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Where to do your session – 50 Engagement Locations Ideas

Couples photos are the perfect chance to show the unique personalities of you and your partner. Choose an engagement location to make the photos very you! The ideas are infinite. Here are some engagement location ideas and tips to help you decide and come up with a perfect spot!

Here is an useful Map with these locations !

Parks and Gardens

Flowers and greens are always a gorgeous backdrop! They are great for a casual date night / photoshoot ! Depending on the season some parks around the city have roses, others sunflowers or gorgeous trees. A blurred fountain in the back works wonders when your style is both romantic and stylish.

Engagement session location ideas in Minnesota

Photos at Lake Harriet and Rose Garden Engagement Session *

Falls

Minnehaha falls is a popular spot in the Twin Cities, and always such gorgeous. Even in the frozen days in the winter you can find people exploring the area (be careful!) . Besides the obvious attraction there is a stream, park, and the Pergola garden.
Other falls like Taylor Falls are wonderful places to both explore and take gorgeous couple photos!
engagement session location waterfall

Minnehaha Falls Sunrise Couple Photos

Colorful Neighborhoods

8. Hopkins (15 Min Drive)

9. Summit Ave (St Paul)

10. Stillwater (45 Min Drive)

11. Red Wing (1 Hour drive)

12. Duluth (2 Hours Drive)

If your neighborhood is as special as Summit Ave in the Fall, don’t hesitate to take your photos there! Other neighborhoods could be fun during other seasons if there are colorful buildings, cute stores or a charming downtown.

Couple at Summit Ave in St Paul during the Fall

Summit Avenue Engagement Session Session in St Paul

couple in front of movie theater engagement location in Hopkins

Engagement photos in Downtown Hopkins

Outdoor lovers

If you love spending time outside and have a map marked with your to-go spots like me and my hubby do, a great idea is to find a state park and make your photo session double as a hiking trip.
In Minnesota, the Lake Superior is both amazing and photogenic!

13. Lake Superior (2 Hours + drive)

14. Taylor Falls InterState Park (1 Hour drive)

engagement session lakeside at sunset

Lake superior Engagement Session

couple laughing at taylor falls minnesota engagement session

Taylor Falls Engagement Session

Prairies and fields

There is something so absolutely romantic about having your couples session in tall grass surrounded by lots of greens! Maybe add a few city lights in the far distance and some sunset colors ? 🙂 Dreamy!

15. Richardson Nature Center

16. Dodge Nature Center

Please keep in mind your permits for nature centers!

Engagement session at Dodge Nature Center

Lake side

In the land of ten thousand lakes you will for sure have a wonderful time catching the sunset around the lake. Or even the sunrise!

16. Lake Harriet

17. Lake Bde Mka Ska

18. Lake of the Isles

19. Lake Nokomis

20. Lake Minnetonka

21. Excelsior

fun lakeside engagement session

Lake Harriet Engagement Session

City Backdrops

If you are both into exploring the city, the city backdrops provide a very casual setting which many opportunities, which can be very fun!

22. Mill City Ruins

23. Stone Arch Bridge

24. Nicollet Island Park

25. St. Anthony Main

26. Indian Mounds Regional Park (St Paul)

27. Harriet Island – Raspberry Island (St Paul)

mill city minnesota engagement location

Mill City and Stone Arch Couples Session in The Twin Cities

downtown minneapolis engagement photography

Minneapolis Downtown Northloop Session

stone arch bridge minneapolis at sunset

St Anthony Main and Stone Arch Bridge Anniversary Session

nicolette island engagement location in fall

Nicollet Island and St Anthony Main engagement session

28. At home

While I loves shooting outdoors, I also have a soft spot for cozy indoors at-home sessions.  Being in your own surrounding is a great way to get comfortable and cuddly in front of the camera.

couple hugging in the air at their home engagement session

Couple’s indoor engagement session with some winter outside!

couple snuggles in the couch

Couple session making pancakes for breakfast

Couples session making pancakes at home

Theater and Museums

I like both the non-traditional setting and the indoor protection that museums and theaters provide! Choose fun outfits that make you look (and feel!) like you are going on a date.

29. Guthrie Theater Amber Room and The Guthrie Balcony

30. Minneapolis Institute of Art 

32. Walker Art Center

Photo at Guthrie Amber Room

Couple hugging in front of the window for their museum engagement photos

Walker Art Center Museum Photo

Coffee Shops , Wine Shops and Breweries

Couple laughing sharing a beer for their brewery engagement session

Wild Mind Brewery Engagement session

33. Wild Mind

34. Blackstack Brewing

35. Surly Brewery

Most breweries will let you shoot some photos in there if you have a couple of beers! Coffee shops might too, but make sure to ask !

Season themed

36. Tree Farms like Hansen Tree Farm

37. Orchards

38. Pumpkin Patches

39. Minnesota Arboretum during the seasons

40. Any City parks during the seasons

If you aren’t particularly keen to any location, you can focus on a theme and ask me for suggestions. In the winter, a snow themed session is perfect along with an easy prop as a blanket to keep away the cold! For the fall couples session, find the most colorful trees around the city or go chase those beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring!
snowy minnesota couple session winter location

Snowy Tree Farm Engagement session at Hansen Tree Farm

spring engagement session under blossoming trees

Spring Engagement at Lake Nokomis

Other Ideas!

  I love hunting a new engagement location idea, so here are some other fun ones:

41. Go to the State Fair or any Carnival !

42 . Go to Como Conservatory

43. Go to the Zoo or Aquarium

43. Play around with a vintage car

44. Find a meadow of flowers or sunflowers!

45. Do some cool Twin Cities Murals

46. Shoot in a rooftop

47. Go swimming in a river or lake

48. Go camping and/ or  have a fire fire

49. Go for ice cream at Izzys 

50. and whatever rocks your boat! (hmmmm maybe a boat session? )

Engagement location tips

  • Tip#1: Is there a common theme to your dates? Do you like to try new restaurants or frequent state parks?
  • Tip#2: Are there any spots significant to your relationship? Photos against a skyline of the city you both call home are a great memory for both. Did you meet somewhere in particular or did your proposal in a cute place ?
  • Tip#3: While engagement location is key, don’t let this decision stress you out! I will have a pocket of suggestions (your photographer will too!). Ask them for favorites they like to do, or even ones they have been wanting to shoot at!
  • Is good to always check if permits are required, which in most cases they are!

Book your engagement session

We love a new adventure 🙂 How about you?  Contact me to book your engagement phots !

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