Shannon and Derek’s Gillette Castle State Park Engagement Session

Some places carry a little extra weight before the session even starts.

Shannon and Derek got engaged at Gillette Castle. So when it came time to plan their engagement session, the decision made itself.

It was early April. The grounds hadn’t fully filled in yet, which is actually part of what makes that time of year worth taking advantage of. The deep green of full summer wasn’t there, but the short-lived pops of spring color were. The pinks and blossoms that show up for a few weeks and disappear before everything else catches up. Once the leaves come in, you don’t get those again until next year.

It was a partly cloudy day. Patches of sun, patches of shade. The kind of light that keeps things interesting without being difficult to work with.

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Shannon and Derek were easy in front of the camera from the start. What they needed wasn’t direction so much as room. Room to move, to talk, to be the way they already were together. That’s usually when the best frames happen.

We worked through the grounds, the stone walls, the wooded paths, and the overlook with its long views down to the Connecticut River. The river views meant something to them. That’s where he had proposed.

After Gillette, we headed over to Deep River. There’s a small ferry that runs across the river, but we opted to drive around through Haddam.

Deep River is a quiet New England town with a certain kind of charm. Small enough to feel intimate, old enough to have some texture. We took a stroll down Main Street before ending up at Little House Brewing, where we closed out the evening with a beer.

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About Gillette Castle State Park

Gillette Castle State Park sits on the east bank of the Connecticut River in East Haddam. The grounds include the stone castle built by actor William Gillette, wooded trails, open lawns, and river overlooks — all within a short walk of each other.

What the Grounds Include

  • The castle exterior. Stone walls, arched doorways, and staircases that give every frame some real character. Most of what you see in engagement photos here is outside, not inside.
  • Wooded trails. The paths around the castle wind through trees and open into clearings. Good for moving through the session without staying in one spot.
  • River overlooks. The high ground above the Connecticut River gives you long open views. One of the more distinctive things about this location.
  • Trails down to the river. If you want to get away from the more photographed areas near the castle, the lower trails bring you closer to the water. Quieter, more wooded, and a different feel from the grounds above.

What to Know Before You Go

  • Parking and access to the grounds are free. The admission fee is for inside the castle itself, which isn’t where engagement sessions happen anyway.
  • The castle interior is open May through October. Worth exploring after your session if you’re curious, but the grounds are available year-round.
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Planning Your Session Here

  • Go on a weekday if you can. Weekends get busy, especially in spring and fall. A weekday almost always means more space and fewer people in the background.
  • Early spring is underrated. The blossoms and pops of color that show up in April are gone once full green sets in. You have a short window to catch that look.
  • Fall is the other strong season. The hillside and river views both show well when the leaves turn. It’s also the busiest time of year for the park, so a weekday matters even more then.
  • Plan for one to two hours. The grounds have enough variety to fill that time well without needing more.
  • Have a backup date in mind. Connecticut weather moves fast. Building in flexibility from the start makes rescheduling easy if the forecast turns.

Questions?

Here are quick answers to the questions I hear most. If you don’t see yours here, reach out and I’ll help.

Spring (April-June) and fall (September-October) offer the most pleasant weather and beautiful scenery. Summer can be gorgeous but expect more visitors.

Parking and access to the grounds are free. But there are fees for admission inside the castle itself.

Interior photography is allowed when the castle is open to visitors (typically May through October), but tripods and professional lighting equipment may be restricted.

Plan for 1-2 hours to fully explore the various settings the park offers for your East Haddam engagement photographs.

The castle itself offers some covered areas, but we can always reschedule if the forecast looks too wet for comfortable outdoor photos.

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