Where to Take Your Minnesota Engagement Photos
If you are wondering where to take your engagement photos in Minnesota there are so many locations that I LOVE recommending from the Twin Cities area, to the north shore, to the border of Minnesota / Wisconsin.
First off – I want to encourage you to consider a location that has meaning to you. Is there a coffee shop that you two go to every week? Do you get pizza every Tuesday night? Do you love roller blading, skate boarding, or going for a bike ride? Let’s incorporate it into your photos!
I moved to Minnesota in 2021 from Wisconsin and I have been searching around for some of the best spots for engagement photos so you don’t have to! This guide will go over some of my favorites!
Tip: a lot of places can get really busy in the evenings, especially public parks. If you want to avoid big crowds consider doing a sunrise photoshoot! (I hear you, I’m not a morning person either but you can bring coffee to drink and take photos with and I’ll hype you up!)
Twin Cities Area Engagement Photos:
Elm Creek Park Reserve – Maple Grove, MN
Features: nature, fields
Activities you could do: snowshoeing, snowboarding, mountain biking, horseback riding, have a picnic, snowmobiling, camping
Pros: close to the Twin Cities, large park
Cons: can get a little buggy in the summer, but bring a little bug spray and that should help!
Rice Creek Park – Shoreview, MN
Features: trail, tall trees, lavender during early spring if you’re lucky!
Activities you could do: have a picnic
Previous Sessions:
Priscilla + Cole Engagement Photos
Rebecca + Michael Engagement Photos
Pros: close to the Twin Cities
Cons: it gets very very busy in the fall in the evenings but still worth it for its beauty!
Boom Island Park – Minneapolis, MN
Features: skyscraper views of Minneapolis, trees, bridge, water
Activities you could do: have a picnic, rollerblade
Previous Session:
Pros: features both nature and city views, dog friendly
Cons: need to pay for parking. Tip – download the MPLS Parking app before hand for ease!
Como Lake – St. Paul, MN
Features: skyscraper views of Minneapolis, trees, bridge, water
Activities you could do: have a picnic, rollerblade, rent swan boats or kayaks (only for part of the year)
Previous Session:
coming soon…
Pros: features both nature and lake views, dog friendly. There’s a small part of the park with a stone building that makes it look like Italy, next to this spot there is a field that is great for having a picnic!
While you can’t take photos inside the Como Conservatory without a wedding reservation, you can take a photo outside the dome if you wanted to make a quick stop over there.
Cons: not much, there are other people walking around but that is common in most places.
Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) – Minneapolis, MN
Features: art, indoors, outdoor grand staircase!
Activities you could do: have a museum date! look at art! If your session includes 2 locations, stop at a cute coffee shop downtown before / after visiting the museum.
Previous Session:
coming soon…
Pros: It is indoors so you can take photos there any time of the year! You are surrounded by beautiful art and it is a unique spot for photos!
Things to note: There is a $200 photo permit fee that your photographer would need to apply for in advance. This fee is not included in session cost with AJP but I promise is 100% worth it for the experience, unique photos, and fun date.
I do recommend going in the morning of a weekday to avoid having to work around other people. The session I have in the example above was done right as they opened on a Monday morning and it was perfect. Grab some coffee before your session and a cute lunch date afterwards.
Paid parking in parking lot across the street or free street parking.
Downtown Wayzata – Wayzata, MN
Features: lake, ice cream, boat docks
Activities you could do: go boating, eat ice cream, dip your toes in the water
Previous Sessions:
Jena + Anthony Engagement Photos
Celine + Keegan Engagement Photos
Pros: Variety, lake, option to include ice cream in your photos with Ben and Jerry’s, free parking, if you have a boat (or a friend with a boat) we can go on the lake as well!
Cons: it can be pretty busy so you will likely have people in the background of some of your photos while walking on the sidewalk, but can avoid some of it on the docs and close up photos! See examples in the above engagement sessions.
North Shore Engagement Photos:
The north shore of Minnesota stretches from Duluth, Minnesota to Thunder Bay, Ontario along the shore of Lake Superior. The North Shore of Minnesota is one of my favorite areas of the state and is definitely worth visiting even if you don’t take your engagement photos there.
Black Beach – Silver Bay, MN
Features: black sand, beach, water
Activities you could do: have a picnic, eat Betty’s pie on the beach, jump into the water!
Pros: close to Palisade Head if you want to take photos at both! If you like to camp, you can camp on site and roast some s’mores for your photoshoot!
Cons: n/a
Palisade Head – Silver Bay, MN
Features: rocks, cliff, nature, water
Activities you could do: hiking, have a picnic
Pros: close to black beach if you want to take photos there as well!
Cons: Not the safest drive up during icy conditions
Other Areas for Engagement Photos:
Hudson Pier Beach – Hudson, WI
Features: lake, beach, water
Activities you could do: jump into the lake, have a picnic, bring water floats to sit on in the lake
Previous Sessions: Kristin + Will Anniversary Photoshoot
Pros: beautiful sunsets over the lake, close to a lot of restaurants for you two to go on a date night
Cons: n/a
Interstate State Park – Stillwater, MN and St. Croix, Wisconsin
Features: nature, hiking trails, lake, trees, cliff
Activities you could do: hiking, have a picnic
Pros: Lots of nature variety! It is a huge park!
Cons: You do need a state park pass to enter. If you cross the border then you need one for both states.
Photo Studio near Twin Cities, MN
The Hive House
Features: studio, variety of backdrops, beds, tub
Pros: you don’t have to worry about the weather getting in the way of your session! Perfect for all types of shoots – boudoir, family, couples, headshots, branding and more! There is such a variety at this studio for you to use as a backdrop.
Cons: there is a small fee to rent the studio but totally worth it!
If there is another location that has more meaning to you, that speaks to you, let me know! I am always down to take photos at new locations!
READY FOR AN ADVENTURE? LET’S GO!
I’m based near the Twin Cities of Minnesota, but my bags are always packed and ready for the next adventure!
Thinking about celebrating a milestone in your relationship and want fun and adventurous photos? Or want to take your wedding clothes out to the desert, mountains, salt flats, or ocean to document your anniversary? Thinking of eloping or having a destination wedding? Then I’m 10000% your gal! Reach out to me via my contact form on my website + let’s chat to see if we are a good fit and start planning!
p.s. all my adventure couples get extra guidance from me as I do location scouting, create a custom travel guide for you, and help connect you with the right vendors! If that sounds great to you – LET’S CHAT!
Follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok as well to see recent work and upcoming travel dates!
