Nadia and Sal's Relaxed, Rainy Rose Garden Engagement Portraits

Nadia and Sal are so laid-back their relationship almost didn’t happen. They met during their medical residency, but didn’t really get to know each other until a mutual friend insisted that they would hit it off. When they finally did meet to chat, they realized their friend was right!

They both live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but they’ll be getting married at the Landmark Center in St. Paul and, in researching Minneapolis photographers, had gotten to know me a little though my Instagram account and loved my warm, natural approach. (Yay!)

When Nadia contacted me, I knew she, Sal and I would be a wonderful fit; they’re relaxed and present with each other, interested in photos with a warm documentary approach and working with a photographer that could create community (and stress-free family portraits) at their traditional Muslim wedding next spring.

When we first chatted, they weren’t going to include an engagement session; because they’re both living out of town, they wanted to avoid the logistics of travel on my end or theirs. But, serendipitously, a friend was getting married this past summer in Minneapolis and they seized the opportunity to have a little engagement mini session with me.

The day started quite stormy, so Nadia, Sal and I were communicating throughout the morning on whether the session would happen indoors or out, or not at all. Happily, Nadia loves the rain and the rich, saturated colors that happen when the world is a little wet, so when the storm slowed to a soft mist we all met up in the Lyndale Park Rose Garden to take these lovely portraits.

Nadia and Sal wanted these portraits to feel true to them, not overly romantic and sentimental, but capturing their easy, relaxed interaction. They ended up joining me right in between their friend's wedding ceremony and reception and I love how the details in their formalwear catch the beautiful colors in the just-blooming roses.

Nadia and Sal, thank you for taking a walk in the rain with me and sharing the story of your engagement! I’m so excited to celebrate your wedding with you in March.