Sweet and Intimate Engagement Session at Mercantile Library

Take a look at this loving and incredibly sweet engagement session at Mercantile Library, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

About the Mercantile Library

The Mercantile Library is an incredible location in Cincinnati. It’s been open since 1835! They are home to over 85,000 books and it simply just feels like you’re in a big library in New York City. The library has a long history in the city and was founded to ensure people had access to books (this was long before public libraries existed!) You can find out more about their interesting history here. They’ve been at the same address since 1840! In fact, due to a fire in 1845 that destroyed much of the library, they were granted a 10,000 year lease!

Now let’s discuss why Mercantile Library is a great spot for an engagement session (or any other photo session!) The library is big and open and has lots of gorgeous window light coming in. It really does work well for photographers of varying editing styles and approaches! Personally, I just loved all of the different areas of the Mercantile Library. There are rows and rows of older books, stairs, ladders, statues, and just a lot to make you feel like this you’re in an older spot! The library’s website describes itself as “light, airy, and acoustically breathtaking” and I couldn’t agree more!

About the photographer: I am Kate Legters, a Cincinnati and Dayton based wedding photographer. I capture weddings, engagement sessions, and the occasional family and portrait session. If you’re curious to do an engagement session at Mercantile Library, or somewhere else in the city, I’d love to chat! Also, if you’re trying to find another indoor option for an engagement session, check out my blog on the Cincinnati Art Museum!

If you’re looking to do a photo session at the Mercantile Library, you must contact them ahead of time. They were easy to work with!

About the Engagement Session at Mercantile Library

When Danielle and Zach contacted me to photograph their wedding and were looking to figure out the location for their engagement session, Danielle asked me if I had photographed at the Mercantile Library before. I had not! She described that they were looking for something unique, and a location to capture their vibe: quiet, reserved, introverted, and romantic. I was so glad she suggested this spot as it is absolutely perfect for a couple like them.

We worked together on their outfits (Danielle was a very prepared bride) and we met at the library on a summer day in June of 2023. We started out on the staircase and went from section to section of the library. I absolutely loved their photos on the second level. We went in to the stacks and photographed them in front of the small window – just so sweet, intimate, and romantic.

The library allowed us to have an hour of time there and it was more than enough to get a full gallery of photos for this amazing couple. Check out their photos below!