Sylvan Lake Engagement Photos . Custer State Park, South Dakota .

Sylvan Lake is one of the most breathtaking spots I have ever been to! When people think of South Dakota they usually don’t consider it to be one of the most beautiful places to visit. The truth is, South Dakota is full of gorgeous scenery and amazing accommodations. You have amazing views from Badlands National Park, The Black Hills, Custer State Park, and so much more. You can also stay at some pretty rad locations, like the Under Canvas glamping tents! We stayed there when we visited and it was so worth it!

South Dakota is a great place to visit year around, but summer time is special because the nights are warm and long. Not to mention, summer is the best time of year for a lake engagement session! Sylvan Lake is a serious treasure. It has amazing rock formations, great hiking views, and sandy beaches.

Maarin & Andrew were down to adventure and cool off on this hot summer day so that’s exactly what we did! We started off their session by checking out the rock formations and epic views surrounding the lake. Their outfits gave me total ‘camp love’ vibes and I thought that was perfect for the location. Truthfully, no one looks very natural wearing heels and a three-piece suit in nature. Sneakers, jeans, and a good bandana not only fit the tone of the location but also is way more comfortable!

Their second outfits were even more fun because, duh, they were swimsuits! If you’re going to have your engagement pictures at a lake/ocean/body of water then I highly recommend bringing some swimwear for the last part of the shoot. It looks cute and jumping into the water is a fun way to end the evening!

If you’re looking for some summer lake engagement ideas, then look no further than this session at Sylvan Lake!