You might think that, as a Saint Paul-based, documentary-style wedding photographer, my one and only job is to capture your whimsical, adventurous love story through timeless and evocative photographs. And while you wouldn’t be wrong because that is, in fact, what I do with this sweet, blessed life of mine… there is SO much more to it than that. 

I am the biggest fan of your magical romance. I’m the mastermind behind an engagement photoshoot that sets the scene and announces to the world that you’re a forever-kind-of-thing. I’m your unofficial wedding planner that will help you consider the ins and outs of your wedding day timeline. I’m your impromptu hair-curler and veil-straightener, your maid of honor’s new best friend, your bridal party’s hype woman during your unconventional bridal party photos, your mama’s day-of confidante, and your groom’s tie-straightener and cuff link-fixer. I will think of things so you don’t have to, and I will help you plan the most magical day of your life in a way that is entirely unique to you. 

Oh, and I’ll also help you scout locations that serve as the backdrop for your dreamy, playful romance!

A Boston Brownstone Kind of Romance in the Heart of Saint Paul

When Heidi and Peter first came to me to capture their Saint Paul engagement session, they weren’t quite sure where they wanted to have it. They knew all of the ways in which their love story was unlike anyone else’s, and they knew they wanted a documentary-style photographer to capture it, but they weren’t quite sure what sort of setting would tell that story best. 

(Side note: Heidi and I actually met in person for the first time at the destination wedding of one of my other client’s, Peggy– all the way in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. If that isn’t a testament to how small this world is and how cool love can be in how it connects fellow adventurers and romantics… I don’t know what is!)

Anyway, I immediately set out to scout a location that would be entirely unique to Heidi and Peter. After wracking my brain and keeping my eyes peeled for a few weeks, I realized that the answer was right under my nose: Nina’s Coffee Café in downtown Saint Paul!

Romantic, East Coast Engagement Vibes

With the help of prompts leading to genuine moments, Heidi and Peter spent their half hour-long engagement shoot doing exactly what all of my couples do: playing, laughing, exploring, and being entirely and unequivocally head over heels for each other. 

Thanks to the versatility of this area of downtown Saint Paul, we were able to capture such a wide variety of photographs in such a short amount of time. Of course, we got the stand-and-smile photos that their grandmas will assuredly paste all over their fridges, but we also got so many snapshots of Heidi and Peter just being together– twirling around the iconic Saint Paul lampposts, sprinting through the crosswalks (safely, of course), and getting lost in each other’s eyes.

It is truly my greatest passion in life to tell your love story unlike anyone else’s. Sure, it’s all well and good to get your photos done in that ‘totally Instagrammable’ spot that is pasted all over the Minneapolis/Saint Paul blogs, and if that feels right to you and your significant other, then let’s do it! But I also always strive to get creative and think out-of-the-box so that I am serving each and every one of my couples in a way that is specific to their story. Scouting locations is just one of the many ways I get to accomplish this!

So, let me ask you this… Where to next?

Inquire with me today, and let’s plan your Midwest-meets-East-Coast, or Minnesota-meets-Central-Park, or Saint-Paul-meets-Windy-City (or whatever we dream up together) engagement session!