Downtown St Paul

How to Prepare for Your Winter Engagement Session

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Coming off of Christmas with shinny bling on your ring figure? With the pure excitement of the love of your life promising forever and a wedding on the horizon this summer, I wanted to share with you tips as you begin planing for your winter engagement session. 
A couple of weeks ago I had a brave couple who ROCKED their session. But here's the thing it was -12 degrees (Not including the wind chill). We planned on having a warm place to sit and literally thaw out. There was a local Dun Brothers that was willing for us to spend some time in their cute shop downtown before we went back out for photos. I wanted to share with you somethings to help you stay warm during your own winter engagement shoot!!

Plan on wearing layers. Layers will help you feel cozy and make you more comfortable as you and your love bear the cold together.

Bring a big jacket to wear in between locations. During your session there will be some down time when you and your photographer are walking around going from spot to spot. During this time having jacket that will give you the extra warmth you need will keep your engagement session more enjoyable. It will be easy to take off once the photos start clicking.

Pack something warm to hold in between. Bring hand warmers to sneak into your gloves or bring some hot coffee or hot chocolate to hold onto. It will add a little bit of fun detail to your session but also keep you warm.

Plan for the cold, embrace these tips to make your winter session more enjoyable by staying warmer!

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