Lake Michigan barefoot, and some feel like you’ve accidentally wandered into a storybook where there are giant willow trees, little ponds, flowers everywhere, and apparently dinosaurs hiding around the corner. If you’re wanting a whimsy vibe for your own engagement photos, stick around because I’m sharing everything you could possibly need to know when planning an engagement photoshoot at Dow Gardens in Midland, MI.
Dow Gardens is Basically Made for Whimsical Engagement Photos
Dow Gardens is in Midland, Michigan, and the entire property has this very whimsical, slightly storybook feeling to it.
There are ponds, beautiful bridges, HUGE trees, lots of flowers, winding pathways, and so many little spots where we can wander without every photo looking like we stood in the exact same location for an hour.
Dow Gardens itself is situated on 110 acres, and admission also gives you access to Whiting Forest, where you’ll find another 54 acres of woodland, ponds, meadow, orchard, and the Canopy Walk. So, as you can see, this spot has lots to give.
Jessica and Jimmy’s Dow Gardens Engagement Shoot
It was sunny, breezy, ridiculously pretty, and SO laid-back. Instead of treating the gardens like a checklist of photo locations we needed to hit, we wandered. We sat by the pond, talked about their upcoming elopement, and whenever something caught our attention, we followed it. Basically, it felt a lot more like spending an afternoon together than a formal photoshoot.
One of Jessica and Jimmy’s favorite parts of the day was frolicking under the Willow Trees. To be honest, it gave their garden engagement photos that soft, dreamy feeling without needing to do literally anything.
They could just hang out underneath the trees, walk around together, sit by the water, and let the setting do its thing. Which again, why I freaking love it here (Dow Gardens, that is!).
When Your Engagement Session Turns Into a Frog Hunt
Somewhere along the way, we discovered something very important about each other: We were both weird frog girls as kids.
Like… collections of frog stuff. Enough frog-related childhood lore that naturally we started joking about hunting for frogs around the pond.
And THIS is exactly why I love having time to wander during engagement sessions because you’re not going to put “discuss childhood frog collections” on a shot list.
You couldn’t plan that moment if you tried. It happens because we’re hanging out, talking, exploring somewhere together, and eventually the weird little pieces of your personality start coming out. That’s where documentary summer engagement photos get really fun for me.
I can give you direction when you need it, but I don’t want the entire session to feel like: Stand here, move your hand, look at each other, okay next spot.
I’d much rather give you room to actually interact with each other and see what happens…Even if what happens is us peering into a pond looking for frogs.
Your Engagement Photos Should Feel Like Something You’d Actually Do Together
One of the things I loved most about these two was how freaking easygoing they were. They love thrifting together and they wanted something relaxed. Neither of them were looking to turn their engagement photos into some giant ordeal. So we didn’t.
When you’re planning your engagement session, you don’t necessarily need to think, What would make the coolest photos?
Think about what kind of afternoon would actually feel good to you. If you’d happily spend a Saturday wandering through gardens together anyway, Dow Gardens makes sense.
Yes, There Were Dinosaurs
We also got bits of Dow Gardens’ Dinosaurs Around the World exhibit throughout the session. For summer 2026, Dow Gardens has life-size animatronic dinosaurs scattered through both the Gardens and Whiting Forest. The public exhibit runs through Mid-October and is included with regular admission, so that was cool.
I definitely recommend visiting their website and checking out other seasonal events that they have going on when you’re planning your engagement session.
What to Know Before Taking Engagement Photos at Dow Gardens
If you’re planning Dow Gardens engagement photos, there are a few practical things to know beforehand.
1. Make sure you’re meeting at the right part of the property.
Dow Gardens has its main Welcome Center at 1809 Eastman Avenue, while Whiting Forest and other areas of the campus have separate access points nearby.
2. You’re gonna be walking
Comfortable shoes are your friend, especially if we’re planning to actually explore rather than stay within one tiny section of the garden.
3. If you live anywhere near Midland, I hiiiiighly recommend considering the annual pass
Regular adult admission is $15 while the annual pass is $30 per person. So if you’ll visit more than twice, the pass starts making a whole lot of sense. Dow Gardens also hosts seasonal exhibits and events throughout the year, so it’s genuinely a nice spot to come back and wander even when I’m not following you around with a camera.
4. When is the best time for Dow Gardens engagement photos?
Late spring through early fall gives you the most color and greenery, with May and June feeling especially whimsical and September bringing in those early fall tones. I’d also recommend a weekday morning or later afternoon when possible so we have a little more room to wander without feeling rushed
5. Check the calendar to make sure they are open…especially during the winter season
Dow Gardens is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 AM–6:30 PM during the main season, with shorter winter hours.
Want Your Own Laid-Back Dow Gardens Engagement Photos?
If running around a whimsical garden, exploring somewhere pretty, and having enough breathing room to actually enjoy your engagement session sounds significantly better than spending an hour worrying about whether you’re “posing correctly”…
Hi. We should probably hang out! As a Midland MI photographer, I’ll help you choose locations (I have a whole blog post here of some of my fav spots around Midland!) that actually fit the two of you, give you direction when you need it, and leave plenty of room for the weird, romantic, funny little moments we couldn’t plan if we tried.
Frog hunting optional, but encouraged. 😉 🐸
Want to see more fun, non-traditional engagement photo ideas? Check out some of these posts next!
