Kaitlin and Mike (Post by Desiree)

I first met Kaitlin and Mike over skype!  The two downloaded it for the first time ever just to talk with me and I'm SOOO glad they did. (Thanks guys!)  After discussing whether to meet in Minneapolis or  near the lakes, the stars aligned and last minute we met downtown St. Paul, just blocks from where BOTH Kaitlin and Mike grew up.  We had a real life meeting at the incredibly cool W.A. Frost Restaurant! Right away I could tell that Kaitlin and Mike go hand-in-hand. They're true adventurers with giant hearts and they're FUN.  We spent a couple hours grabbing drinks and exploring the streets before heading to the old water tower where Mike proposed!! I'm excited to photograph their wedding this fall.

Jason and Rodney (Post by Thea)

I found these two handsome guys just north of the Twin Cities a few weeks ago. Over wine and delicious cheese I got a tour of the home they built together and learned their love story. Though they are getting married this August at the Guthrie Theater, Jason and Rodney already have a long history together. They first exchanged vows in Vermont almost 10 years ago. The Guthrie ceremony will make everything official under the new laws of Minnesota and it will be their 10th wedding anniversary. Good stuff. Thanks for letting me be a small part of it all guys!

Tom and Kristen (Post by Thea)

Earlier this Spring, Tom, Kristen and I went out for a sort of encore engagement session. Our first engagement session happened last winter when we did something in studio. But Tom and Kristen have a special place in their hearts for these pups and they wanted to include them in another session. Cedar Lake provided a great backdrop where we could let our hair down and go sans leash. Thank goodness it has warmed up since these photos were taken! Looking forward to seeing you soon Tom and Kristen.  

Adria and Jon (Post by Thea)

Adria and Jon are two of the most sincere and happy people ever. We had a wonderful time goofing around at Como Zoo and Conservatory last week. Well, all was good except a fateful ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl. Ahem, I for one may be getting too old for that and was woozy for hours afterward! But, all in all, Como Park may be one of my favorite places to shoot an engagement session. There is a kitschy amusement park, gorgeous landscapes, nature trails, even a bit of architecture! Looking forward to Stillwater with these two and their families this August.

Jennie and Tom (Post by Thea)

After two rain delays, Jennie, Tom, and I finally found a gorgeous day to run around St. Paul. The two share a lot of history in the city.  Jennie works in downtown St. Paul and Tom proposed to her in Rice Park. We started the evening at Harriet Island, where across the river I'll shoot their wedding in September. Given Jennie's eye for detail, I know it will be beautiful!  Congrats Jennie and Tom!

bridal engagement session // (post by natalie)

I can't begin to tell you how happy I was to be asked to photograph Sarah & Luke's wedding this summer! They are such a beautiful couple & they have such a fun loving & easy way with one another...July can't get her quick enough! In the meantime here are some images from their bridal themed engagement session! Enjoy!

Meghan and PJ Engaged in Chicago (Post by Thea)

Chicago, where the sun shines and where the sweetest couple ever got engaged. When Meghan, PJ and I first began discussing their wedding, it came up that they were engaged at North Avenue Beach. PJ was getting his Masters at DePaul University and Meghan was visiting almost every weekend via a friend's companion pass on Delta. Nice deal, right? So, a large part of their relationship grew in Chicago. Since I have so many fond memories and friends there myself, we hatched a plan to shoot their engagement pictures on location at the first sign of nice weather. Here are the results!

why engagement sessions matter {by leslie}

While many couples see the engagement session as a photographic perk that might be first on the chopping block due to budget, this part of the photo process is the most important to me, and I think it should be highly important to you as well.

First, it lets me get to know you. The last thing you should ever want is a photographer who you don't know peppering you with questions on your wedding day. You'll have enough people vying for your thoughts that day, I promise, and I don't want to be one of them. I want you to forget I'm there, and I want to blend into the background and just capture what's happening around us. This happens a whole lot easier if we've done it all before -- like in an engagement session.

Second, holding an engagement session helps me to find your best angles. I want you to look your absolute best on the big day, and I think you do, too.

Third, if we've done a session already, you can give me feedback. For instance, I hate X angle or I loved X pose with my guy. You get the picture. No pun intended. This is also a great time to tell me that you love the black and white photos more than color, and I should process a ton of them that way for the wedding, or vice versa.

Fourth, when I tell you to pose like Y, you know exactly what I mean because, oh hey we've done this before! This means that photos on your wedding day go waaaay faster, and you have more time to spend with the people you love and care about. Which is exactly what you should be doing on your wedding day, not going over details with the photographer.

Oh! And lastly? If we do an engagement session, you will be totally used to me telling you to get all lovey and nuzzle and smooch etc. and then pointing a big lens right into your faces. I'm not gonna lie, that can get a little weird. But if we've done it before and laughed at the ridiculousness of it and you've seen that the photos are awesome, then on your big day it's no big deal. Which is how it should be.

