About Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Matthaei Botanical Gardens is the perfect place for an engagement session rich in green tones, nature, and tropical plants. This Ann Arbor conservatory is home to several plant species, trails, and live animals native to the area. Often a place families go to enjoy the blooms, this venue is amazing for engagement sessions (and weddings).
As a Southeast Michigan wedding photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to work here a few times for engagement sessions and each time is stunning. Hi friend, I’m Catie Eovaldi and I’ve been photographing engagements and weddings for the past few years. Heading into my 4th year of wedding photography, I work with couples who want to look back on their photos and remember exactly how the moment felt. Moments like how warm it felt to hug your grandma, how excited you were to say “I do”, how your mom teared up seeing you dressed as a bride/groom. All moments you’ll want to cling to after your wedding day.
When looking for the perfect engagement session location, Emma and Sam told me they wanted natural beauty and a space for their son to be included. Matthaei Botanical Gardens were the perfect location for us as it had space for their son to run around freely and beautiful blooms deep into summer.
Engagement Photos in the Botanical Gardens
Matthaei Botanical Gardens has quite an expansive property, which is equally as gorgeous as the conservatory. For this engagement session though we specifically stayed within the immediate area of the botanical gardens.
I often work with couples who have small children in their family. Whether it be their own children, step-children, nieces, or nephews, couples sometimes want to include them in their engagement session. While working with this family, I could see Sam’s love for their son and for Emma through his interactions with his family. With such care behind talking to him, Sam and Emma made sure he was included throughout our time together.
If you are a newly engaged couple with children, I highly encourage doing a mix of family and couples photos if family is a priority for you. Your kids will love to be involved and will look back and remember how you included them in such a big day.
We started our session with the gardens to the left of the big greenhouse building. Immediately there was this gorgeous ivy-like wall that we had to use. Matthaei Botanical Gardens had a couple fountains throughout the property as well we were able to use. One of my favorite photos from this session actually happened without prompting! In the jungle greenhouse area, their son had stopped to play with these little plastic frogs he brought with him. He was playing with them in this really large water basin and Emma and Sam squatted down to interact with him really quick. His whole face looks so happy to be playing frogs with his parents. I melted.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens Details
- Location: 20 minutes northeast of University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Address: 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
- Website: mbgna.umich.edu
- Permit: $50 for couples; this permit fee is included in my costs when you work with me (Catie Eovaldi Photography)
Botanical Garden Engagement Photos
