If you’re reading this - CONGRATS!! That likely means you are recently engaged and are brainstorming fun ideas for your engagement shoot. 🥳💍
There are so many ways to celebrate this time in your life - some folks simply want some nice photos of themselves with their partner. Nothing wild, just something pretty. And there’s nothing wrong with that! You can never have too many pretty photos of when you’re young and in-love, especially since most of our photo collections are just a phone full of poorly-lit selfies.
But I like to encourage couples to have a little fun with their engagement session! The wedding photos to come will be beautiful, no doubt. But these - these photos will show the real YOU. The you you both are right now, on a weeknight. The vibe and style you had at this point in time.
In today’s world, where images are in surplus and everything is ‘content’, it can be tricky to think of a new idea. But the idea doesn’t have to be completely new, as long as it feels special to you! The goal is to create a session that feels perfect for your relationship.
There are a couple good starting points to help brainstorm what might bring that unique spin to your engagement shoot:
1. What location is special to you?
Tying in a location that is special to you and your partner is a great place to start! This could be any range of places - from a restaurant or bar, to a park, a theater, or maybe even your own home!
~ Chris and Sam chose to start their engagement session with cocktails at WA Frost, a local St. Paul restaurant. Not only was this the location of their first date, but this was the exact table they sat at! 🥂 To top it off - they brought maximum style points with Sam in a dusty pink suit coat that matched the pink design in Chris’ sequins dress.
~Leeja and Charlie’s goal for their engagement session, first and foremost, was to enjoy a couple Juicy Lucy burgers at Minneapolis-staple Matt’s Bar. Fun, casual, and perfectly them - they didn’t want to take things too seriously, and also give a nod to a legendary MN dive bar.
~ Beside this being one of this couple’s favorite date spots, Wylie proposed to Lindsey at this very place - the Minneapolis Institute of Art (or MIA, if you’re local). The couple met in college through the theater program, so art plays a huge role in their lives and in their relationship.
*Don’t forget to look into whether your desired location requires a permit to shoot there! Many museums will require one, and you’ll need to call at least a few weeks in advance. But these locations are always beautiful and always worth it!
~ Katie and Greg’s whole wedding vibe was St. Paul centered! They planned to get married in a St. Paul city park and hold their reception at a local brewery. So, of course, it only made sense for their engagement session to be at their favorite swanky little local bar - the Emerald Lounge. Plus, if you’ve got some nerves going into a photoshoot - kicking it off with an old fashioned is never a bad idea! 🥃
~ Though they wouldn’t end up dating until many years later - Michael and Will both attended a performing arts high school located within the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul! A place that tied them together long before they ever dreamed of being married.
If you want to shoot at a location that is a place of business (ie restaurant, bar) - it’s best practice to call and check in ahead with them! They are usually very accommodating, often sharing tips on when might be the best time to come in and shoot (sometimes even allowing you to come in outside of their open hours).
So be sure to make a plan with your photographer on contacting your location ahead of shoot-time!
If you can’t think of a specific location that feels perfect, don’t stress! The next thing to think about is:
2. What is something you love to DO together?
What activity brings joy to you and your partner? A photoshoot doesn’t have to be all smiling and looking at the camera - we love a little action and movement! Add a little fun to the session!
~ Abby and Gary knew that they wanted to incorporate their love for the outdoors and camping in their session! So we packed up a picnic (complete with cocktails and charcuterie), a cribbage board, and built ourselves a campfire! 🔥 What’s more Minnesotan than that??
~ Maria and Ben are lovers of all things games. Board games, deck-building games, you name it. So it only made sense to shoot their engagement session at the local arcade Can Can Wonderland. 🕹️ Complete with classic arcade games, pinball machines, and mini-golf - it’s the perfect location for any game-lover!
~ Eating pizza and playing board games is a go-to for Nicole and Reggie! So we found the cutest pizza shop in the Twin Cities (rip Fire & Nice…) - they got a cute lunch date out of the deal, and I just got to document it! 🍕
~ Late-night hangs at a diner was one of Quynh and Vikram’s favorite things to do while attending college in Minneapolis. So what better way to celebrate their engagement than sharing a milkshake and a basket of fries at the Nicollet Diner! 🍟🍦
~ Ever the lovers of live theater - Sarah and McLean chose the Guthrie Theater to be the home for their engagement session. To make things more perfect, the stairs at this local theater were adorned with the Shakespeare quote “All the world’s a stage”.