Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: Melissa and Patrick lying on the sand, seen from above

An engagement session at Jupiter Beach with Melissa and Patrick, from the pier to Old Florida.

It was around January when I photographed this engagement session at Jupiter Beach. A few days earlier, I had the pleasure of welcoming Melissa and Patrick to my interior design showroom in Jupiter, my other business. Another bride, whose photos I had recently delivered, referred them to me. We met, chatted and smiled. Then we agreed to do their pre-wedding shoot at Jupiter Beach, or as I like to call it, an engagement session at Jupiter Beach.

I learned that they had married in court a few months earlier and were now preparing to celebrate with family and friends. They told me how intimate their wedding would be and how excited they were for the day. So I presented my photography services, and we set the date for the session on the beach.

How Melissa and Patrick met

On October 26th, 2019, Melissa and Patrick met at a Halloween-themed event, which also happened to be Melissa’s 25th birthday. Melissa, dressed as a cat, caught Patrick’s attention, and a playful chase followed. In fact, they were instantly attracted to each other’s smiles, wit and personalities. A few weeks later, they bonded further during a Thanksgiving road race. There, Patrick’s effort to keep up with Melissa, a former collegiate athlete, impressed her with his dedication and grit. That was the start of their story.

That January morning was cold. The end of 2023 had been very rainy and windy. However, the new year seemed to give us a break. We started the session at Juno Beach Pier, a beautiful spot, and walked north and south taking many photos. At first, they were a bit stiff, but they quickly relaxed and enjoyed it.

Then they wanted to finish at Juno Dunes Natural Area. At the showroom, they had asked for an “Old Florida style” setting. To be honest, I didn’t know what that was, but they thought that park might look like what they had in mind. So we explored those wide open areas under some wonderful skies. In fact, mixing beach and nature like this is one of my favorite ways to do engagement photos in Jupiter.

Here are the photos from Melissa and Patrick’s engagement session at Jupiter Beach. They’re a fantastic couple, and I became very fond of them from that moment on. Soon, I will post their wedding on the blog!

Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple walking toward Juno Beach Pier at sunrise
Close-up of the couple holding hands and laughing
Couple holding hands, smiling close together
Patrick holding Melissa's hand by the ocean
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple standing by the water with the pier behind
Couple walking hand in hand along the shore
Couple strolling on the beach under a cloudy sky
Couple kissing at the edge of the water
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple hugging as the waves roll in
Melissa smiling over Patrick's shoulder
Couple about to kiss in the golden light
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: Melissa hugging Patrick from behind
Couple walking toward the sunrise on the sand
Couple posing with Juno Beach Pier in the background
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: sun flare behind the couple under the pier
Couple embracing between the pier pilings
Couple smiling by a pier piling
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple sitting on a dock over the pond at Juno Dunes
Couple on the dock looking at the water
Patrick and Melissa hugging by the pond
Melissa hugging Patrick from behind by the water
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple laughing together by the pond
Couple walking on a sandy trail at Juno Dunes
Sandy trail under big skies at Juno Dunes Natural Area
Couple walking hand in hand on the trail
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple at the observation tower at Juno Dunes
Couple sitting on the wooden tower stairs
Couple embracing by the pond railing
Engagement session at Jupiter Beach: couple about to kiss at golden hour
Couple walking out of the trail at Juno Dunes
Juno Beach Pier & Juno DunesLocation
MorningJanuary
2 spotsBeach + Old Florida
CoupleEngagement session
The location

About Juno Beach Pier and Juno Dunes

Juno Beach Pier is a 990-foot fishing pier on Ocean Drive in Juno Beach, just south of Jupiter. In fact, it’s one of the longest piers on Florida’s Atlantic coast. Because the beach faces east, the sun rises right over the ocean. As a result, it’s one of the best spots in the area for sunrise photos.

However, the beach gets busy later in the day. By mid-morning, walkers, surfers and fishermen fill the sand, especially on weekends and during the winter season. For that reason, a weekday sunrise is the best choice if you’d like a calmer beach.

Afterwards, we drove a few minutes to Juno Dunes Natural Area. It’s a Palm Beach County natural area with sandy trails, native scrub, a pond and a wooden observation tower. In other words, it’s the closest thing to an “Old Florida” landscape near the beach.

Good to know

Tips for your engagement session at Jupiter Beach

  • Combine two looks. For example, the beach at sunrise and a natural trail like Juno Dunes give you two very different galleries in one session.
  • Tell me the style you have in mind. Just like Melissa and Patrick with “Old Florida”, an idea helps me choose the right spots.
  • Don’t worry about feeling stiff. Most couples relax after the first few minutes, and that’s when the best photos happen.
  • Bring a jacket for winter mornings. January sunrises can be cold on the beach, so keep something warm between shots.

Are you planning your engagement photos? Then have a look at my Jupiter engagement photographer page for locations, pricing and answers to common questions. Getting married? Have a look at my wedding photography in Jupiter.

Book Your Engagement Session

Tell me about the two of you and the date you have in mind, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

    I take pictures with love…

    …because I want to show the love within.