Proposal Photography Saint Paul MN | Jack + Natalie

Proposal Photography Como Park

If you’re interested in proposal photography in St Paul MN, there is no setting more romantic and iconic than the breathtaking Como Park Conservatory. With its lush gardens, historic glass dome, and year-round natural beauty, the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory creates the perfect backdrop for surprise proposal photography that feels timeless, elegant, and personal. As a St Paul MN proposal photographer, I specialize in discreetly capturing the exact moment you ask the most important question of your life—preserving authentic reactions, joyful tears, and the first moments of your engagement in stunning, heirloom-worthy photographs you will treasure forever.

Jack hired me to photograph his proposal to Natalie at St Paul’s Como Conservatory. After we held a few phone discussions and made plans, Jack brought Natalie to the Conservatory’s Sunken Garden on a sunny autumn afternoon, where I was hiding and waiting to photograph. I captured photos of Jack’s proposal and their celebration before Natalie even knew I was there. We then spent some time photographing them in the gorgeous Sunken Garden and the stunning Palm Dome before heading outdoors for a few last minute photos of them outside the Conservatory building. They headed out for a celebratory dinner afterward.

Thank You!

Jack + Natalie, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful Marjorie McNeely Conservatory Sunken Garden proposal! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture your own Como Conservatory proposal photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other proposals I photographed at Como Park too, including an autumn Marjorie McNeely Conservatory proposal, Como Sunken Garden proposal, a spring Como proposal, a winter Como Park proposal, another spring Como Park proposal, and another autumn Conservatory proposal.

Engagement Photographer St Paul MN | Bill + Morgan

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Dog Engagement Photography

Bill + Morgan hired me to photograph their autumn wedding day ceremony and reception. They also decided to include an engagement session as they were hoping in particular to include their sweet pup Newton in some portraits since he would be unable to attend their big day, and he is an important member of the family! So we decided to capture photos of them at Como Park and include little Newton in the fun.

We met up for an engagement session at Como on a beautiful summer afternoon, and Newton was such a champ! He loved being included as they took him on a walk in a new park, and then he hung out patiently and watched his humans get photos taken of themselves together too. We captured their portraits at the Lily Pond area as well as the Hamm Memorial Waterfall near the Como Lakeside Pavilion by Como Lake. The session flew by and we were done before we knew it. I sent a gallery shortly afterward with a number of beautiful photos of Bill + Morgan, as well as portraits including Newton, to cherish forever!

Thank You!

Bill + Morgan, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful engagement portraits! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would like to work with me for your own engagement photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other engagement sessions I photographed too, including a winter Como Park Conservatory engagement session, spring Como Park engagement photos, summer Como Park engagement photos, another summer Como Park engagement session, and even MN Landscape Arboretum winter lights engagement photos!

BONUS 2: Watch this space for Bill + Morgan’s wedding day blog, coming soon!

Engagement Studio Photography | Baylee + Thomas

By Joanna Carina

Engagement Studio Photography

I talked with Baylee one afternoon about how much she wanted to have beautiful photos taken of her and her fiancé Thomas. Thomas had surprised Baylee by proposing to her at the airport when she arrived back into town – in baggage claim no less! We talked about their wedding colors (red and blue) and the plans they were making for their big day. She really wanted some beautiful artwork in their home to remind themselves of each other, and to celebrate joining their lives together. They both really liked the idea of studio portraits so they were more timeless, so they scheduled a session to capture their photos at my studio.

They arrived late one winter morning for their photoshoot, and were both so excited to capture their photos together as a couple. We worked together to capture some cute photos of the two of them, and then we met up afterward so they could choose their favorite photos. They ended up designing a wall canvas triptych as well as ordering a handful of other fine art prints to frame and enjoy around their home.

Thank You!

Baylee + Thomas, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful studio engagement portraits! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture your own studio engagement photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other engagements I photographed too, including another studio engagement session, Como Park Conservatory engagement photos, and MN Landscape Arboretum winter lights engagement photos!

Como Conservatory Sunken Garden Proposal Photos | Kevin + Jeanna

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photographer

I received a call one afternoon from Kevin. He and his girlfriend Jeanna, who currently lived in North Dakota, were planning to travel to Minnesota to attend a friend’s wedding. While on their trip, Kevin planned to propose to Jeanna. Kevin searched around online and discovered the Como Conservatory Sunken Garden as a venue for his proposal. I was so excited to work with them!

The two of them were planning to make a vacation of their time in the Twin Cities. Kevin planned to bring Jeanna to the Conservatory before they headed out to dinner in St Paul on a weekday evening. I was there early and when they arrived, I hid in the Palm Dome so neither would see me. Kevin walked Jeanna to the end of the Sunken Garden and proposed at the top of the landing. They were so happy! We had plenty of time afterward for more photos of them inside the Sunken Garden, and then headed outdoors for some photos along the grounds of Como Park before they headed off to their celebratory dinner.

Thank You!

Kevin + Jeanna, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful Como Conservatory proposal! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture your own Como Conservatory proposal photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other proposals I photographed at Como Park too, including an autumn Como Conservatory proposal, a spring Como proposal, a winter Como Park proposal, another spring Como Park proposal, and an autumn Conservatory proposal.

Landscape Arboretum Winter Lights Engagement Photography | Jackie + John

By Joanna Carina

MN Landscape Arboretum Engagement Photography

Jackie + John were so excited for their 2023 MN Landscape Arboretum wedding. Their wedding concept includes stars and galaxies, so they wanted lights and stars included in their theme and decor. When they considered taking engagement photos, they loved the idea of the Winter Lights show at the Arboretum to reflect that beautiful stars and lights theme. I loved it too, so we made plans for an amazing session!

Winter Lights Arboretum Portraits

We made reservations for a beautiful mild winter evening at the Arb. The Winter Lights show was absolutely stunning! We walked through the maze of lights, and had tons of fun capturing the two of them enjoying their time as well. Luckily, the day was relatively warm, and the moon and stars were out – everything was so gorgeous. We walked the entire maze of lights and spent time with all of the beautiful sculptures and light artwork. We even went back to a few of them multiple times so we could make sure to capture several options for them. When the photos were ready, they were blown away and so excited by their photos.

Thank You!

Jackie + John, thank you so much for working with me for your engagement photography! I had so much fun enjoying the Arboretum’s gorgeous Winter Lights display with you. I am so excited for your big day coming up later this year!

If you are considering a MN Landscape Arboretum engagement session, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to take a look at additional engagement sessions I photographed at the MN Landscape Arboretum, including a summer 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!

Como Park Anniversary Photography | LaDonna + Eric

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Couple’s Photography

LaDonna gave me a call me one early spring day and wanted a photoshoot to celebrate her 10 year anniversary with her husband Eric. Their wedding photos were taken during a rainy windy day, so they never had a chance to get great portraits of the two of them together. They enjoyed spending time outdoors and especially loved beautiful, natural gardens and parks. I proposed Como Park for their anniversary portraits, and they loved the idea. It’s such a beautiful location, and one of my favorite parks in the Twin Cities area!

Como Conservatory Anniversary Portraits

The day came and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was just warming up and a number of beautiful spring flowers were in bloom. We had so much fun wandering around in front of the Conservatory, the Enchanted Garden, and the Frog Pond and pergola. We had a great time photographing the two of them – they were full of laughs and just had a ball!

Once their portraits were complete, they came out to my photo studio to review and choose their favorite photos, and then ordered an heirloom photo album. It is truly stunning!

Thank You!

LaDonna + Eric, thank you so much for working with me for your anniversary photography! I had so much fun working with you two. And I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!

If you are considering Como Park and/or Conservatory proposal, anniversary or engagement photos, contact me soon!

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, and even a Como Town Amusement Park engagement session!

Como Park Engagement Photography | Ferlyn + Neal

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Engagement Photos

Ferlyn called me one day and wanted to work together for her engagement portraits with her fiancé Neal. They were outdoorsy and wanted to photograph somewhere with beautiful, natural gardens and grounds. I was so excited that they settled on Como Park for their engagement portraits. It’s such a beautiful location, and one of my favorite parks in the Twin Cities!

Como Conservatory Engagement Portraits

The day came and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was just warming up and a number of beautiful spring flowers were in bloom. We had so much fun wandering around in front of the Conservatory, the Enchanted Garden, and the Frog Pond and pergola. Ferlyn’s sister came along for moral support as well as helping as my photo assistant lol!

Once their portraits were complete, they came out to my photo studio to review and choose their favorite photos, and then order their heirloom artwork. They settled on a beautiful Graphistudio portrait album and prints.

