Halloween Horror Nights Engagement Photos at Universal Orlando Resort - Katie and CJ

Katie and CJ’s second engagement session included a quiet walk through Diagon Alley, a few murder clowns, and a creepy little doll holding an engagement ring. We were laughing through so much of this session, especially when the ring photos became a collaborative project with a very unlikely model.

These two are huge Halloween Horror Nights fans with Frequent Fear passes, so an HHN engagement session at Universal Orlando Resort was something they were excited about. We had already photographed their more traditional engagement session in Celebration. This time, they wanted to spend time somewhere they loved and bring their horror-loving personalities into their photographs.

Round Two: From Celebration to Halloween Horror Nights

Their downtown Celebration engagement session gave Katie and CJ their traditional portraits, along with football jerseys and Katie’s homemade save-the-date newspaper. Having a second session meant we could give their love of Halloween Horror Nights its own space.

I noticed how comfortable they were this time. They already knew what a session with me felt like, and Universal was a familiar environment for them. This felt like a bonus outing together. We walked around, took photographs, laughed at the things happening around us, and enjoyed the experience without rushing through every stop.

Their outfits fit right in. Katie wore a black dress over a sheer checkerboard top with high-top sneakers, and CJ wore a colorful Ghost Face shirt with black jeans. Against the carnival sets and bright storefronts, their clothes kept the photographs feeling casual and personal.

Stay and Scream and a Quieter Diagon Alley

We arrived for Stay and Scream around 4:50 p.m. and started photographing around 5:15. During the transition from the Universal Studios Florida day to Halloween Horror Nights, we had an opportunity to head into a fairly empty Diagon Alley. That was such a cool part of their session.

We photographed Katie and CJ holding hands along the shop windows, leaning together in doorways, and walking toward the dragon above Gringotts. The quieter streets gave us room to include the buildings around them. One of my favorite views from this part of their gallery is the two of them walking away together with the winding street and dragon ahead.

That quieter window was part of their particular experience. Access, crowd levels, and event operations can vary, so I would never promise an empty Diagon Alley for another session. For Katie and CJ, it gave us a lovely opportunity to add a different setting to their HHN engagement photos.

Delancey Dan and the Murder Clowns

Katie absolutely loves Delancey Dan and the murder clowns, so those interactions were a highlight. When someone already has favorite characters, the photographs become more personal. These were performers she was excited to see, and getting to include them in her engagement photographs made the session even more fun.

Delancey Dan appeared behind them carrying his balloons while Katie and CJ held hands in front. We photographed them walking together and looking at each other, with Dan right between them in the background. It was a very funny addition to an otherwise sweet engagement portrait, and it suited their sense of humor perfectly.

There were more clown encounters along the way, including a kiss with an ice-cream-themed clown looking on and a smiling portrait with another clown beside them. I love the mix in these photographs: affectionate moments between Katie and CJ, colorful sets, and a character adding something unexpected to the frame.

An Engagement Ring Photo with a Creepy Little Doll

Near the HHN 35 medallion, Katie spotted the creepy dolls she loved, and we started playing with a ring-photo idea. First, she suggested having one of the dolls hold her ring hand. We thought that was hilarious and photographed her hand with the little figure.

Then I suggested letting the doll hold the ring itself. That sent us into another round of laughter. The finished photograph actually turned out really well: her engagement ring resting in the doll’s little hand, surrounded by its wild hair and unsettling expression.

That detail photograph will always remind me of how much fun we were having. It came from Katie noticing something she loved and the two of us building on the idea. A ring photograph with that particular doll belonged in their gallery.

Fortnitemares, the Battle Bus, and the Sinners Juke Joint

Katie also loves Fortnite, so we included photographs in the Fortnitemares area. The Battle Bus was a fun backdrop for portraits of the two of them holding hands and looking at each other. Between her favorite clowns and a game she loves, there were so many little connections that made these locations feel personal to her.

We also stopped in front of the Juke Joint doorway representing the Sinners haunted house. With Katie and CJ turned toward each other beneath the sign, it gave us another portrait tied to the event. I love that their gallery includes these specific details alongside the larger Halloween Horror Nights backdrops. They help tell the story of what the two of them enjoyed being surrounded by.

Carnival Backdrops, Fog, and Familiar Universal Favorites

Throughout the session, we used a mix of HHN decorations and Universal Studios Florida scenery. The colorful ticket booth, blue carnival doors, HHN signage, and brick storefronts gave us plenty of variety without needing outfit changes. We also photographed near Mel’s and included a portrait beside the fog drifting around the ice cream truck.

Some photographs were more composed, with Katie and CJ looking toward the camera or holding each other in front of a backdrop. Others were simply them laughing together as we moved through the park. Their gallery has room for both, which is how I approach engagement photography: give enough direction to help you feel comfortable, then pay attention to what happens between the poses.

We wrapped up around 7 p.m., making this roughly an hour-and-a-half to two-hour session. That gave us time to walk between the places we wanted to photograph and enjoy the character encounters along the way.

Planning Engagement Photos Around Something You Love

Katie and CJ’s two sessions are a great example of how engagement photographs can reflect different parts of a relationship. Celebration gave them one setting and experience. Halloween Horror Nights gave them another, with familiar favorites and a lot of laughter.

If you are considering an HHN engagement session, start by telling me what you love about the event. Favorite characters, scenery, and the way you enjoy spending time there can help us choose priorities. We can plan around those interests while staying flexible about crowds and the live event. Character appearances and interactions are opportunities we enjoy when they happen, rather than something I can guarantee.

For ticket options and current event information, check Universal Orlando’s official Halloween Horror Nights website before making plans. The timing above describes Katie and CJ’s session, rather than a fixed schedule for every visit.

You can also explore Mary and Duff’s Halloween Horror Nights engagement photos for another couple’s experience, or browse my Orlando engagement photo location guide for more ideas.

As an Orlando engagement photographer, I want your photographs to feel connected to the way you spend time together. With Katie and CJ, that meant favorite characters, Fortnite, a quieter stroll through Diagon Alley, and laughing over a doll holding an engagement ring. If you have a place or idea that feels like you, tell me about it. I would love to help you plan your session.

Session Details and Credits

• Couple: Katie and CJ | @katieoneil98 and @lifeofthaddy
• Wedding account: @cooperbowl27
• Photography: Michelle Vila Photography | @michellevilaphotography
• Location: Universal Studios Florida at Universal Orlando Resort | @universalorlando
• Event: Halloween Horror Nights Orlando | @horrornightsorl