If you are looking for an unforgettable engagement session, look no further than Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. This stunning estate offers gorgeous landscapes and countless areas that make the perfect backdrop for any couple’s engagement shoot.
While the estate itself is a popular place to visit, there are plenty of spots around the grounds that you can escape to and have the perfect intimate session with you and your partner. Whether you are looking for bright and airy images filled with colorful flowers or want to be transported to a forest fit for a fairytale, Biltmore Estate has it all!
Let’s take a look at all it has to offer and some of the stunning Biltmore Estate engagement photos from my session with Meredith and Luke.
The History of Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate was originally built for George Vanderbilt all the way back in 1895. While this estate was impressive back then because of its size and grandeur, it is still a breathtaking house (or, let’s be honest, it’s more like a mansion or chateau) today.
The estate is around 8,000 acres and is just absolutely gorgeous. Aside from the house itself, the property also has multiple gardens and over 20 miles of hiking and biking trails that you can use to explore all Biltmore has to offer.
When the landscape was originally designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, his vision was to create a space that offered beautiful views and experiences for all four seasons of the year. That is something that has carried over today, so no matter when you plan your session at the estate, you are sure to get jaw-dropping photos.
Now, while your Biltmore Estate engagement photos are going to turn out just as beautiful as you and your partner, I also love that you can turn what could be just a couple of hours of having fun with your partner into an entire romantic day or weekend! I mean, this is a time to celebrate you and your love, so why not take advantage of it and spend some quality time with just you and your partner?
Meredith and Luke chose to do this and not only did they have a great time together, but they were also able to explore the grounds and find their favorite spots where they wanted to go back to during their photoshoot!
Aside from just the Biltmore House and the gardens and grounds around it, there is also a winery on the property, as well as various dining options (ranging from cafes and taverns to 4-star dining experiences), and even 3 different places to stay overnight. If you are coming in from out of town for the shoot or just want a fun getaway with your partner, Biltmore offers the complete package!
About the Couple: Meredith and Luke
I had the absolute pleasure of doing a Biltmore Estate engagement session with Meredith and Luke, and it was amazing! We had so much fun exploring the grounds, and the photos came out absolutely stunning.
They met and instantly connected with each other. You know when you meet someone and even though you haven’t spent much time with them, you feel like you’ve known them forever? Yeah, that’s Meredith and Luke, and you can really see the love that these two have for each other in each and every photo.
We were able to explore a couple of different areas within the grounds, and the results were some bright, floral images in the garden and storybook-like images in the forest. They also share a love for spending time together and listening to audiobooks, so we made sure to add some books to their shoot to show off more of their relationship!
Where We Shot the Engagement Photos at Biltmore Estate
While there are a ton of different spots to shoot at on the estate grounds, we focused on a couple of places to get beautiful photos of the two of them. Here, we were able to get a good mix of romantic, intimate photos and fun, energetic ones that showed off both of their personalities!
The Bridge
I absolutely love the bridge here at the estate. The mismatched and imperfect wood logs that are used for the railings add such an enchanting feel to the images. It really feels like you are standing on a bridge straight from your favorite childhood fairytale (Little Red Riding Hood, anyone?).
The forest area behind the bridge also offers the perfect backdrop against the bridge. The various greens and browns created by the plants and trees in the area offer the perfect, subtle colors to your photos, and there are a few pops of color here and there that make the area unique.
Finally, I LOVE the little reflections that you can catch in the water below. Whether it’s just the trees or the bridge, or the full reflection of you and your partner, it makes for a beautiful photo!
The Pond
The pond is also an amazing spot to take photos at Biltmore Estate. The water is still and calm, and there is a beautiful wooded area along the far edge of the water. There is a small path and dirt area right on the edge of the water that is perfect for intimate photos with you and your partner.
I also love that there are some trees and plants in front of the area that can add a beautiful, artistic vibe to your photos that makes them unique. The various colors of the forestry around the area also add a ton of depth to the photos that are just *chef’s kiss*.
The Garden
Now, if your vibe is a bit more bright and colorful, don’t worry, Biltmore Estate has plenty for you. The gardens are filled with vibrant colored flowers, and there is a beautiful brick path leading around the flowers that make for the perfect photography spots.
There is also an old stone wall along one of the sides and a rustic, crosshatched walkway that offer an amazing contrast against the colorful flowers. Behind the garden, you also get an amazing view of the conservatory building (which we will talk about next). This is a beautiful building inside and out, and I always love when we can capture it in the background.
One amazing touch that the Biltmore Estate adds is a “Bloom Report” and “Fall Color Report”. These reports can be found on their website and help you track exactly what is in bloom and where to find the best colors around the grounds. This is a great resource if you want to try to plan ahead and map out some spots around the grounds that you definitely want to shoot at!
The Conservatory
Finally, there’s also the conservatory. The beauty of the conservatory is that you will get a stunning setting regardless of what time of year you are taking Biltmore Estate engagement photos. This can also be a great option if the weather isn’t the greatest on the day of your session.
If you are planning your shoot around the holidays, you’ll see beautiful poinsettias in bloom all around you. During summer, the conservatory is filled with luscious greenery. There is also an orchard room that is filled with every color orchard imaginable. The conservatory has a glass ceiling that allows so much natural light to shine through, perfect for any photography session!
I love that they have this conservatory in addition to the gardens. The two work so well together and we are able to get up close and personal with the plants in the conservatory without disrupting or hurting them.
Long story short, you won’t be disappointed with getting Biltmore Estate engagement photos, just like Meredith and Luke did. The estate is amazing, and the grounds are covered in vibrant flowers and deep-colored greenery that give you a picturesque fairytale vibe. If you are planning your session anywhere around Asheville, I highly recommend checking out this estate.
Now that you have the perfect place for your engagement session, all you need is the perfect photographer to capture it. I love capturing your love and sharing each and every one of your stories. Every single one of my wedding photography packages includes a complimentary engagement session where you will not only get amazing photos to celebrate your engagement but it also gives us time to get to know each other and make sure you and your partner are comfortable in front of the camera before your big day!
If you think that sounds amazing and exactly what you are looking for, click here to get in touch. I would love to hear from you!
Want to keep reading? Check out these posts next:
