OUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE
Hello! I'm Joanna Carina, a wedding photographer based in the Minneapolis-St Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota. My passion is to capture the essence of your special day and tell your love story through beautiful, timeless images.
As a wedding photographer, I understand the importance of capturing the beauty, joy, and emotion of your wedding day. That's why I approach each wedding with a focus on creating an unforgettable experience that will showcase the love and connection you share with your partner.
With my expert use of lighting, composition, and creative direction, I will capture the essence of your wedding day in a way that is truly breathtaking. Each photograph is a work of art, meticulously crafted to showcase your unique personalities, style, and love for one another.
From the initial consultation to the final product, I will guide you through the entire process, ensuring that you feel comfortable, confident, and absolutely stunning in front of the camera. My goal is to create a personalized, luxury photography experience that will leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime.
Join me for a wedding photography experience that is designed to showcase your unique love story in a way that is truly extraordinary. Let's create memories that will last a lifetime and capture the beauty of your special day in a way that will take your breath away. I can't wait to capture your unique love story through my lens!
OUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PROCESS
Working with a Minneapolis wedding photographer can seem like a daunting task. I want to make the process easy for you and will help you every step of the way. Following is a brief "what to expect" to working with Carina Photographics:
STEP 1: First we connect over a phone call. We’ll talk about your wedding vision and ideas for your big day. Once you book, I’lI send info to plan your wedding day timeline with photography in mind.
STEP 2: Prior to your wedding day, we’ll have a final walk-through meeting at your wedding or reception venue to review and plan our your final timeline. I’ll make a note of every event, activity, and formal portrait needed on your big day so you can relax and enjoy the festivities.
STEP 3: The big day has finally arrived, and I’ll be there early to prepare my gear and review our photo locations to make sure everything is ready. As we move through the day, I’ll help us stick to the timeline and keep you updated on how things progress while capturing the spontaneous moments in between.
STEP 4: After your wedding, I’ll professionally edit your photographs before presenting them to you at my St. Paul studio as we relive your wedding day. Your photos will also be presented to you on a flash drive with print rights. We can also discuss heirloom album and artwork options at this time, giving you a wide variety of options so you can remember your wedding day forever.
OUR VENUE FAVORITES
MN LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM, COMO CONSERVATORY, THE LANDMARK CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS CLUB, SEMPLE MANSION
Also make sure to visit our blog to see the wide variety of photographs each couple receives when they work with us for their wedding photography. You will see gorgeous photographs from a wide variety of venues such Day Block Event Center, Minnesota History Center, Paikka, Van Dusen Mansion, Minneapolis Depot, Saint Paul Hotel, Trellis Weddings & Events, Rum River Barn & Vineyard, Cedarhurst Mansion, Kellerman's Event Center, Cottage Winery & Vineyard, Olympic Hills Golf Club, and Mendakota Country Club. We are extremely versatile and can work in a wide variety of venues. We love working in exciting new venues as well as old favorites.
OUR PUBLICATIONS
Our wedding photography has been published in numerous publications, both online and in magazines. A few examples include Minnesota Bride, The Knot, Rustic Wedding Chic, Glamour and Grace, Gay Weddings & Marriage Magazine, and Modern Weddings.
MINNEAPOLIS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER FAQ
Q: HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD WE BOOK? When it comes to securing your preferred dates, I recommend booking your appointment at least 12-18 months in advance. That being said, I understand that life can be unpredictable and last-minute dates may be needed, and I can occasionally fit them in.
Q: WHICH LOCATIONS DO YOU TRAVEL? I have a photo studio in St Paul, and I also have several favorite locations around the Twin Cities that I can photograph. I can travel to you anywhere within the Minneapolis-St Paul Twin Cities metro area, such as Roseville, Lauderdale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, Falcon Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St Paul, South St Paul, Newport, Inver Grove Heights, Eagan, Maplewood, Oakdale, Woodbury, Lake Elmo, Cottage Grove, Afton, Lakeland, Stillwater, Dellwood, White Bear Lake, Mound, Mahtomedi, North St Paul, Little Canada, Vadnais Heights, Arden Hills, Shoreview, New Brighton, Mounds View, Fridley, Columbia Heights, Long Lake, Lakeville, Saint Anthony, Minnetonka, Golden Valley, Saint Louis Park, Edina, Richfield, and Bloomington. I am always open to capturing you in your favorite location too!
