UNC Chapel Hill Engagement Photos

Although I am not Tar Heel born, bred or dead, I am absolutely living for Katy and Joe’s UNC Chapel Hill engagement photos. Their engagement session at UNC Chapel Hill features legendary landmarks such as the Old Well, Bell Tower, Coker Arboretum and Kenan Memorial Stadium. I adore university-inspired engagement photo shoots. As a North Carolina wedding and lifestyle photographer, college campus photo shoots aren’t uncommon. Especially considering how many amazing schools are located within a small radius! 

I’ve photographed couples at UNC Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina State University and UNC Greensboro. I was even asked to capture a surprise proposal on UNC’s beautiful campus. North Carolina Central University couples, hit me up! #flyeaglesfly

Keep scrolling to find out how Katy and Joe got the best UNC Chapel Hill engagement photos!

Katy & Joe’s UNC Chapel Hill Engagement Photos

When Katy and Joe reached out to Fancy This Photography about UNC Chapel Hill engagement photos, we were an instant match made in heaven. I fell in love with NC bride-to-be Katy during our very first Zoom consultation. Seriously, we are best friends now. Fun fact: Katy’s good friend Brooke was also a Fancy This Photography bride! Click here to see Brooke’s wedding at The Rickhouse in Durham. 

Pro tip: When scheduling an engagement session at UNC Chapel Hill or any other university for that matter, do your research. Make sure you haven’t scheduled your photo shoot for the same day that students move into dorms, the first weekend students return to school or graduation weekend. You might even want to check the basketball and/or football game schedules to avoid fighting with fans for parking spots.

How to Get the Best UNC Chapel Hill Engagement Photos

Typically, for UNC Chapel Hill engagement photos, I park near the Coker Arboretum trellis tunnel on East Cameron Avenue or Raleigh Street. Parking can be a challenge when it comes to taking engagement photos on a college campus. My advice? Give yourself plenty of time to park and get to your designated meeting spot before the photo shoot begins. Have some patience. I promise, the beautiful backdrops and sentimental ambiance are so worth it!   

The weather was beautiful on the day of Katy and Joe’s Chapel Hill engagement session. Carolina-blue skies and bright sunshine smiled down on us as we started taking pictures at the Old Well. But, as you might have guessed, the must-see landmark was over-saturated with photographers and visitors. So, we pivoted our plans by strolling through the upper quad and across the road to the stunning South Building for our next backdrop. 

Pro tip: if one of your favorite places on campus is too crowded for engagement photos, don’t waste your time herding tourists and students out of frame. Instead, move on to the next spot and come back later!

College Sweethearts on UNC Chapel Hill Campus

While you certainly can’t pass up engagement photos by the Old Well or Bell Tower, please don’t overlook less-popular places on campus. For example, I loved photographing Katy and Joe as they walked hand-in-hand across McCorkle Place on UNC’s Olde Campus Upper Quad. Sandwiched between historic school buildings and Franklin Street, McCorkle Place is an oasis of wide-open green space and massive oak trees. 

As I photographed Katy and Joe walking along UNC’s brick pathways, I couldn’t help but imagine them as college sweethearts taking the same romantic strolls across campus years prior. There’s something pure and timeless about falling in love at school and in a place like Chapel Hill. I don’t know if it’s the old Southern architecture, lucious landscape or contagious school spirit that oozes from every passerby, but it’s sure to melt your heart (and this is coming from a NCSU alum #gowolfpack!). 

UNC Chapel Hill Engagement Photos and Fashion

As a rule, I recommend that couples bring two outfits for their engagement photo session. One outfit that’s fancy and one that’s casual. For their more casual look, Katy wore a tea length, Carolina-blue polka dot dress with white Jack Rogers sandals and Joe wore a navy suit jacket with a light-blue dress shirt tucked into khaki pants. Not only did they look comfortable and cute, but they also looked like authentic UNC Chapel Hill lovebirds! #gdtbath 

For their second, more formal outfit, Katy swapped her darling polka dot dress for a vivacious hot pink dress with a ruffled neckline and sleeve. A long strand of pearls and nude high heels completed the look. Joe swapped his navy suit jacket and light-blue dress shirt for a softer gray-blue jacket and white dress shirt. Together, Katy and Joe popped beautifully against the neutral background of the South Building.

Timeless UNC Chapel Hill Engagement Photos 

After capturing Katy and Joe between the South Building columns, we made our way over to the Bell Tower. I love the Bell Tower for many reasons. First, the Bell Tower’s architecture is super cool. Say hello to curved archways and Carolina-blue ceiling tiles! Throw in a few vintage light fixtures and you’ve got yourself some pretty enviable engagement photos. 

UNC Chapel Hill Engagement Photos in Kenan Memorial Stadium

Our next stop on Katy and Joe’s Chapel Hill engagement session route was Kenan Memorial Stadium. Have you ever been to a UNC Chapel Hill football game? Perhaps not, since UNC is more of a “basketball school.” Well, in addition to school mascots Rameses and RJ (Rameses Junior), the real Rameses ram attends football games in Kenan Memorial Stadium. You can usually spot him on the sidelines chewing the leaves of a stadium shrub. 

Top 5 Photographable Locations on UNC Chapel Hill's Campus

No. 1: Walk beneath the 300-foot long, wisteria-covered arbor in Coker Arboretum

No. 2: Visit little areas on campus that the couples remember from when they were in school together. There are a lot of places that mean so much to college sweethearts!

No. 3: Sit on the steps or stand below an archway of the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower

No. 4: Take fun images in downtown or on Franklin Street. I especially love the Greetings from Chapel Hill postcard mural behind He’s Not Here on Rosemary Street!

No. 5: The Carolina Inn, ‘nuff said.

Looking for more NC engagement photo shoot ideas? Browse our blog:

Siera & Michael at The Raleigh Rose Garden 
Victoria & Cody’s Raleigh, NC Engagement  

Photographer // Fancy This Photography
Engagement Photo Venue // UNC Chapel Hill