Dive Bar Romance: Vintage Inspired Minneapolis Engagement Photos

Grace + Ryan’s Nostalgic Midwest Engagement Session

For Ryan and Grace’s engagement photos near Minneapolis, just outside the city in Stillwater, Minnesota, we went for a relaxed and fun vibe that felt less like a photoshoot and more like a casual date instead. For their session, we hung out at two local dive bars and snapped some instant film of the couple as well.  The result is a filmy, vintage inspired gallery full of little details personal to the couple and I couldn’t love it more!

Minneapolis Area Couple

When Grace and Ryan scheduled their session, they knew that they didn’t want traditional outdoor Minneapolis engagement photos.  Instead, they wanted a session that felt authentic, fun, and a location with cool vibes.  Stillwater, just a short drive from Minneapolis, has tons of options for backdrops, making it a great alternative to typical Twin Cities engagement photos, with locations like the historic lift bridge, nature centers, and its proximity to the St. Croix River. We decided to keep it casual by hitting up two local dive bars, adding a unique twist to their Minneapolis engagement session with their formal attire creating a striking juxtaposition. (The wardrobe also earned them several compliments during the session because the regulars assumed they’d just eloped.)  Ryan had reservations in the beginning because he wasn’t comfortable being photographed, but by the end of our time together, he expressed it was much easier than he expected.  I like to ensure that each step brings out my clients’ authentic selves, creating engagement photos in Minneapolis that truly reflect their personalities, and the location of this session definitely helped.

Brian’s Stillwater

Grace came into her Minnesota engagement session with a few ideas of her own to pay tribute to her late dad. Because Miller High Life was his drink of choice, she felt it was a staple to enjoy a cold one just for him, which made the location (a combo of Brian’s Stillwater and Howard’s Bar) all the more fitting.  If you look closely at the photos, you’ll notice the tattoo on her arm that reads, “Hi Dolly,” in her dad’s handwriting.  Her tattoo, she explained to me, was a nod to the way he greeted her every time she came through the door and in every voicemail he left her.  Personal details like these are what help bring authenticity to photoshoots and make the photos unique to the couples I photograph.  For Grace and Ryan, we were sure to include the High Life signage in the background, adding a vintage touch that sets their Minneapolis engagement photos apart as they enjoyed their beers and a game of pool.

Perks of Dive Bar Engagement Sessions in Minneapolis

Here’s the thing about dive bar engagement sessions – it’s about the vibe, not the booze!  You don’t have to partake in alcohol if that’s not your thing and the regulars genuinely don’t care what you’re doing.  At Howard’s Bar, I loved the chill atmosphere, the softer, ambient lighting, and the decor that was kind of random but somehow cohesive at the same time. For clients who don’t love being in front of the camera, I’m especially fond of dive bar sessions because the darts, games of pool, and drinks give them something to do with their hands and also make for some great shots. This whole session was such vibe from start to finish and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this couple as we commemorated their engagement & upcoming wedding!

Minnesota Engagement + Micro Wedding Photographer

If moody Minneapolis engagement photos photos with a vintage edge and a heap of authenticity are your thing, allow me to introduce myself. Hey, I’m Gabby, your creative midwest engagement and elopement photographer. I capture intentional images of couples in Wisconsin and Minnesota jam-packed with emotion. If this sounds like the photographer relationship you’ve been searching for, feel free to get to know me more here, take a peek at some of my recent sessions, or browse my midwest couples packages. Ready to pull the trigger and schedule?  Let’s book it, baby!