Amanda + Nathan
These two came to me with the cutest location idea: they wanted to start the session by snapping some sweet, romantic photos at Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis, where they had gone on their first date. I was immediately in - ya girl is sentimental to the core, and the vintage bowling alley, restaurant, and cabaret theater was the ideal spot to capture their timeless love. What's even better? They still have the receipt from that first date (framed!) and brought it along as a quiet nod to the start of their forever. AND Nathan set his watch to display their upcoming wedding date - so cute.
Sharing a drink with the one you love while your photographer click click clicks away is truly one of the best ways to start off a session in my opinion. Amanda + Nathan specifically said that they had never been in front of the camera before and were nervous about it feeling awkward or uncomfortable - these photos tell a whole different story! They were absolute naturals, and I attribute at least a little bit of this to their choosing a sentimental location. (Scroll to the end to see what they had to say about their session!)
Deciding on a location for your engagement session can be daunting, but the simplicity and nostalgia of returning to your first date spot is truly such a perfect idea. If you've been on the fence about it, take a peek at what we captured...
Lakeside Sunset
After we finished up at Bryant Lake Bowl, we took a moment to collect ourselves and take a short drive over to Bde Mka Ska. This gorgeous lake is the largest in Minneapolis, and is full of life and movement while still feeling quiet and serene on a sweet summer evening. We needed a lush, scenic location to savor the coming sunset, and this spot couldn't have been more perfect. We strolled along the east side of the lake, stopping for some adorable prompted shots along the way.
Champagne Pop at Sunset
When the champagne bottle came out, I knew we were in for a treat. The sun was getting low in the sky and we found a few small watercraft to align in the shot - while we hadn't originally discussed a nautical theme to these photos, it ended up feeling like the perfect tie-in with Nathan's family ties to summers on the water.
What better way to celebrate (and capture) your love than with a bubbly toast? And the anticipation of popping the champagne always makes for the sweetest laughs - I am all for adding this to the end of any engagement session.
A Dip In The Lake
We ended the evening in an unexpected way - a fully-clothed dip in the lake to cool off and grab a few more romantic shots. I am SO glad that A + N were up for this - this set of photos are some of my favorites ever captured.
Kind Words From A + N
"Kati is such a wonderful photographer and person! She fulfilled our engagement photo shoot vision beyond what we could have ever hoped for. Her insightful direction made it so easy for two camera shy people to feel comfortable and beautiful inside and out!"
