Sara and John's St. Paul Engagement Photography

This was a really meaningful session for me because I’m very dear friends with Sara. She and I became very close friends in college - she grew up in Montana and would come over to my family’s house Thanksgiving every year. She’s like an honorary sister - a member of my family - and I was so happy when she and John got engaged this summer.

Sara and John are both thoughtful, kind, fun people. They share a love of skiing and mountains and travel and adventure - they actually got engaged while on a trip to Croatia. And they both also love spending time with their communities and creating a home together. My favorite part of their story is that this summer they adopted the cutest little puppy named Bruno!! He was a tiny little floof when they first got him,and now he is a medium sized floof and I was SO HAPPY when they wanted to include him in some pictures because it meant I got to snuggle him!! 

Sara and John’s wedding will be next year - I will get to attend the wedding in friend mode, so I will not be thinking about photography that day! But I was so happy to get to do this engagement session with them. 

Planning their engagement session

I love planning photoshoots with people I care deeply about - when I plan any engagement session, my reflective/emotional sappy side comes out and I love getting to talk with couples about their relationship and their life together. There was a day this summer when Sara and John and I sat in my backyard while our pups played together, and had a little reflective chat about their love story and what they wanted to document from this chapter of life, and how they envisioned their engagement session. 

Beginning the session at home in St. Paul

They loved the idea of capturing a few sides of their relationship. We started with some portraits at their sweet house, documenting their new puppy and also this first place that they’ve made a home together.

All the fall vibes with some engagement photos at Raspberry Island in St. Paul

We headed to Raspberry Island for some pictures that would feel adventuresome and nature-y, and it was lovely!! The fall colors were so rich and bright on the island, and we had the St. Paul skyline in the background - I love how lighthearted and romantic and happy these feel. 

Lifestyle engagement portraits inside Parlour Bar

The last chapter of these portraits found us at Parlour Bar in downtown St.Paul - one of their favorite bars with a cozy date-night vibe. Parlour was kind enough to let us in early before the bar opened, so snagged their favorite corner booth and ordered cocktails - these pictures feel so cool and relaxed and fun. 

Sara and John, I don’t have the words to say how happy I am that you two are getting married!! It was such an honor for me to create these pictures with you - thank you for sharing your life and your love story with me, thank you for adopting the worlds cutest puppy, and thank you for a magical fall afternoon adventure!! Can’t wait to celebrate with you more next year :)