ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos | Marcie + Dave

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos

Marcie + Dave are planning their wedding at the MN Landscape Arboretum next fall. They decided they also wanted to enjoy an engagement photo session in the gorgeous gardens too. We were lucky enough to find a beautiful autumn day with stunning colors with perfect weather for their session!

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Session

We started their photo session in the Arboretum woodland gardens and shared lots of fun and laughs. We wandered around the stone trails, benches and beautiful pond. Then we moved on to the gardens, ponds, waterfalls and trails behind the Visitor’s Center. We found so many beautiful scenes and spectacular fall color, and even crossed paths with a pack of wild turkeys. A bonus feature during sunset was Patrick Dougherty’s giant willow building sculpture that is currently featured at the Arb. It is so spectacular, and we were excited to have the chance to photograph with it. It was such a beautiful autumn day and an amazing photo session!

Thank You!

Marcie + Dave, thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your engagement and wedding photographer. I’ve had such a great time getting to know you, and I am so excited for your big day next fall!

Take a look at a fall Arboretum engagement session, another autumn Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session, and a winter Arboretum engagement session I’ve captured too! If you’re planning for MN Landscape Arboretum engagement or wedding photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at Marcie + Dave’s slideshow too!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos | Katharine + Zach

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MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos

Katharine + Zach’s Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session was so perfect. The two of them love to spend time together in the beautiful outdoors, going hiking, visiting National Parks, etc. In fact, they were engaged right in Zion National Park! So when we began to plan for their engagement session, they really wanted a place with beautiful outdoor landscapes. The Landscape Arboretum was the perfect choice!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Session

We started their session at the Arboretum near the waterfalls. Since Zach is an architect, he is drawn to bridges and other interesting architectural features, so the bridged waterfall gardens were a great choice. We started with a more hidden waterfall, then moved on to the woodlands garden and the frog pond with waterfall too. A bonus feature was Patrick Dougherty’s giant willow sculpture that is currently featured on the grounds. It is so spectacular, and we were excited to have the chance to photograph with it! Once we finished with the gardens near the Visitor Center, we headed out to the Three Mile Drive to take in the wildflower fields and the grass garden just as the sun was setting for the day. Everything was just picture-perfect!

Thank You!

Katharine + Zach, thank you so much for working with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer. I’ve had such a great time getting to know you. I am so excited for your big day next summer!

Take a look at a fall Arboretum engagement, a winter Arboretum engagement, and another summer Arboretum engagement session I’ve captured too! If you’re planning for MN Landscape Arboretum engagement or wedding photography, contact me soon!

Bonus: Take a look at Katharine + Zach’s slideshow too!

Mill City Museum, Guthrie Theater + Gold Medal Park Engagement Photos | Wittne + Scott

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Mill City Museum Engagement Session

Wittne + Scott were in the midst of planning for their upcoming fall 2019 wedding. Being that we were in our typical early spring, they wanted to have an engagement session that had options for both indoor and outdoor photos. They loved the look of the gorgeous Mill City Museum, so we chose to work there. I had so much fun with their Mill City Museum engagement photos!

The day arrived and we were so excited. The weather had been unseasonably warm, and it was going to be a beautiful sunny day, so we were so excited that we could work in both locations! We spent the first half of our time in the beautiful Mill City Museum. We had lots of fun and laughs as we meandered around the weekday afternoon quiet of the historic building. Once we had our fill, we decided to head to the back of the museum, facing the Mississippi River.

We started at the back of the Mill City Museum, then detoured over to the back of the Guthrie Theater for some classic photos of the two of them by the large blue back wall. These locations are always stunning!

Gold Medal Park Engagement Photos

After we finished up with the architectural building photos, Wittne + Scott were excited to spend a bit of time at Gold Medal Park for some views over the city and river. We headed to the top of the hill at the park’s center for some beautiful photos with the trees and with the city skyline. Such a fun day!

Thank You!

Thank you so much, Wittne + Scott, for working with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer. I am so happy for you both, and can’t wait for your wedding day coming up later this year!

BONUS: Take a look at another spring Mill City Museum engagement session and winter Mill City Museum engagement photos too! Also be sure to check out a beautiful Mill City Museum wedding with Guthrie Theater Gold Medal Park portraits that I captured too!

