Winter can be a magical and fun time for engagement photos. Add in the possible scandal you can cause when you send photos to your warm-weather relatives, and it can be a total winner! Comfortable winter engagement photos require a little bit of planning, a little luck, and a lot of good cheer.
Why Plan for Winter Engagement Photos?
Some people might consider winters in Minneapolis a deal breaker. Those of us who live here realize it is an asset – just cold enough to keep away the masses, just long enough to build a season around, and the perfect excuse for knit mittens and fur lined coats.
It can also be a compliment to the photos you are planning for your wedding day. With a summer wedding, having snowy photos can be a fun contrast and show off more of the story of your lives together. Winter also allows for fewer crowds, or photos in the middle of a lake, or bundling up, all things that you might not be able to plan for your wedding day photos.
Consideration For Winter Engagement Photos
First, we all have to be flexible. Sometimes snow is scarce, sometimes the cold isn’t safe, and so having some flexibility around dates can make a lot of difference.
Second, flexibility also involves wearing clothes that will keep you warm enough for safety without keeping you too far from your honey!
How To Get That Winter Feeling In Your Portraits
Consider your location carefully to make sure you get great winter vibes into your photos. Parks that have winter lights, like Rice Park in St Paul or along St Anthony Main in Minneapolis, mean that there will be some depth and interest in winter photos. Winter also means more exposed skyline views as the trees die down, so bringing Minneapolis or St Paul into your photos can be easier than ever.
When it comes to snow, finding locations that are less traveled can mean that snow still feels fresh and inviting. If possible, planning for photos right after (or during!) a snowfall can be very fun, though active snowing in your photos is a specific vibe and one you might not want in all your photos.
Stay Safe For Winter Portraits
As much as I love winter and adore it when a couple chooses winter engagement photos, safety is more important than anything else. I generally won’t take photos outside if it is less than zero (and then only for very short times) and I advise finding weather closer to 20 when possible. I have (and love to!) take photos in the middle of some of our lakes. This is only possible in the middle of winter after weeks of freezing weather, and its vital to make sure you stay ice aware.
Are You Planning Winter Engagement Photos?
If you plan to take your engagement photos in winter, make sure you find a photographer as excited as you are! It is a fantastic (and under-utilized!) time of year for portraits, and you should make sure the magic of winter comes through.
Winter is maybe my favorite time to do portrait sessions outside – no one else is around, everything looks totally different, you can walk on water, and everyone is motivated to finish up and get cocoa. Bethany and Stamatis had the extra advantage of shocking their non-Minnesota friends and family by showing them that Minnesota actually looks exactly how they imagined.
