A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of photographing Jennifer and Dan as we took a leisurely stroll through Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ on the final day of the Cherry Blossom Festival. Luckily, the blossoms were still in full bloom and the park was only slightly packed with tourists and nature seekers.

The couple is absolutely adorable together. Dan is as tall as an NBA forward, which means that he towers over me, let alone Jen. While that could pose some challenges for a photographer, these two had no problem getting cuddly while cracking jokes about everything from pro-wrestling to small-town life in New Jersey.

After getting our fill of flowers and pedestrians, we found a fun graffiti wall against an abandoned warehouse next to the park. I swear there’s nothing I like more than contrasting a fancy, elegant engagement shoot with an urban environment. The photos capped off a fun afternoon and gave a little bit of a mix to a traditional portrait session.

“I can’t wait to tell all my friends that I had my engagement photos taken in Newark,” Dan told me with a smirk after we finished a lovely session. I’m not sure if he was being facetious (Newark’s murder rate had dropped a percentage point in the past few weeks), but there are few locations more stunning than a cherry blossom orchard in full bloom. Here are a few of my favorite photos from their session. If you ever get a chance to visit Jersey in April, try to swing by the park to see the festival for yourself. It’s so worth it.

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