How to Include Your NYC Apartment as Part of Your Wedding or Engagement Session

Your apartment isn’t just where you live. It’s where your life happens. If you’ve built a home together in New York—whether it’s a fifth-floor walk-up in the East Village, a Brooklyn brownstone, or a sunny studio in Long Island City—there’s something personal and meaningful about including that space in your wedding or engagement photos.

Photos in your apartment can feel warm, grounded, and real. They document your actual life in a way that outdoor or public locations can’t. The light might be tricky, the space might be tight, but the results are always worth it. Here’s how to make it work.

Think About the Story You Want to Tell

Your apartment doesn’t need to look like a magazine spread. What matters is how it feels. Maybe it’s the kitchen where you drink coffee together every morning. Maybe it’s the view out your window, the books on your shelves, or your dog curled up in that one spot on the couch.

Start by asking what this place represents for you. Is it your first place together? The one you moved into during the early days of your relationship? The space you made feels like home after years of bouncing between sublets. Knowing what it means to you will help shape the focus of our session.

Timing Is Everything

Most New York apartments have limited natural light. Even the brightest spaces can shift dramatically throughout the day. The best approach is to schedule your session for the time when your apartment gets the most directional light.

If your living room faces west and gets long afternoon sun, that’s the time to shoot there. If the bedroom has beautiful morning light, we’ll start there instead. Knowing how the light moves through your space makes a huge difference. I usually ask for a few iPhone photos ahead of time so I can help plan the flow.

Tidy, but Don’t Overstage

You don’t need to deep clean or redecorate. A little straightening up helps—clear off countertops, fold the throw blanket, maybe move that stack of Amazon boxes—but don’t feel like you need to make it look perfect.

The goal isn’t to pretend this is a different space. It’s to document the real one, in a way that’s thoughtful and usable. If there’s clutter that feels distracting, we can move it. But sometimes a little mess adds to the story. The magnet-covered fridge, the overfilled bookshelf, the way the light hits the floor near your plants—it’s all part of the portrait.

Treat It Like a Getting-Ready Session

For wedding days, apartment photos often occur during the preparation. Hair, makeup, tying a tie, zipping a dress, pinning a boutonniere. These moments aren’t just about what’s happening—they’re about where you are while it happens. A corner of your living room might hold more memories than any venue ever could.

If you’re getting married in the city and staying at home that morning, it’s worth building time into your timeline for intentional photos in your space. I’ll usually find the best light in the apartment, then guide you gently toward it. The images might be quiet, architectural, documentary, or styled depending on what works best for your layout.

Use the Apartment as a Starting Point

Sometimes we don’t need to shoot the whole session inside. A great approach is to start at home, then walk out the front door. Your apartment building, your street, the coffee shop downstairs, the bodega on the corner—those places hold meaning too.

We can shoot by your front steps, in the hallway, by the fire escape, or in the elevator. Then head out for portraits in your neighborhood, whether that’s Fort Greene Park, Riverside Drive, McGolrick Park, or Washington Square. When you begin the session in a space that feels like home, the rest of the photos naturally build upon it.

Logistics to Keep in Mind

Lighting gear takes up space, and most NYC apartments don’t leave much room to spare. That’s okay. I work with small setups, use natural light whenever possible, and can bounce flash off the ceiling or walls if needed. The focus remains on you and your space, rather than building a studio in your kitchen.

If you have pets, roommates, or children, we’ll discuss how to accommodate or work around them. If your apartment is under renovation, we’ll frame around it or keep things tighter. You don’t need a big space to get great images. You need a little trust and some good light.

Why It’s Worth It

Years from now, you might not remember the skyline views or how many likes your photos got on Instagram. But you’ll remember that little window where the light came in every afternoon. You’ll remember what your place looked like when you were engaged or getting married. You’ll remember how it felt to be home.

Your apartment is part of your story. Including it in your engagement or wedding photos adds context, character, and a sense of connection. It’s the place that holds your daily life—and that makes it worth documenting.

Please let me know if you’d like to plan a session that starts at your home. I’ll help you determine when the light is best, what to prepare, and how to structure the rest of the session around it. You don’t need a perfect space. You need the one that’s yours.