ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography | Robin + Paul

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos

The day was upon us. We could *finally* go through with Robin + Paul’s winter Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session after continually delaying it for almost a month. Why the delays? Because even though we live in the mega-snowy state of Minnesota, we had NO snow! Zip. Zilch. Not a flake! We were hoping to get some beautiful snowy engagement photos at the ever-amazing MN Landscape Arboretum. So when we finally had a couple of snow days (I believe it was only a mere 4-5 inches or so) we jumped at the chance!

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Session

Robin + Paul were so much fun to work with. From Paul’s cute one-liners and jokes, to Robin’s infectious laughter, we had such an awesome time together! They brought in some great props and some of their own fun ideas to the mix as well. We ended up spending almost two hours together! The two ways we knew our session was coming to an end: first, the sun was setting (treating us to an awesome sunset) so we were losing light fast; and second, we all started to notice that, as the sun was going down, we were getting reeeeealllly cold.

Robin + Paul, thank you so much for working with me as your engagement photographer! The Arboretum under a fresh snowfall was such a beautiful backdrop. And of course, you guys are SO adorable together. I am so excited to be working with you, and can’t wait for your big day later this summer!

If you’re planning for a Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session, contact me soon to find out how we could work together!

BONUS: Take a look at Robin + Paul’s gorgeous summer Minnesota Landscape Arboretum wedding photos too!

EXTRA BONUS: Be sure to take a look at additional engagement sessions I photographed at the MN Landscape Arboretum, including a summer engagement session, a winter light sculpture engagement session, another summer engagement session, an autumn engagement session, another autumn Arboretum engagement session, and even an Arboretum engagement session at the dog park!

Watch Robin + Paul’s highlight video to see more images too:

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography | Jesse + Ashley

By Joanna Carina

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos

“A willow tree. Do you know of any places that have a willow tree?”

“Why yes, of course I do. Why don’t we plan on having Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement photos?”

So went my conversation with Jesse + Ashley when talking about ideas for their engagement photos. They were really drawn toward willow trees, but they are not always easy to find! So we instantly settled on having a gorgeous Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session. You cannot get much better than that!

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Session

We were so lucky to have a beautiful early fall afternoon to spend our time at the Arboretum. The weather was perfect with awesome temps. There were just a few clouds that appeared to be painted in the sky. The fall colors were absolutely spectacular. I had some ideal spots already picked out, so we were able to travel between each location quickly. Even without the photos, it was fun wandering through the beautiful fields and among the trees and gardens. We made sure to spend enough time out by the willow trees of the Arboretum, as that was on the top of Jesse + Ashley’s favorites list. We even got a quick session in the hedge maze. The sun was setting in the west as we finished our last location.

Thank You!

Jesse + Ashley, thank you so much for hiring me as your engagement photographer. I loved working with you for your spectacular Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement photos. Best of luck on your big day. I wish you every happiness in your new lives together!

Thinking about having a Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session? Contact me soon to find out how we could work together!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at additional engagement sessions I photographed at the MN Landscape Arboretum, including a summer engagement session, a winter light sculpture engagement session, another summer engagement session, an autumn engagement session, a winter Landscape Arboretum engagement session, and even an Arboretum engagement session at the dog park!

Take a look at Jesse + Ashley’s highlight video here:

Stone Arch Bridge Engagement Photography | Kim + Lucas

By Joanna Carina

Stone Arch Bridge Engagement Photos

When Kim and Lucas first started planning for their engagement photography, they decided to go to the Stone Arch Bridge. They loved the beauty of the old stonework and archways of the bridge, as well as the city buildings. I absolutely love to create Father Hennepin Bluff Park prewedding photography. It’s so awesome working right next to the Stone Arch Bridge among the trees, trails, wooden bridges, and the river’s edge. Kim and Lucas were more than happy to spend our session at Father Hennepin Bluff Park when I told them how perfect it was for them!