Thank You!

Ferlyn + Neal, thank you so much for working with me for your engagement photography! I had so much fun working with you two. And I am so excited to see your stunning portrait artwork in person!

If you are considering Como Park and/or Conservatory proposal or engagement photos, contact me soon!

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 summer engagement session, an anniversary portrait session, and even a Como Town Amusement Park engagement session!

Como Sunken Garden Proposal Photography | Sam + Robyn

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photography

I received a call one afternoon from Sam. He lived in North Carolina, and he and his girlfriend Robyn were planning to travel to Minnesota in December to visit with Sam’s extended family. While on their trip, he planned to propose to Robyn, and he loved the Como Conservatory Sunken Garden venue. I was so excited to work with them!

Sam decided to bring Robyn to the Conservatory before they headed out to dinner in Minneapolis. I was there early, and when they arrived, I pretended to be a random person photographing flowers. Sam walked Robyn to the end of the Sunken Garden and proposed at the top of the landing. Robyn was shocked! She stood with mouth agape for quite awhile, then reached over and gave Sam a big kiss! They were so adorable! They finally turned toward me and I yelled out “surprise!” and we all had a good laugh. We then had extra time afterward for more photos of them inside the Sunken Garden, and then headed outdoors for some photos along the grounds of Como Park before they headed off to their celebratory dinner.

Thank You!

Sam + Robyn, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful proposal photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture Como Conservatory proposal photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other proposals I photographed at Como Park too, including an autumn Como Conservatory proposal, a spring Como proposal, a summer Como Park proposal, another spring Como Park proposal, and an autumn Conservatory proposal.

Sunken Garden Como Park Proposal Photography | Khoi + Linh

By Joanna Carina

Como Park Conservatory Proposal Photography

I received a call one afternoon from Khoi. He lived in Florida, and he and his girlfriend Linh were planning to travel to Minnesota in October. While on their trip, he planned to propose to Linh, and he loved the look of a Como Conservatory proposal that he found online. I was so excited to work with them!

Khoi wanted everything to remain absolutely secret until the big moment. So he brought Linh there one afternoon while they were sight-seeing around the area a few days before their friend’s wedding. I even pretended to be just a random person photographing flowers until he walked her to the end of the Sunken Garden and proposed at the top of the landing. She was so surprised! She took a moment with mouth open in shock, then nodded her head furiously in a “YES!” It was so wonderful! Linh even wiped away tears of joy as Khoi led her back down the path and I introduced myself to her, and his whole plan was revealed. We then had extra time afterward for more photos of them inside the Sunken Garden, and then headed outdoors for some photos along the grounds of Como Park before they headed off to a celebratory dinner.

Thank You!

Khoi + Linh, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful proposal photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I wish you the best in your new life together!

If you would love to capture Como Conservatory proposal photography, contact me soon!

BONUS: Be sure to check out some other proposals I photographed at Como Park too, including an autumn Como Conservatory proposal, a spring Como proposal, a summer Como Park proposal, a winter Como Park proposal, and another spring Como Park proposal.

Waterfall Engagement Photography | Katie + Tom

By Joanna Carina

Waterfall Minneapolis Engagement Photography

Katie + Tom were engaged and decided they wanted engagement photos. We talked about ideas on the phone for a bit, and I learned more about their love of nature and all things outdoors. We decided to head over to Willow River, just outside of Minneapolis, to capture them hiking in nature as well as spending time in the gorgeous waterfall. They loved the idea!

After a few rescheduling dates due to crazy Minnesota weather (as well as smog from wildfires) we were finally able to meet for their session on a perfect late summer day. The crowds had died down since the busy summer months, and they were able to spend time doing what they loved best – hiking and spending time together! We worked together for about an hour or so until the sun gave us a spectacular sunset.

After their session, they visited my St Paul studio to review their photos and choose their favorites. They settled on a photo album of their favorite portraits, along with a stunning matted print. Everything was so beautiful, and they were so excited when they saw the final artwork in real life! As usual, all of my artwork is crafted in Italy by Graphistudio, and it was just spectacular.

Thank You!

Katie + Tom, thank you so much for working with me for your beautiful engagement photography! I had so much fun working with you, and I hope you love your album and artwork!

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

If you would love engagement photography featuring hiking, rivers, lakes or waterfalls, contact me soon!