A Spooky and Fun Fall Engagement Session With Pumpkin Heads at Discovery Park, WA

It’s the perfect time to embrace the season with a unique engagement session, and who doesn’t love the pumpkin head trend?! For Summer and Anton, fall is their favorite time of year, and Halloween holds a special place in their hearts. Their engagement photo shoot at Discovery Park in Seattle combines the moody vibes of autumn with their love for Halloween, complete with homegrown and hand-carved pumpkins. This playful and spooky session is perfect to inspire other couples looking to make their engagement photoshoot uniquely their own! Get all the details below.

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About This Spooky Fall Engagement Session

Photography by Sea to Summit Photography

“Summer and Anton wanted to have their engagement photos during one of Seattle’s most beautiful time of the year: fall! We chose Discovery Park to get their engagement photos there. Their favorite holiday is Halloween, so they wanted to make their engagement photos extra special by adding some fun Halloween elements! We first started with a classy outfit and spent some time exploring the park as the fall rain drizzled on us. Afterward, they went to change and brought out their homegrown and hand-carved pumpkins! We played around, explored some trails with some lanterns, and had such a fun time.

This couple was such a blast working with! They immediately started being silly, tromping through the trails with lanterns and although you couldn’t see their faces through their masks, you could tell they were smiling ear to ear the whole time. The thing I loved the most about this couple is that they were so focused on having fun and playing with their pumpkins that they often forgot I was there! That’s how I feel like couples should feel when being photographed, whether that is for their elopement, engagement, or wedding. They should truly feel comfortable to be themselves!” [Douglas, the photographer]

Do you know what you’re wearing? Check out how to pick the perfect engagement outfit!

Why Discovery Park Is the Perfect Fall Engagement Spot

Discovery Park, located in Seattle, WA, offers breathtaking scenery, especially in the fall. The changing leaves and misty air create the perfect backdrop for moody engagement photos.

“Because Discovery Park is one of Seattle’s most popular city parks, I recommend you take your engagement photos at sunset during the weekday to have both the best lighting conditions and the least amount of crowds. Also, bring a photographer with you who knows the park inside and out as there are many trails around, and can easily become lost. My last tip is to bring some rain gear and some good shoes with plenty of traction. There are some steep and muddy sections of the trails as well as some slippery mossy boardwalks that having shoes with good traction is very helpful to get up and down the trail safely.” [Douglas, the photographer]

Making Your Engagement Session Unique

What made this engagement session stand out was how Summer and Anton fully embraced their love for Halloween by incorporating hand-carved pumpkin heads into their photos. They brought matching formal outfits for the first part of the session but soon transitioned into full spooky mode, carrying lanterns and playfully posing through the forest. Their creativity and willingness to have fun made the session an unforgettable experience for both the couple and their photographer.

“I loved how much effort they put into their photo shoot. From matching colors and styles for their formal engagement photos to buying a black bandit-like face mask with cut-out holes for their eyes, nose, and mouths so the pumpkin heads could really look like, well, pumpkin heads! ” [Douglas, the photographer]

Leave No Trace and Permit Considerations

While no permits were needed for this engagement session since it didn’t involve large gatherings or weddings, it’s always important to check local guidelines for events in public parks. In Seattle, you can apply for permits at Seattle.gov for larger gatherings. Additionally, adhering to Leave No Trace (LNT) principles is crucial. Staying on designated trails helps preserve the park’s natural beauty, even when the trail gets muddy—just as Summer and Anton did during their shoot.

Advice for Future Couples

Fall is the perfect time for couples to get creative with their engagement photos. Summer and Anton’s session at Discovery Park showed just how much fun you can have by adding a personal touch to your photos. Whether you’re a fan of Halloween or simply love the magic of autumn, don’t be afraid to incorporate what you love into your engagement session—it will make your day truly special!

“My advice to couples who don’t know what to do during their engagement session is to really lean in into what you and your partner love. If that is the fall and carving pumpkin heads like Summer and Anton, incorporating those activities into your engagement session will reflect you two in a way that truly encapsulates who you are!

I feel like this applies to any PNW location, but especially here in Washington. Fully embrace the weather, and don’t let it affect you from having an incredible time! These spooky, fun-filled engagement sessions wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the rainy, gloomy weather!”

Photos From This Engagement Session