Q: WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE? I use professional Canon camera bodies and L-Series lenses, and a full line of portable lighting. I always bring backup equipment as well.
Q: ARE YOU INSURED? Yes, I am fully insured for liability, equipment, etc. If your venue requires a certificate of insurance, just let me know and I will send it directly to them.
Q: DO YOU CHARGE FOR MILEAGE OR HOTEL? I cover the entire 50-mile radius from 55114 free of charge. Beyond that, I charge $1 per mile each way. If your wedding or portrait venue is beyond a two hour drive, I would also request overnight accommodation (preferably at the same hotel you offer to your guests.).
Q: DO YOU HAVE REFERENCES? Absolutely! Let me know if you'd like to speak to any of my former/current clients and I'll send you their contact info. In the meantime, check out online profiles and reviews for personal stories of working together:
Google Reviews
Yelp
Q: HOW DO WE RESERVE YOU AS OUR PHOTOGRAPHER? Once I receive a signed copy of your wedding contract, along with the wedding retainer, your date is booked! Please note that emails or verbal agreements do not guarantee a particular date. It is not unusual for me to receive more than one inquiry for the same date, so it remains open until I receive the fee and contract. The remaining wedding photography balance is due 30 days prior to the wedding. Cash, personal check and credit cards are accepted. Any monies paid are non-refundable in event of cancellation, although can be applied toward a new date or session if one is chosen (as long as I have availability on that date). Pricing subject to change at any time without notice. Once retainer is received, it guarantees pricing at time of booking.
Q: WHEN WOULD WE SEE OUR FINAL PHOTOGRAPHS? Approximately 4-6 weeks after your wedding day, we meet at my St Paul photography studio for a Cinematic Reveal + Design Consultation where we review your photos. You also receive a flash drive of your final photographs, as well as an online gallery to share with family and friends. If you order custom heirloom artwork or albums, we also review samples and material choices during our meeting. I design an initial draft based on your choices and send it to you via email. You are then be free to make edits to the photos and design. Once you approve the design, the files are sent to Italy for production.
About 4–8 weeks after placing your final order, we meet one more time for the delivery appointment where you receive your custom, artisan heirlooms that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. Wall art collections will be hung by my professional artwork installation company.
Q: HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL WE RECEIVE? After your wedding, I will cull images down to "the best-of-the-best." For an average wedding, clients receive around 50-100 final photos per hour of coverage.
Q: DO YOU EDIT ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS? Absolutely! All photos are edited to look like those that you see in my portfolio galleries. Photographs receive a mixture of color balancing, cropping, straightening, and my signature artistry. I want all photos polished and perfected by the time you receive them.
Q: HOW DO YOU SAFEGUARD/STORE OUR PHOTOS? My cameras use two cards. I immediately copy all photos onto my main hard drive after your wedding. The photos are then backed up onto a second drive, as well as to a cloud online backup system. I will maintain copies of all your photos for a minimum of one year after your wedding (usually much longer.) Please note that photo retention is not guaranteed after the initial one year minimum due to unforeseen circumstances (ex. hardware damage, data loss, server malfunction, changing technology, etc.)
Q: WE'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE - WHAT SHOULD WE DO? Contact me! Emails or phone calls are a great way to start the conversation. We could also schedule a consultation at my Minneapolis-St Paul photo studio.
A face-to-face meeting helps us get to know one another. I’d also be happy to show you my portfolio and hear about what you envision for your wedding or portrait photography. When you visit the studio, you can also see our beautiful range of heirloom artwork. In the meantime, take a look at a few articles I wrote about considerations for your wedding photography:
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER HIRING CONSIDERATIONS
WEDDING DAY PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
Contact me soon to discuss working together on your big day!