Katie & David’s Unconventional Arcade Engagement Shoot

Engagements

March 7, 2024

Engagement sessions with me can be a little unconventional–they’re less about capturing flawless photos and more about celebrating the things that make my clients unique.

Katie & David unconventionally chose an arcade bar for their engagement photos and gave me free reign to be as creative as I wanted to be to capture their quirky, adventurous side at Up-Down St. Louis in the Central West End.

Creativity comes easily when you’re surrounded by something totally out of the norm from your typical engagement shoot.

The bright flashing lights, sounds of the games, and energetic atmosphere really set the stage for a totally unique showcase of Katie & David’s love for each other. Their competitive nature definitely kept things interesting, too–it was so easy to capture some authentic moments while they played Skeeball–one of their faves!

But their playful personalities really shined through when they asked me to take a photo of David putting Katie in a chokehold–an inside joke between the two of them. It was so refreshing to work with a couple who isn’t afraid to be a bit bold in front of the camera.

An engaged couple playing skeeball at Up-Down Arcade in St. Louis, Missouri.

An engaged couple look at each other holding skeeballs while playing skeeball at Up-Down Arcade in St. Louis, Missouri.

An engaged couple embracing each other while looking in each other's eyes in front of a wall with arcade graphics at Up-Down Arcade in St. Louis, Missouri.

An engaged couple standing in front of a wall with arcade graphics at Up-Down Arcade in St. Louis, Missouri. The man playfully has the woman in a chokehold and they're both smiling.

We had to take a stop at another classic–House of the Dead–and I grabbed some photos that showcased not only how adorable they are together, but also Katie’s unique peridot engagement ring. It was such a cold day, so we only spent a few minutes out in the courtyard. It was more than enough to get some great photos with the greenery and graffiti walls.