July 10th, 2022

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Picture this: lush fields, vibrant colors, and the smell of blooming roses. That’s exactly what The Arnold Arboretum offers every day of the year, but especially in the summer. It’s the perfect backdrop to capture your love story in all its beauty and authenticity. Let’s get into why I LOVE this location for Shawna and Justin’s Summer engagement photos and possibly yours!!

Dear Shawna and Justin,

You guys like actually rock. I’m so lucky to not only be able to photograph your engagement photos but to also have the honor to Document your wedding on July 8th, 2023, and I already know just based on how these came out that the wedding photos are going to be just as spectacular if not better. I bestow the award to you all of the “best couples ever on the existence of this planet to take my really vague prompts and nail them on the head each and every time”. It was truly quite an experience getting to you both and I’m so glad that I could introduce you to my very favorite shooting location.

XOXO,

-Dominique

let’s start with my go-to year-round location in the arboretum, the tall grass field.

fact:

This field legit always looks great. It doesn’t matter if it is in the dead of winter or in the heat of summer, it is always a wonderful background. This is a rare find considering that most of the Arboretum contains deciduous trees and annual plants. Making this location unique! A perfect spot to frolic in the fields with your love, snuggle up in the grass and capture those pictures you’ve been dreaming of! I also am obsessed with the black and white photos in this grass field, feels like such an old school love story to me!!

onto the next location: the rose garden

If you are at all familiar with the Arboretum you know that this time of year is seriously the best time of year in the rose garden. It is a photographer’s dream spot which meant we did have to share the rose garden with not one, not two, but four other photographers. I had it set in my mind that we would do my iconic twirling pictures under the rose arch but there was a photographer and videographer that was not leaving anytime soon so I made the executive decision to revisit later in our session hoping that it would clear out. More on that later. Shawna and Justin understood the assignment for these photos. Nailing every single one of the prompts.

let’s take a walk

After we ditched the rose gardens we headed for a stroll around the Arboretum’s walkway filled with lush green trees that made a perfect backdrop for these shots. We decided to lay out the picnic blanket and get some snuggly photos in this area as well! Picture yourselves strolling hand in hand through tall trees with a warm summer breeze cooling you off. PERFECTION.

Castillo Holliday Photo and Film

ok, prepare yourselves these ones are my favorite…

MAKE A RUN FOR IT

We are now at the end of our session and I wanted to revisit the rose arch before calling it a night but we were in for quite the surprise. The sprinklers were on and well we had to just suck it up. Shawna and Justin ran in fearless, did a few spins, and then we called it a night. We strive to freeze time and capture the genuine love and connection between you and your partner. And what better way to do that than within the beauty of Arnold Arboretum? Whether you’re frolicking in the fields or stealing a quiet moment beneath a rose-covered archway, we’ll be there, documenting your story.

Love from Shawna and Justin

“Dominique and Javi are a photography dream team. They shot both our engagement and wedding photos, and we are so ecstatic with the photos they captured! My husband and I are camera shy so we normally don’t take many photos, but they made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera.They were able to beautifully capture those special moments in our lives, and the happiness and love we felt on our wedding day radiates from the photos. Multiple wedding guests commented how unobtrusive and inconspicuous they were on the wedding day, yet they captured photos of every special moment. Dominique and Javi are so easy to interact with, and they were incredibly communicative throughout the whole wedding planing process. They are extremely organized and made sure they had all the relevant details they needed well in advance. I would highly recommend Castillo Holliday Photo + Film for your photography needs.”

See their wedding here : Shawna and Justin’s Wedding at Long Hill

LET’S CREATE MAGIC TOGETHER

If the idea of an authentic and timeless engagement shoot in the stunning fields and rose gardens at Arnold Arboretum speaks to your soul, then we’re definitely a match made in heaven. Reach out to us here to book your dream summer engagement session at Arnold Arboretum. We can’t wait to tell your love story!!

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Photographer: Castillo Holliday Photo + Film, Instagram: @castillohollidayphotoandfilm

Location: The Arnold Arboretum, Instagram: @arnold_arboretum