Take a look at Wittne + Scott’s slideshow too!

Como Conservatory Engagement Photos | Sarah + Eric

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Como Conservatory Engagement Session

Sarah + Eric live in Chicago. They are planning for their Mill City Museum in Minneapolis later this summer, and were in town to work on planning and details for their big day. So we made time for their Minneapolis engagement photography while they were here too. Since it was winter, and a bitterly cold time of year at that, they loved the idea of working at the Como Conservatory.

St Paul Engagement Photography

We started first thing on a busy weekday morning. Sarah + Eric wanted a few photos with their puppy Sage, so we started off outdoors. Sage was so adorable, and was a perfect model, especially considering it was below zero that morning!

After Sage headed home with Sarah’s dad, the three of us ran indoors to the warm, humid Conservatory. The Sunken Garden featured the bright, fun colors of the spring flower show. Bonus: the light that morning was amazing! The filtered sun was perfect – not too harsh or dull. The gorgeous water, greenery, bright flowers and wonderfully humid air really made us feel like we were in the tropics. We worked in the Sunken Garden, Palm Dome and North Garden before our hour was up. When we were finished, we had a short turnaround until Sarah + Eric came to my studio to see their final photos as they were only in town for a couple of days. They loved their photos!

Thank You!

Thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer, Sarah + Eric. I loved working with you both (and Sage too!) I can’t wait to photograph your wedding later this summer!

Be sure to take a look at some of my other spring Como Conservatory engagement photos, winter Como Conservatory engagement photos, and even Como Town engagement photos too!

If you are interested in having a Como Conservatory engagement session, contact me soon to discuss how we could work together!

Take a look at more of Sarah + Eric’s beautiful Como Park Conservatory engagement photos here too!

Mill City Museum + Guthrie Theater Engagement Photos | Alison + Steve

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Mill City Museum Engagement Session

Alison + Steve are in the midst of planning for their upcoming fall 2019 wedding. Because it’s the middle of our chilly Minnesota winter, they wanted to have an engagement session in a location with both indoor and outdoor options, so opted for the gorgeous Mill City Museum. I had so much fun with their Mill City Museum engagement photos!

As is pretty normal for most couples, getting in front of the camera for the first time is never easy. They were a bit nervous starting out, but once they got the hang of it, they were having fun during their session too! We met up during a weekday afternoon while the Mill City Museum was pretty quiet. We had lots of time to wander around, hanging out in the museum’s nooks and crannies and beautiful lobby setting. I particularly love the beautiful light near the back of the museum, the courtyard views, and the light around the stairway and basement. The Mill City Museum has such beautiful architecture and history from Minneapolis’ beginnings. After we spent plenty of time indoors, we opted to head outside for a few photos outside the museum, facing the Mississippi River. It was definitely a typical chilly Minnesota winter day!

Guthrie Theater Engagement Photos

Once we got a bit too cold for more outdoor fun, we headed over to the Guthrie Theater. We started out in the yellow room near the top of the Guthrie. Such a spectacular view of Minneapolis! Once we were done warming up, we headed outside to the back of the theater for a few photos by the beautiful blue siding and green shrubs. Another building with spectacular architecture!

Thank You!

Thank you so much, Alison + Steve, for working with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer. I am so happy for the two of you, and so excited for your wedding day coming up this fall!

BONUS 1: Take a look at another spring Mill City Museum engagement session, a spring Mill City Museum + Gold Medal Park engagement session, and another winter Mill City Museum engagement photos too!

BONUS 2: Check out a beautiful Mill City Museum wedding with Guthrie Theater portraits that I captured too!

Take a look at their slideshow too!

St Olaf College Engagement Photos | Sarah + Ezra

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St Olaf College

Sarah + Ezra met several years ago while attending St Olaf College in Northfield MN. They now live half a country apart for jobs and school, and won’t be moving back to Minnesota until next summer. While they were in town visiting family and planning their wedding, they were excited for the opportunity to photograph their engagement session. Naturally, they gravitated toward the alma mater where they met. Luckily, the rainy fall weather held off long enough for us to have their beautiful St Olaf College engagement session!

