Top 5 St. Paul/ Minneapolis Wedding Venues I loved shooting in 2016

The new year brings new wedding venues! It is always so much fun to shoot somewhere new and make it a unique experience for my couples photos of their day!
I wanted to share some new Saint Paul/ Minneapolis Wedding Venues I was able to shoot at and why I loved them 2016 style!


1. Minikahda Club is now one my favorite Minneapolis wedding venues. Picture it, you step out on a balcony overlooking a well kept golf course and in the distance is the Minneapolis skyline. I am a sucker for a good view!  It was a beautiful stop to say " I do " and the reception space had the same view with plenty of space for a large group of wedding guests.   

 > View Blog Post from at this venue  http://www.mwphotographymn.com/blog/minikahda-club-wedding-mac-mel-second-shooter

2. The St. Paul College Club is a mansion on Summit Avenue in the heart of Saint Paul; it reflects a classy choice for any bride. The ceremony space is in the privacy of the backyard. I loved the intimate feel of of a small house/garden wedding. I love mansions in the Twin Cities; some of my favorite places to visit consist of the Biltmore in North Carolina, and more like the James J Hill house near by to this venue.

> View  Blog Post from at this venue  http://www.mwphotographymn.com/blog/st-paul-college-club-mitch-shelby-second-shooter

3. Villa Bellezza Vineyard and Winery has a gorgeous brick courtyard with plenty of wine for your guests. The large wooden door not only give access in and out of the reception space but is also perfect location for larger group photos. Besides its sizable reception space and lovely architectural courtyard, I enjoyed the tower they have attached to the main building. This tower was the ideal spot for a stunning first look with my bride and groom. It was intimate with plenty of great light for their photos.

> View  Blog Post from at this venue  http://www.mwphotographymn.com/blog/villa-bellezza-winery-vinerd-brandon-wedding

4. 514 Studios Event Center, a Minneapolis wedding venue, gives a very downtown feel! Brick walls with a small outdoor space out back for cocktail hour. It felt homey and relaxed with a coffee spot in the same building. Only thing I would say didn't work at this venue was their was only one bathroom. For everyone. Twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling really added a finishing romantic touch to the space.

> View  Blog Post from at this venue  http://www.mwphotographymn.com/blog/studio-514-wedding-lindsey-peter-second-shooter

5. Saint Paul Public Library - George Latimer Central Library. I have a week day job in the heart of downtown St Paul. Being only a few blocks away from Rice Park and the St Paul Public Library, I will often make my way over to enjoy a walk through of this massively beautiful library. This building often inspires my creative side and I have wanted to take photos of a bride and groom here for years. This stair case was one of the things I was most excited for and it really paid off.
from the painted ceilings to the towering marble pillars, this library is so romantic in photos.

> View Blog Post from at this venue  http://www.mwphotographymn.com/blog/first-baptist-church-boyer-wedding

What to Wear to Your Engagement Shoot

I have previously written 3 Ways to ROCK Your Engagement Shoot! here on the blog. Check it out for further tips to prepare you and your fiancé for your engagement shoot.
A common question to ask yourself before an engagement session is: "What should I wear?" To answer that I have written out a outline of things that your clothes should fit to make it a little easier to choose!
My MW couples can expect an average engagement session to last 1 to 1.5 hrs on average.  In that time plan on having two outfits. A clothing change eats into your overall shoot time, which in turn eats into valuable sunlight hours; changing into a different outfit takes up to 15- 20 minutes on average. Limiting the amount of changes gets you more time in your session, which gives you more photos!

Dress in something that makes you comfortable and confident!  You can visually see when someone is wearing something that it comfortable and likewise see when it's uncomfortable. The goal of your engagement session is to enjoy time with your love not be worrying about what you're wearing. Make sure that shirt you have kept a hold on to that hugs you in the wrong way stays at home.

When picking out your outfits keep your shoot location in mind. Dressing according to your location will help to choose clothes that carries on the photo story of  the day.  An example of this would be both of you wear cowboy attire in the middle of the city. Those two ideas clash and distracts.  You want to stand out from your background but not so much so that it takes away from your love story.  Keep the colors and patterns your style but subtle.  You want your love to pop in the photos not being drowned out by overly bright colors and patterns. Thinking of you location will also help which shoes to take. Nothing is more trying than walking through grass in your gorgeous stiletto heels! If you want to shoot in fields, grassy areas, or hike over rocks bring an extra pair of shoes to get to point A and B then change when you get there. This way you can still have picture perfect shoes in your photos.   

Hair and makeup tip: Try out your hair and makeup for your wedding at your engagement session.  This extra step will enable you to see the makeup and hair stylist skill at achieving your vision as well as seeing how well it photographs!

Who pays for what? Reaction from Ask Amy

I was reading a Ask Amy (a guilty pleasure of mine) post the other week with a disgruntled bridesmaid asking for advice on whether or not to purchase a gift for the bride. Being out of state for the wedding she encountered lots of expenses that coming with being a bridesmaid: the travel, the dress, makeup, and even the rehearsal dinner. 

Writing my own response to this bridesmaid. I totally understand where she is coming from; she spent a lot of time and money to be a part of her friends special day. As a previous bride and out of state bridesmaid myself, it's hard to look at that finally price that is left with you after a wedding trip.  But coming from a bride , I would advise to also get a gift for them. You have been friends for a long time, and I think even the smallest token and a card would be very appreciated.  With how crazy weddings are for a couple, it's nice to know through all the craziness your friends still show you a little loving. 

Some small gift suggestions : a memory from the wedding day, a small price of Wifey jewelry, or some cuse bridal underwear. The smallest of gestures can really go a long way by sharing the love. 

Here is the link to the post.