How to Prepare For My Minnesota Winter Engagement | Minnesota Engagement Photographer

Tips to Keep Warm for Your Minnesota Winter Engagement Photography Session!

Minnesota in winter is Magical. I am not the first person to think so! I LOVE snow and the whole season is one of my all-time favorites. If you are from the Midwest/ Minnesota, you KNOW it can be SO COLD.

I have some tips for you to make your Minnesota Winter Engagement Session more enjoyable overall!

1) Bring Hand and Feet Warmers - This is the biggest blessing I try to remember ever winter engagement session or wedding. They are so cheap there is no reason not to have an extra one or two packed in your purse for your photos.

2) Dress in Layers - I feel like the biggest advantage Minnesotans have against the harsher winters is knowing how to dress so you are comfortable. This should not be left behind when you are planning your engagement session in the winter months. Many couples have two outfits for their engagement photos. Use a cute winter aesthetic to add in a nice winter hat and gloves to make the time together more enjoyable.

3) Bring on that Coffee - Any hot drinks will feel like a godsend when you are bracing for those cold days. Don’t be afraid to bring a thermos of your favorite hot beverage to warm your soul between photos.

4) Plan a small warming break if possible - Depending on if you are at a local park or in the city, try taking a small break in a local coffee shop or jump in your car to warm your fingers up. There is nothing wrong with taking a small warmup break so you can feel your face again.

5) Bring a cozy blanket to cuddle up in - I love this there is something to cute about cuddling up with your fiance for your photos! This could be just an extra prop to be able to add to the variety of your photos while still keeping you warm!

Bonus!: Really lean into your engagement session being in winter by choose a really fun winter activity like Ice Skating, Skiing, Snow Shoeing, or enjoying a small bonfire together! They photos will be SOOO worth it!

Hartley Nature Center Engagement Photography | Christian and Emily| Minneapolis Wedding Photographer

It happened while Christian was eno-ing with a friend on Furman campus, a couple friend stopped and talked to Chris for 5-10 minutes. Thanks to that talk christian and Emily's life would never be the same. As they walked away they said they thought Christian would be perfect for Emily. That was when the pestering texts started coming in on Christians phone all encouraging him to meet Emily! Christian finally gave in and went to the same church service at Hampton park to meet her. As he was super self-conscious of his clammy hands as he extended a handshake to Emily for the first time. 
Emily had seen his photos online like anyone would do before a setup. She thought he was pretty good looking but his smile was a little too preppy for her own personal tastes.   When they finally together it was a little awkward at first but they soon came to realize how easy it was to talk to one another. That was just the start, they enjoyed adventures exploring South Carolina's mountains and parks, Before they knew they were dating! 
Fast forward to Christian telling me that he was going to propose and wanted me to capture it. As any older sister would be I was STINKIN EXCITED! He planned it on his birthday to start off the new year right! 
They made their way to have dinner at one of Christian's favorite spots downtown. As they arrived to Cossettas they came to find it was closed for new year.  With a little disappointment he made his way to get some "awesome photos" at Rice Park. Being negative 5 degrees they got their photos and quickly ran back to the car.  They then made their way to Raspberry Island, which unknown to Emily, Marcus and I were waiting camera ready. 
They started to walk to the arch and when they got their it had a heart of rose petals. Christian got down on one knee and asked Emily to be his wife! As you can probably tell from the title she said YES! 

Now fast forward to their engagement session, we made our way up to Hartley nature Center to get some amazing photos in the woods. To top it off it was snowing all day and it just was Minnesota's way of adding that extra touch of magic to make these photos they way they are. 
I can't wait for their wedding in just a couple of months!