Your Guide to Engagement Photos at The Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC
Each year in Washington DC The National Cherry Blossom Festival at The Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial! The annual festival celebrates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo to the city of Washington DC and honoring the friendship between The United States and Japan. Today the festival last about four weekends and attracts about 1.5 million tourist. The blossoms can be seen around The Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial, MLK Memorial, and many other areas. Many couples choose the Cherry Blossoms as the perfect time to plan their surprise proposal or engagement photos!
Here are some tips for planning your photos at the cherry blossoms:
1) Plan Ahead: photographers book up for cherry blossom photos FAST! Book your photographer at least 1-2 months out to secure a spot. If you wait until the last moment the photographer you want may be fully booked. Photographers only book a limited number of sessions.
2) Peak Bloom: Aim for scheduling photos around the peak bloom! On average, DC's cherry blossoms reach peak bloom around late-March into early April, but the exact timing varies year to year depending on the local temperatures in the leadup to the bloom. Here is a website to track peak bloom predictions!
3) The Most ideal Time! Plan to go at sunrise and on a weekday for the least amount of tourist. Anytime after sunrise can be extremely busy: especially during peak bloom and a weekend! Go at sunrise!
For professional photography on the Memorials property in DC there is a photography permit that you are suppose to get from NPS! The permit is a $90 application fee + $50 permit fee: $140 total.
Some shots along the pathways around the Tidal Basin! The Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial are ideal locations for Cherry Blossoms!
The Lincoln Memorial is a great spot to propose with a view of The Washington Monument! After the proposal you can walk nearby for Cherry Blossom photos!
Client Reviews
“Jon shot a surprise engagement for us at cherry blossoms up in DC. His efforts were outstanding. Throughout the process (3 months) we kept in contact with him always responding quickly. Jon arrived extremely early the day of the engagement which was good because we got there early as well. Jon knew exactly where he wanted to take pictures but also asked us several times if we had any requests. He sent us a few pictures the same day and we got the full album in less than a week. I highly recommend him.”
Learn more about planning engagement photos at he Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC by using the contact form or emailing jonflemingphotography@gmail.com
How to self officiate your wedding in Washington DC
A self-uniting marriage is where the couple are married without the presence of a third party officiant. Only a few states offer this option. Washington DC is one of the few places where you can self officiate your wedding ceremony! Starting in 2014, The District of Columbia allowed couples to self-officiate by selecting that option on their marriage license and returning it completed within 10 days to the courthouse. Both partners must be present at the courthouse when obtaining a license for a self officiated ceremony. The law mandates they cannot marry themselves on courthouse premises — This is a great opportunity to self officiant your wedding at your favorite location in DC and hire a photographer to photograph the ceremony and then photograph you afterwards!
The Marriage Bureau is open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays and located in the Moultrie Courthouse, JM 690
DC Marriage Bureau – Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Room 4485
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 879-4840
You can view a marriage application HERE directly from DC Courts website. The fee to apply for a marriage license in DC is $45 ($35 for the Marriage Application Fee plus $10.00 for the “Certificate of Marriage” (printing the license)
Here are some images from a self officiated wedding I photographed in 2015:
Learn more about booking your wedding or elopement photography with Jon Fleming Photography by using the contact form or emailing jonflemingphotography@gmail.com
Wedding Photography with Jon Fleming Photography includes Jon Fleming as your lead photographer and an easy to use online gallery of high resolution edited images retelling the story of your wedding day! Photo Booth Rentals include your choice of backdrop, custom designed 4x6 print template, friendly attendant, instant printing, instant social media sharing and online gallery of digital images.
Surprise Proposal Photography at The Cherry Blossom Festival
Every spring Washington DC celebrates The National Cherry Blossom Festival at The Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial! The annual festival celebrates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo to the city of Washington DC and honoring the friendship between The United States and Japan. Today the festival last about four weekends and attracts about 1.5 million tourist. The blossoms can be seen around The Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial, MLK Memorial, and many other areas. Many couples choose the Cherry Blossoms as the perfect time to plan their surprise marriage proposal or engagement session but there are some things to keep in mind!
Dealing with tourist and large crowds: The Cherry Blossom Festival attracts many tourist! So avoiding the busiest times will be beneficial to make sure there is space to get photos without people in them. Sunrise sessions are highly recommended as there are not many tourist out just after sunrise. The later in the day the busier it gets. Going on weekdays instead of weekends is also helpful! During your session we can stop by some of the lower traffic locations to get shots without tourist in them.
Peak Bloom: many clients like to have their photos during peak bloom! Peak bloom happens when 70% or more of the cherry trees blossoms are out. The peak bloom may only last for a few days but the week before or after the bloom will still have many trees in bloom. Peak bloom can be hard to predict especially if you are coming from out of town on a planned trip. If you are flexible on dates, I am happy to be flexible in planning spur of the moment to go during peak bloom for photography sessions! You can read more about peak bloom and up to date predictions on cherryblossomwatch.com. Peak bloom depends on the years rainfall and temperature.
Transportation: As The Cherry Blossom festival attracts thousands of tourist it is recommended to use transportation such as Uber or Metro instead of driving as parking is limited! Metered Parking may be available if you are planning a sunrise session.
Other Locations: Aside from The Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial there are other locations around Washington DC that also have Cherry Blossoms. The National Arboretum and grounds at The Capital also have Cherry Blossoms and other great views. Ask about other locations when planning.
Some shots along the pathways around the Tidal Basin! The Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial are ideal locations for Cherry Blossoms!
The Lincoln Memorial is a great spot to propose with a view of The Washington Monument! After the proposal you can walk nearby for Cherry Blossom photos!
Client Reviews
“Jon shot a surprise engagement for us at cherry blossoms up in DC. His efforts were outstanding. Throughout the process (3 months) we kept in contact with him always responding quickly. Jon arrived extremely early the day of the engagement which was good because we got there early as well. Jon knew exactly where he wanted to take pictures but also asked us several times if we had any requests. He sent us a few pictures the same day and we got the full album in less than a week. I highly recommend him.”
Surprise Proposal Photography includes detailed planning/advice, photography session to capture the proposal moment, portraits afterwards, and your online gallery of your beautifully processed high resolution images. The online gallery is easy to share with friends and family!
Learn more about planning a surprise proposal or engagement session at The Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC by using the contact form or emailing jonflemingphotography@gmail.com