Kansas City: Engagement Locations
Liberty Memorial
Top 5 Places to get engaged in KC
As a naive Kansas City photographer, I share my couple’s enthusiasm when it comes to showing off my roots, especially when it comes to engagements! Whether you’ve grown up near the city, gone to school here, love the sports, or have made KC your forever home, there’s a plethora of locations around town that are popular for engagement sessions (and for good reason!) They’re known for easily being identifiable as Kansas City landmarks with historical significance to our little city’s story. They’re beautiful spots all year around and offer a wide variety of creative opportunities that keep every couple’s gallery looking unique. You can get extremely different looks at all of these locations depending on the time of day, season, and your photographer’s personal style! So without further ado, here’s the list!
1. Liberty Memorial Museum
With an epic skyline photo op, the Liberty Memorial is definitely a popular spot for couples, wedding parties, and proms all year around. As well as surprise proposals! The grounds are HUGE, with endless options for your photo gallery. Truly, you could spend hours here and not capture every available photo op. Weekends or near dates surrounding large events (Super Bowl, 4th of July, Memorial Day, etc.), should be carefully planned if you’re hoping to do a session around those times. It can also be super windy due to the elevated architecture and wind tunnel-like staircases. Check the weather, and maybe consider an up-do if it’s looking dicey!
2. The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum
The Nelson-Atkins is beautiful in spring, summer and fall. Heck, winter too if that’s up your alley, but most couples come here for the breathtaking blooms! The grounds are mainly on an incline, and it can be difficult to access certain sections due to all of the stairs and lack of ramps, so let your photographer know ahead of time if you need special accommodations. It’s also worth noting, there is no professional photography allowed inside the facilities! However, there are some modern museums around town that do allow photography for a fee.
3. Loose Park
Loose Park consists of 74 acres of urban green space right off of the Plaza. It is the third largest park in KC and one of the most visited due to its proximity to downtown and its beautiful picturesque amenities. On any given weekend, you can find a slew of events being hosted at this location – they even have weddings in the Rose Garden! It is a VERY popular spot for wedding party group photos in the spring and fall, with party busses lined around the block. Permits are required for photographers and are $25/hour (I don’t pass on the charge for this location since it’s so reasonable, but places with heftier permitting fees are not a part of my base pricing). The colors and blooms here are a sight to behold from spring to fall, and I can honestly say it makes a pretty fantastic winter wonderland as well!
4. Union Station
One of my FAVORITE buildings in Kansas City, Union Station holds so many memories for me! As kids, my brother and I used to attend their Science City summer camp, which granted us behind the scenes access to some of the most historic parts of the train station. The grand hall, the marble details, the undeniable influence to our city; it gives me chills to this day!
During the winter holiday months, there are many pop up exhibits and Christmas decorations to enjoy! The grand hall is usually closed for events and exhibits most of November-December. Shortly after, there’s Super Bowl installations galore (I mean, at this point it’s almost guaranteed – Go Chiefs!), so just something to keep in mind when choosing what season your engagement shoot occurs. Another big event that will impact 2026 sessions that is on every photographer’s radar is the World Cup games. June-July will be an unprecedented experience when it comes to navigating downtown locations and scheduling availability. While we don’t know exactly what that will look like yet, it’s important to start thinking now about getting in those sessions well in advance to avoid the chaos.
5. The Plaza
I’ve actually avoided offering the Plaza for the longest time because it just seems so busy and not conducive to an intimate engagement experience. Then this past year, I found my favorite spots and could not WAIT for a couple to take me up on a Plaza session. The Plaza has some of the most European flare in Kansas City, complete with fountains on every corner, tile detailing in the buildings and sidewalks, and beautiful towers that puncture the skyline. It’s also one of the few locations shown where you can dress up for an engagement shoot then walk straight over to a 5 star restaurant to end the perfect day. The key to a great plaza shoot: know the season (they do massive Christmas light installations that attract many-a person!), arrive early for parking, and have fun!