Father Hennepin Bluff Park Engagement Photos

We visited the park on a late weekday afternoon. The weather was perfect and the park was nearly empty – lucky us! We had plenty of time to wander around the trails, bridges, stairways and beach. It was fun chatting and laughing and getting cute photos of the two of them spending time together. We had a great time, and our session seemed to be over in a flash (or at least until the sun went down and it was practically dark outside lol!) The two of them were even able to head out afterward to a nearby restaurant and enjoy a lovely, romantic dinner.

Thank You!

Kim and Lucas, I had such a great time working with you on your engagement photography. Thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your engagement photographer. And of course, I am so excited for your Aria Minneapolis wedding photos next year – it’s going to be awesome!

If you’re planning for Stone Arch Bridge or Father Hennepin Park engagement or prewedding photography, contact me soon!

Take a look at more of my Stone Arch Bridge and Father Hennepin Bluff Park engagement sessions too!
Courtney + Blake
Chantel + Quinn
Alyssa + Dave
Lindsey + Bernie
Stephanie + Travis

Take a look at the highlight video for more images here:

Mill Ruins Park Engagement Photography | Chris + Antonio

By Joanna Carina

Mill Ruins Park Engagement Photos

There is something so sweet about these two. The glances. Cute jokes. The time when Antonio pretended to almost push Chris into the river, causing them to burst out in the most infectious laughter until we were all crying. Yeah, these guys are awesome. Definitely my kind of people! I am so excited to be able to photograph their wedding next summer at the Landmark Center in downtown St Paul.

LGBT Engagement Photos

When deciding on their engagement session location, Chris + Antonio decided they wanted Mill Ruins Park engagement photos near downtown Minneapolis. And of course, why not? It’s a perfect mix of vintage stone structures in a grand natural setting. Old stone and ironwork ruins, grasses and wildflowers, an amazing riverfront, and the stunning Stone Arch Bridge all encapsulated in one location. It’s pretty spectacular!

Minneapolis Engagement Photos

They spent lots of time wandering around beautiful Mill Ruins Park so we could find gorgeous points to photograph the them together. We photographed among the stone and iron ruins and the wildflower fields, as well as down by the river and under the Stone Arch Bridge. We had such an amazing experience cracking jokes, laughing and getting to know each other! Our session seemed to be over in a flash.

Chris + Antonio visited my studio to see their final photos and choose their favorites. They had such a tough time choosing among all the options! They settled on a number of favorite images to use for an engagement photo album and wall art. I can’t wait to see everything in final print. I know it will look absolutely amazing!

Thank You!

Chris + Antonio, thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your engagement photographer. I had such a great time working with you. I’m so excited for your wedding next year. It will be tough to wait until August!

If you’re planning for Mill Ruins Park engagement or prewedding photography, contact me soon!

ETA: Check out Chris + Antonio’s gorgeous Landmark Center wedding photos too!

Bauhaus Brew Labs Engagement Photography | Toni + Chris

By Joanna Carina

Bauhaus Brew Labs Engagement Photography

Toni + Chris love spending time together at local beer breweries. They particularly loved the design of the Bauhaus Brew Labs building in NE Minneapolis. It seemed an obvious choice to work with them to create Bauhaus Brew Labs engagement photos. They were excited to spend their session here.

Bauhaus Brew Labs opened in the former Crown Iron Works building in NE Minneapolis. Crown produced iron equipment for the US during WWII. The brewery was named after the Bauhaus School which, from the brewery’s website, “was among the world’s most famous art and design schools. A crucible of modernism, the impact of the Bauhaus can still be felt today. The Bauhaus was inspiring not just because of the extraordinary group of brilliant, visionary people involved. But [also] because it was fueled by a commitment to creativity and experimentation with the underlying tenet that work, play and celebration should be intertwined.” Being a former graphic design student, I was very aware of the importance of the Bauhaus School. It was a treat for me to be able to work at a brewery that was so inspired by modern design!

Minneapolis Engagement Photography

We spent their engagement session at Bauhaus sipping beer and hanging out, both inside and outside. Toni + Chris enjoyed some quiet moments and even a few cuddles. They had a chance to play a few rounds of beanbag toss on the shaded patio. After their Bauhaus session, we hopped over to Boom Island Park to capture a few photos with the Minneapolis skyline in the background. It was such a gorgeous spring day with the perfect breeze. We had an amazing time!