St Olaf Engagement Session

We headed down to Northfield on a day with patchy rain. Since they were only in town together very rarely, we had to work no matter what the weather. Luckily, we timed it just right and photographed the two of them in some of their favorite spots on campus between rain clouds. We visited the running fields, a quiet bench overlooking a pond, a few of the gorgeous old buildings, the quad between buildings, a few walking paths, gardens and trails, and even on a spot overlooking downtown Northfield. The umbrellas came out at one point during a slight drizzle, but the rain left as soon as it had appeared. Sarah + Ezra loved visiting their old stomping grounds. A perfect fit while they are in the midst of planning for their big day. We had so much fun!

Thank You!

Thank you so much, Sarah + Ezra, for working with me as your Minneapolis wedding photographer! I had so much fun working with you for your beautiful St Olaf engagement photos, and I am so excited for your wedding next year!

If you are considering St Olaf College engagement photos, contact me soon to see if we’d be a good fit together!

BONUS 1: Check out Sarah + Ezra’s gorgeous Semple Mansion wedding photos too!

BONUS 2: Take a look at a beautiful St Olaf College wedding I photographed too!

Take a look at their awesome slide show too!

Stillwater MN Engagement Photos | Anna + Adam

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Stillwater Engagement Photography

Anna + Adam were former residents of Minnesota before moving to their current home of Chicago. They planned to get married back in MN to be near family and friends. When they thought about where in MN they wanted to take their engagement photos, the beautiful Twin Cities suburb of Stillwater came to mind. It’s such a cute, quaint town set amongst the trees along the St Croix river. When they mentioned to me their interest in having Stillwater engagement photography, I was so excited! I love Stillwater too, and I would finally have the chance to work at a location I had always hoped to visit: the St Croix Boom Site.

St Croix River

We started their mid-fall prewedding session at Pioneer Park. The park is on a high bluff that has a spectacular view over the gorgeous river and architecture of Stillwater. It’s surrounded by beautiful old Victorian homes, quaint streets and brick buildings.

After we spent some time there, we headed over to the St Croix Boom Site for a walk below the bluffs, cliffs and caves down by the water’s edge. Our options for walking around there were slightly reduced as the river flooding had not yet fully subsided. It’s been a rainy summer and fall for us!

After the fun at the Boom Site, we headed in to downtown Stillwater to work around the river walk and vintage buildings. Again, the actual river walk was still under water, but we were still able to catch a few photos of them nearby.

Thank You!

Thank you so much, Anna + Adam, for choosing to work with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer! I loved working with you for your beautiful Stillwater engagement photos. I am so excited for your winter Hamline Church and Semple Mansion wedding!

Make sure to take a look at my Stillwater wedding photography and Pioneer Park wedding photography too!

ETA: Check out Anna + Adam’s gorgeous Semple Mansion wedding photos too!

Considering a Stillwater wedding or engagement session? Contact me soon to see if we would be a great fit together!

Check out their slideshow for more fun images from Anna + Adam’s Stillwater engagement session!

Mill City Museum Engagement Photography | Danielle + Emmanuel

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Beautiful Mill City Museum Engagement Photos

Danielle + Emmanuel wanted a Mill City Museum engagement photography session to capture some beautiful images of the two of them to celebrate their engagement. Their wedding will be held in the Dominican Republic, so it was perfect to have their engagement photos held in Minneapolis, where they live. Being that it was winter, they were hoping for a nice (and warm!) indoor space. They loved the idea of the modern, rustic elegance of the Mill City Museum.

Minneapolis Engagement Session

We visited the Mill City Museum on a quiet weekday afternoon. A few spots in the museum were closed for the winter (such as the beautiful rustic courtyard and train depot), but the rest of the museum was open to us. Danielle + Emmanuel quickly got into the groove of having a photographer direct them around and capture their every move. While the museum is small, there are a ton of nooks, angles and views that make for great photo backdrops. Even though it was winter, the weather was a bit warm that day. We not only got to spend a fair amount of time working throughout the museum, but we also were able to head outdoors to the back side of the museum. Even though it was a little chilly, the two of them were easily able to spend time together without coats.

Thank You!

