Nina’s Coffee Cafe Engagement

The best thing about engagement sessions is they can be anything you want them to be. Literally, ANYTHING! It’s the perfect opportunity to do something you love with your partner. You could also do something you want to try together, like taking a ride in a hot air balloon, ice skating, or getting tattoos. What you need to remember about engagement sessions is that they should be about YOU! A lot of people think they need pretty pictures in a field at sun set. While those photos are going to be gorgeous, that doesn’t have to be what your engagement session looks like!

I was so excited when Marko & Andy immediately knew what they wanted for their engagement photos. Once a week, these two go to their favorite coffee shop together before work for a cup of coffee. That coffee shop is Nina’s Coffee Cafe in St. Paul, MN, which just happens to be absolutely beautiful inside! Andy & Marko also wanted to take some photos in their charming home with their sweet pup, Albert. Dogs, coffee, AND the sweetest couple ever? Talk about a dream come true!

Nina’s Coffee Cafe is located on Selby Avenue in St. Paul, and is such a gorgeous space. It has large windows bringing in lots of natural light, exposed brick walls, arched doorways, and beautiful historic details. I can’t recommend this space enough for photos! The people who own and work at Nina’s are also just incredibly kind and welcoming.

When we do an engagement session in a public location, we need to plan the best time of day to be there. We aim for a time of day that isn’t going to be very busy so we aren’t disturbing others. This also means we will have more space to play around with different angles and backgrounds. This often means getting to a location as soon as they open, or finding an off-peak hour on a weekday. We always confirm with the business ahead of time that they are okay with us taking photos there. And we always buy food, coffee, or other beverages to thank them for letting us use their space.

If you want to include your dog in your engagement session, it’s important to think about what will help them be the most successful. If they aren’t the kind of dog who is going to behave well with lots of distractions or in a new environment, incorporating an in-home element to your session is a great idea! I know a lot of people get nervous over having the inside of their home photographed because it might not be perfectly styled.

Doing your engagement session in your home is the perfect way to capture this season of your life, exactly the way it is. The items in your home are there because you love them, so who cares if they aren’t styled “perfectly?” The comfort of being in your own home also helps you feel more confident and easy in front of the camera. If this sounds like your kind of engagement session, keep scrolling for more inspiration!