Thank You!

Toni + Chris, thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your engagement photographer. I am also so excited for your wedding next summer! Congratulations!

If you’re planning for a Bauhaus Brew Labs (or other brewery) engagement or prewedding photography session, contact me soon!

BONUS 1: Take a look at Toni + Chris’ beautiful Minneapolis Club wedding photos as well!

BONUS 2: Also take a look at a beer brewery engagement session and a brewery wedding reception I photographed, too!

Bryant Lake Park Engagement Photography | Lauren + Wes

By Joanna Carina

Bryant Lake Regional Park Engagement Photography

I can honestly say I’d never done an outdoor early spring engagement photography session before working with Lauren + Wes. Either the land was too brown and muddy, or they chose a different time of year. So when Lauren + Wes decided on Bryant Lake Regional Park prewedding photography in early April, I had no idea what to expect. Bryant Lake Park is one of the Three Rivers Parks District parks. I live very close to another Three Rivers Park, Silverwood. I have photographed there numerous times and I love it soooooo much. So it was awesome to find that Bryant Lake Park felt pretty similar. I was not disappointed!

Three Rivers Parks District Engagement Photography

From the beautiful sunset, to the loons calling on the lake, we had such an amazing time! The light snow over the winter meant the grasses were still rich, gold, and abundant. Even the lack of leaves on the trees did not disappoint. They made for amazing structure and texture in many of our images. And the sky cooperated as well. A misty sun and touches of blue peeked through textured clouds. Very moody and dramatic light! The park had a very renowned disc golf course, and since Lauren + Wes were avid disc golfers, we even spent some time taking photos of them with one of their favorite pastimes, too.

Thank You!

Thank you so much for choosing to work with me as your engagement photographer, Lauren + Wes! I had so much fun with your Bryant Lake Regional Park engagement photography. I am so happy for you both, and so excited for your big day!

If you are thinking about a Bryant Lake Regional Park engagement photography, contact me to discuss how we could work together!

ETA: Take a look at Lauren + Wes’ beautiful Rum River Barn & Vineyard wedding photos too!

Check out the highlight video showing more images from their Bryant Lake Regional Park engagement session:

Como Conservatory Engagement Photography | Dustin + Nicole

By Joanna Carina

Como Conservatory Engagement Photography

Living in Minnesota, I believe we are incredibly lucky to have a place like the Como Conservatory in St Paul. It’s an amazing place to visit during our long, cold Minnesota winters. Spending an hour or two amongst the beautiful trees, plants, flowers and HUMIDITY can really make you feel like you went on a mini tropical vacation. So whenever someone wants to consider photographing during our winter or very early spring, I always advocate paying a visit there. Luckily, when I mentioned it to Dustin and Nicole for their engagement photos, they were excited to try it out!

St Paul Engagement Photography

We visited on a blustery cold day in March. Dustin and Nicole hadn’t visited the Como Conservatory in many years. They were so happy with how beautiful everything was. There are endless photo opportunities – tropical plants, blooming flowers, palm trees, ferns, pools and waterfalls. Dustin and Nicole were happy to go with the flow. We happened to visit at a point when there weren’t quite as many visitors as normal, so we had many of the ideal spots to ourselves. The two of them have so much fun together. It made for an awesome session!

Thank You!

Dustin and Nicole, I am so happy you chose to work with me on your Como Conservatory engagement photos. I cannot wait for your Bohemian Flats wedding in June! Best of luck with your wedding planning!