Thank you so much, Danielle + Emmanuel, for choosing to work with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer. I had a great time getting to know you and seeing your love for one another. I wish you the best of luck on your amazing Dominican Republic wedding! (And best of luck with finishing school too Danielle!)

BONUS 1: Take a look at Alison + Steve’s Mill City Museum engagement photos, Wittne + Scott’s Mill City + Gold Medal Park engagement photos, and Katie + Bob’s Mill City Museum engagement session too! If you are interested in having a Mill City Museum engagement session, contact me soon to discuss how we could work together!

BONUS 2: Check out a beautiful Mill City Museum wedding with Guthrie Theater portraits that I captured too!

Take a look at more of Danielle + Emmanuel’s beautiful Mill City Museum engagement photos here too!

Como Conservatory Engagement Photos | Brittany + Danny

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Beautiful Como Conservatory Engagement Session

Brittany + Danny are engaged and planning for their wedding next year. The only tough part about their situation? Danny lives in Minneapolis, while Brittany lives in Seattle! Brittany is planning to move here with Danny this summer. Brittany was in town recently for a few job interviews. So we made time for their Minneapolis engagement photography. Since it was winter, they loved the idea of working at Como Conservatory.

St Paul Engagement Session

We started first thing on a busy weekend morning. The light was pretty cooperative that day. I love diffused clouds and filtered sun. The beautiful water features, flowers and trees under the glass conservatory are so stunning when we have such beautiful light! The gorgeous water, greenery, and wonderfully humid air really makes you feel like you are in the tropics. It seems to be the furthest thing from Minnesota. That makes it even more awesome, especially with our cold winters!

By the time we were finished, the two of them were pros at acting naturally in front of the camera. I know it’s a challenge when starting any photo session. Once they got in their groove, I could have spent all day with them! When we were finished, we had a short turnaround until they came to see their final photos. (Brittany had to leave town to go back home in just a few days.) They decided to order an engagement photo album. I can’t wait to see it in person when it’s delivered from Graphistudio in Italy!

Thank You!

Thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your Minneapolis engagement photographer, Brittany + Danny. I loved getting to work with you both (and Gloria too!) I wish you the best on your wedding – whichever location you decide upon. And congrats on your new job here in Minneapolis, Brittany!

Be sure to take a look at some of my other spring Como Conservatory engagement photos, indoor winter Como Conservatory engagement photos, outdoor winter Como Conservatory engagement photos, and even Como Town engagement photos too!

If you are interested in having a Como Conservatory engagement session, contact me soon to discuss how we could work together!

Take a look at more of Brittany + Danny’s beautiful Como Park Conservatory engagement photos here too!

Engagement Photo Ideas | Minneapolis Photographer Carina Photographics

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Awesome Engagement Photo Ideas

One common question I receive from my couples is how to plan their engagement sessions. They are often unsure where to go or what to do. Today I’m going to talk more about engagement photo ideas. I’ve got options that will help spark ideas to plan your own engagement session.

Personalize Your Engagement Session

My biggest piece of advice is to select locations or activities that are meaningful to you. This will almost always result in better images. When considering options, think about how you like to spend time together. Also think about activities and locations you both enjoy. If you select something important to you both, then you are well on your way to creating a memorable experience. Engagement sessions last around 1-2 hours, depending on the location and activity. When outdoors, we generally work in the last two hours before sunset. When indoors, we can work almost any time.

Some location and activity ideas include:
> A favorite park
> A beer brewery or winery
> An art museum
> The college campus where you met
> Riding a rented trolley, canoe or boat
> A fair or carnival with rides
> A destination or public garden
> A picnic in a park or by a river
> A barn
> A bowling alley
> An antique store
> Ice or roller skating
> A playground
> A baseball field

How to Use Your Engagement Photos

An engagement session is your chance to practice in front of a camera. The photos we capture are perfect for Save-the-Date announcements, Guest Books, Engagement Albums or Gift Prints. They are often cherished by couples simply because they showcase the two of you spending time together. You are often enjoying an activity without wedding day formality. Couples can really have fun with their engagement photography!

As a Minneapolis engagement photographer, I am available to give advice for engagement sessions. Contact me if you have any questions, or if you’d like to work together for your engagement session.

Also, read on for more information about working with me for your Engagement Photography.