There are a ton of amazing LBI engagement photo locations all over the island for you to use as the backdrop to your engagement photoshoot. Some of my favorites are the obvious ones. You know, the beach. I am, after all, a mix of beach-girl, bay-girl and boat-girl. When Richie and I went to LBI last year for an anniversary photo session, we chose the beach. But this year, I’m leaning towards a sunset session at the lighthouse. But seriously, if you are searching for your engagement photo location on LBI, look no further.

LBI Engagement Photo Locations

Here’s a pretty comprehensive list of the best LBI engagement photo locations. There are so many wonderful spots tucked around the island that I thought it might be fun to list some of my favorites here. Don’t forget to get creative! There are lots of wonderful spots, and great places to propose too! And, before you go any further, a huge shout out to my photographer friends Melanie Cassie Photography  and Katie Bellini Photography for hooking me up with the great images in this post.

 The Bridge to Nowhere | Manahawkin

So, the Bridge to Nowhere is a local spot. Most people will drive past the access point and never know that they missed it! You can read more about it in this blog post, about my Jersey Shore experience finding it. Katie Bellini shot a stunning engagement photoshoot there of the sweetest family! And the light is just perfect.

Ol’ Barney | Barnegat Light

The Barnegat Light House is one of LBI’s most iconic locations. It’s one of the more obvious choices for an engagement photo on the island. There are perfect spots for either sunset or sunrise. And there are multiple ways to get a variety of different shot backgrounds without having to go to far out of your way. One of my favorite spots in Barnegat Light State Park is the nature trail. Head down the path towards the lighthouse, but make a right onto the trail just opposite the museum entrance. If you go for a sunrise shoot, visit Mustache Bill’s Diner for pancakes. If you go for sunset, treat yourselves to dinner at The Daymark.

A Luxury Cruise & Dinner | Barnegat Bay & the Sedge Islands

Let Captain Mike from LBI Luxury Charters take you out for a cruise. How romantic! You can take up to eight people on the boat with you. So, there’s plenty of room for the photographer and perhaps a canine friend (although if your dog has never been on a boat before, this is a horrible idea for Fido’s first ride). Get yourself a catered picnic. I honesty can’t think of anything more romantic. Seriously. I’m thinking: dinner from Off the Hook plus a sunset cruise with a nice bottle of wine. After dinner, take some more photos out on Clam Island or in the Sedge Islands. The sedge islands are technically not LBI (they are a part of Island Beach State Park), they are gorgeous, full of wildlife and history, and the perfect spot to capture Ol’Barney in the background.

The Mast | Barnegat Light

The mast is all that’s left (at least above the ground) of the Sea King after it sank in the early 1960s. Say what? No joke. It’s an awesome location and an amazing experience. It’s one of my family’s favorite spots to just go and spend a few minutes. Getting to The Mast can be a bit of an adventure. Just on a side note, if you, or your guests require handicap accessibility, this spot is not handicap accessible. You’ll need to park at the ocean end of 9th, 10th, or 11th Street and take the path into the dunes of Barnegat Light. This is like no other beach on entire East Coast! Seriously, it’s one of the few remaining natural dunes left on the East Coast. Some of these dunes rise up 30 feet above the wooden pathways. It’s unique and romantic, and off the beaten path without the crowds. After winding through the sand paths for about 200 yards, a metal spike appears rising up above the sand. That spike is actually the mast of the fishing boat Sea King. So, how did it end up so far inland?

On February 12, 1963, the Sea King, a 95-foot trawler, was towing the decommissioned minesweeper Prescott to Atlantic City for refitting. In a thick fog, both ships were stranded on the Barnegat Shoals. The Prescott was later saved. But the Sea King could not be salvaged and it began rusting away, and was in the ocean until 1992. That is when the Barnegat Light jetty was extended. Over the next 25-ish years, nature took over and, slowly, the sand built up on the south side of the jetty creating sand dunes and beaches between the surf and the mast of the Sea King.

Fantasy Island | Fantasy Island & Bay Village | Beach Haven

If you are interested in enjoying a bit of fun during your engagement photoshoot, all you have to do is take a walk through Fantasy Island and Bay Village. Hit up the arcades, grab some chowda’ for later, and get your pic snapped.

LBIF | The Nature Exploration Trail | Harvey Cedars

How adorable are these two? They also happen to be one of my fall 2018 couples. Tiffany and John chose to do one part of  their engagement session on the nature trail behind the Long Beach Island Foundation for Arts and Sciences. That’s also where they are getting married this fall (can not wait)!

Bonnet Island Environmental Trail | One of LBI’s Newest Spots

The newly constructed Bonnet Island Environmental Trail is easily missed. But it is totally worth the u-turn (or loop around the bridge) if you do. As you head into LBI on Route 72, you might just miss the sign. But just past the sign is a parking area that you can pull off into, park your car, and go for a walk. Depending on the time of day as you walk the trail, you will find a stunning vista for the sunrise or sunset. Not to mention a great place to spot some of the island’s newest Osprey nests (they kinda remind me of igloos). I’m sure this is going to become one of the most sought after LBI engagement photo locations.

Viking Village |Barnegat Light

Viking Village is a great little shopping spot, and if you want to bundle a few photos there with some from the lighthouse, they are not very far (maybe a five minute walk) from one another. It’s also a great place to watch the trawlers go in and out and snag a great sunset photo among LBI’s iconic fishing industry boats.

The Life Guard Stand | Do You Want Red or White?

Beach Haven’s Historical District

Any of Beach Haven’s historic homes make beautiful LBI engagement photo locations. But I gotta admit I love The Gables and the Williams Cottage Inn. OMG, just too cool.

Barnegat Light Museum | Barnegat Light

There are a lot of great LBI engagement photo locations at museums around the island (the Maritime Museum and the LBI Museum, both in Beach Haven). But I have to admit, my favorite is the Barnegat Light Museum. This is a really (really!) tiny museum, but outside on the grounds are some really beautiful gardens to enjoy.

High Bar Harbor | You’re Gonna Need a Boat to Get to this Location

This is one of my favorite LBI engagement photo locations. There are no roads out here, you can’t take a car ride. So hop in a boat. You will need a boat. But that is half the fun! Getting shots like these are worth the extra step!

If you found this list of LBI engagement photo locations helpful, but feel like you need a little more direction. Or, if you think you might be interested in having a styled engagement photoshoot on Long Beach Island, give me a call! I would love to help you plan your engagement, your proposal, your photoshoot, and (of course) your wedding!