A Cozy Fall UW Engagement: Olivia & Ronnie

Engagements

Search
Learn more

Hi there! Welcome to the blog, a place to share wedding beauty, engagement inspiration, and plenty of tips. I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll stick around!

Hi, I'm courtney.

arrow
help yourself to my Wedding guide

Packed with all kinds of tips and resources that I know will make your planning process so much easier!

DOWNLOAD
FREE DOWNLOAD

A Cozy Fall UW Engagement Session: Seattle Engagement 

When Olivia and Ronnie asked me to photograph their engagement session at the University of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle, I couldn’t help but get excited. There’s something so magical about autumn on campus — the golden light, the turning leaves, the soft glow as sunset nears — and it felt like the perfect fit for their love. Their UW engagement in fall turned into one of those sessions that I look back on and smile, remembering the laughter, the quiet moments, and how much warmth they radiated even in the crisp air.

We started our Seattle engagement session as the leaves were deep in fall colors — oranges, golds, and auburns painting every path, lawn, and tree-lined walkway on campus. The UW campus is this perfect blend of historic architecture and natural beauty; old brick, ivy-covered buildings, long tree-lined paths, and cozy hidden corners — a place you return to again and again, and always find something new. For a fall engagement session, especially one meant to feel timeless, UW is a dream. I absolutely loved this UW engagement session. It’s a fantastic Seattle engagement location!

When Olivia and Ronnie walked into the frame together, I immediately felt their connection. They moved like two people who know each other deeply — easy comfort, inside jokes, gentle touches, and that kind of quiet laughter that comes from genuine love. There was no stiffness, no forced posing, just real moments between them. As we wandered through campus grounds, they’d talk softly, glance at each other, hold hands, sometimes lean in close just to whisper something small. It felt intimate, personal, and so honest. Their UW engagement session was definitely one I will remember for a long time.

One of my favorite parts of this UW engagement was how we used the light and colors of the area. Fall in Seattle has this beautiful light: the sun gets lower, the angle softens, and suddenly even a simple walkway glows golden. I caught them walking down tree-lined paths with golden leaves at their feet, I paused near benches and old brick walls with light filtering through branches, and I let the wind catch Olivia’s hair just enough to make the portraits feel alive and dreamy.

There’s something about fall light on the UW campus that adds soft warmth and nostalgia to images — perfect for remembering a season of life. A UW engagement session is definitely a great engagement location that captures so much character from the PNW. It reminds me of the East Coast in some ways. No matter what season you choose to schedule your engagement photoshoot, you won’t be disappointed with the UW campus as a Seattle engagement location.

As the session went on, we walked through different areas of the campus — lawns, stone paths, near wooden benches, under maples and elms shedding leaves, and even near some of UW’s historic buildings. Each backdrop told a slightly different story: from cozy and personal to wide and dramatic, but always with a sense of home and history. For Olivia and Ronnie, this UW engagement felt like their roots: familiar, comforting, and full of promise.

I loved how natural they were. There were moments when Ronnie would quiet his laughter, pull Olivia close, and wrap his arms around her — like they were the only ones in the world. There were times they’d spin, or she’d tilt her head back laughing, or they’d just stand still and breathe together. Those are the frames where I tuck away my heart — unposed, unplanned, real life as it whispers “this is us.”

The campus in fall gave us another beautiful gift: the leaves. We used piles of fallen leaves for fun, candid photos — walking through them, kicking them up, holding each other among the color. The rustle of leaves underfoot, soft wind, and autumn air added a kind of earthy magic that made their UW engagement feel cozy and warm even on a cool day.

As the sky turned soft pastel and the day began to fade, we found one of my favorite corners of the campus for final portraits — a quiet walkway lined with trees, light filtering through, and the world hushed around them. I asked them to close their eyes, hold each other close, and just be. The result was a set of images that feel timeless — soft, romantic, and deeply connected.

Walking away from this session, I felt so grateful. Grateful that Olivia and Ronnie trusted me to capture their story, grateful for the magic that is UW in fall, and grateful that I get to do this job — documenting love, transition, growth, and small sacred moments.

If you’re considering a fall UW engagement session, I can’t recommend it enough. The mix of golden light, historic architecture, tree-lined paths, and cozy autumn vibes makes it one of the most beautiful, meaningful places to capture your love story.

Olivia and Ronnie — thank you for letting me document this chapter. I’m so excited to watch your next steps, and even more excited to see what comes next.

Reply...

reader faves

Search

Learn more

Hi there! Welcome to the blog, a place to share wedding beauty, engagement inspiration, and plenty of tips. I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll stick around!

welome to my blog

arrow

Hello

i created the perfect guide 

Trust me when I say this guide is packed with all kinds of tips and resources that I know will make your planning process so much easier! 

DOWNLOAD

Planning A photoshoot
 in paris?

free download

the new bride's
essential planning guide

Trust me when I say this guide is packed with all kinds of tips and resources that I know will make your planning process so much easier!

© courtney bowlden photography 2026

template credit

customization + copy credit

|

|