Kissing (Post by Thea)

Happy Valentine's Day to all the newly engaged couples out there. Today would be a great day to start practicing that camera ready kiss. Step 1: Lean In     Step 2: Meet Lips     Step 3: Eyes Closed     Step 4: Let it Linger

More amazing kisses here.

Tom and Kristen are Engaged (Post by Thea)

With Tom and Kristen, we tried something different... studio engagement portraits. Novel idea huh? Well, when it's cold and gray outside, sometimes it's best to get back to basics. Personally, I love how these turned out and hope you all do too. By the way, aren't these two cute? We were definitely having fun, it was Tom's birthday after all!

Ben and Emily at Town Hall Tap {Post by Thea}

In November, I got together with Ben and Emily for engagement portraits at their favorite Minneapolis spot, Town Hall Tap. After a couple pints of beer, we made our way to the beach at Lake Nokomis. Just a few weeks more and these two cuties will be getting married! Shooting a lovely wedding in the midst of January definitely helps cure cold-weather doldrums.

Aparna + Ajeet (post by Desiree)

Aparna and Ajeet are quite the international couple.  Originally from India, they've lived all over the States and now have come to Norway!  Aparna really wanted to do a shoot with her husband wearing their traditional clothing from India!  She's wearing her mothers sari and necklace - absolutely stunning and beautiful.  We had so much fun, dodging the rain, exploring vintage vespas, and grabbing coffee downtown at the local hang out 'Bøker & Børst.'  We incorporated some of their fun ideas into the shoot...who doesn't love the mustach!?  Thanks to both of you for making me love what I do!  :) Aparna and Ajeet wrote down what they meant to each other and kept it a secret until they saw their photos for the first time!

laura + toby engaged {by leslie}

Last week was such a fun surprise. I got to meet Laura and Toby for their engagement shoot out in the woods. Because they live in NYC (and had just escaped the hurricane and a blizzard), we had never met face-to-face before, and getting in a shoot (and meeting) before their wedding was important. And you guys? It was so much fun! I am so fortunate to have such wonderful clients, especially considering their wedding was two days after our very first meeting. The morning of their engagement shoot was stunning -- we saw several deer, and it was so quiet and lovely. I've posted a few of my favorite shots below. Come back next week to see the wedding, which was ridiculously pretty as well.

Almost wedding time! {by natalie}

I am beyond excited to be photographing Katie & Jeff's wedding this coming weekend! We set aside some time last week to get together & chat about the specifics around their wedding day...but first we headed out to one of my favorite little sunny spots for some engagement photos! It's always hard at this time of the year to pick a good sunny evening...seems like it gets cloudier and darker by the day but we had some beautiful light to work with! Congratulations you two & can't wait for this weekend!  

Marci & Rob are getting married! (Post by Louisa)

This couple is not only sweet, they're easy on the eyes. Can't wait for their October 6th wedding...a great couple for my last wedding of the season.  

Lindsay & Paul are getting hitched!!! (Post by Louisa)

Lindsay and Paul are getting married this weekend and I'm pretty excited because...how do I put this...they are REALLY cute together. Like, seriously cute. They are awfully sweet on each other and they show their affection by doing things like tickling each other, sticking their tongues out and generally acting like they're playground sweethearts. Stay tuned for what's promising to be a gorgeous St. Paul wedding this Saturday!

gigi and alex engaged! {by leslie}

This week I got to photograph Gigi and Alex, who I am absolutely crazy about. These two are not only adorable and hilarious, but they have a marvelous sense of adventure, which I always cherish in my clients. Their big day is about a month away, and I cannot wait! They wanted to be shot down by the Guthrie because that's where Alex first told Gigi he loved her. I love it when locations are chosen for personal reasons like that!

Nick & Allison (Post by Louisa)

My favorite time of day to shoot photos is at the crack of dawn. This poses an interesting problem most of the time, because I like to take pictures of people and most people are not early risers. This couple, however, rose to the challenge. We met at 8 am (okay, I know that isn't quite the crack of

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dawn, but close enough!) and these two rolled out of their car looking like they'd just won the gene pool lottery. Fresh-faced and classy with coordinating outfits, they were a dream to photograph. Can I also just take a moment to point out that if Allison looks half as good on her wedding day as she does in these photos she may win a beauty contest? Seriously. Okay, enough talking. Let's let the photos speak for themselves!

Jessica and Tyler (post by Desiree)

These two darlings are getting married THIS WEEKEND! I'm so pumped for their wedding. We met up the other night to go over some last details and snapped a few shots downtown Minneapolis.  Stay tuned for their vows. ;)

Emily & Adam (Post by Louisa)

One of my favorite parts of shooting engagement sessions is when the couple

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gets totally into it. Emily & Adam not only chose this gorgeous location of the Japanese gardens at Normandale College, but they were also willing to stand on every bridge, sit on every bench, kiss under every tree and even take their shoes off and stand in a stream for me. I'm very much looking forward to their wedding at the Landscape Arboretum this summer. Based on the engagement photos, I know their chemistry on their wedding day is going to be utterly delightful. Hurrah for willow trees and afternoon light and black puppies named Charlie!