If you’re thinking of having a Como Conservatory engagement session, contact me soon. I’d love to discuss how we could work together!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at some other engagement sessions I photographed at Como Park, including a spring engagement session, a winter engagement session, another spring engagement session, another winter engagement session, a summer engagement session, another spring engagement session, another summer engagement session, an anniversary portrait session, and even a Como Town Amusement Park engagement session!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography | Sam + Bryan

By Joanna Carina

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photos

Being that my one of my first photography loves was landscape photography, I was looking forward to the day that someone hired me to create MN Landscape Arboretum engagement photos. My dream was realized last fall with Sam + Bryan’s engagement photos! The biggest challenge of that location is being able to narrow down the areas you want to work. There are acres upon acres of spectacular settings. We ended up spending a couple of hours. I could have easily spent a couple more, except for the fact that Sam + Bryan had reached their modeling limit for the day! lol

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Session

Sam + Bryan – thank you so much for hiring me as your engagement photographer. I wish you a lifetime of happiness, smiles, laughter and love together. Best of luck on your big day!

Planning a Minnesota Landscape Arboretum engagement session? Contact me soon to discuss how we could work together!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at additional engagement sessions I photographed at the MN Landscape Arboretum, including a summer engagement session, a winter light sculpture engagement session, another summer engagement session, an autumn engagement session, a winter Landscape Arboretum engagement session, another autumn Arboretum engagement session, and even an Arboretum engagement session at the dog park!

Watch their highlight video for more images from their beautiful session:

Lebanon Hills Park Engagement Photography | Deb + Bryan

By Joanna Carina

Lebanon Hills Park Engagement Photography

After spending just a couple of hours with Deb and Bryan this past fall on their Lebanon Hills Regional Park engagement photos, my cheeks were sore from so much laughing. They are the cutest couple, full of non-stop jokes, wit and one-liners. Definitely my kind of people!

St Paul Engagement Photography

We spent a beautiful mid-fall afternoon at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan MN. The beautiful light and spectacular beauty of the natural environment surrounded us. The park had trails and hills, including our “Little House on the Prairie” hill. (The two of them recreated the show intro by running down as fast as they could.) Even though we were nearing the end of peak fall color, we still had some beautiful golds and oranges as well as tall grasses to warm our images. We lucked out with perfect weather on top of it all!

Three Rivers Park Engagement Photography

Deb + Bryan also included some images highlighting the dueling Michigan/Michigan State football rivalry in their household. The two of them also cracked out a pair of toy Star Wars light sabers and held a mock duel on the trail too. I later discovered that was foreshadowing of things to come on their wedding day!

Thank You!

Deb and Bryan, I had so much fun with your Lebanon Hills Regional Park engagement photos. I am so happy for you both and had so much fun as your engagement photographer! Oh, and I have big expectations for your wedding cake too! ;^)

If you’re planning for Lebanon Hills Regional Park engagement or prewedding photography, contact me soon. I would love to discuss how we could work together!

ETA: Take a peek at Deb + Bryan’s beautiful Cedarhurst Mansion wedding photos too!

Lyndale Park Peace Garden Engagement Photography | Jaime + Jordon

By Joanna Carina

Lyndale Peace Garden Engagement Photography

“Plans have changed. We won’t be getting married in Minnesota after all. We’re moving!”

A few weeks prior I had received an initial inquiry from Jaime asking more about my wedding and engagement photography. When I did not hear back from her for a few weeks, I figured she must have moved on, but then the email several weeks later from her explained the silence. They were moving very suddenly out of state for a job transfer, so we went from discussing wedding photography to engagement photography, and how fast could we get it done!

Minneapolis Engagement Photography

We decided to work on Lyndale Peace Garden engagement photos, which is always a spectacular location. Since they lived very nearby, and got engaged right in the park, it was the perfect spot! We spiced it up a bit by photographing first thing in the morning. With a fresh rain and low clouds giving way to a bright morning sun and perfect late summer temps, the park was even more amazing!

Thank You!

Congratulations on your engagement, Jaime and Jordon! I had so much fun working at the Lyndale Peace Garden as your engagement photographer. I wish you the best of luck settling into your new home and starting your new life together!

If you’re planning for Lyndale Peace Garden engagement or prewedding photography, contact me soon to discuss how we could work together!

BONUS: Take a look at a Peace Garden wedding, as well as another Peace Garden engagement session that I photographed too!