E-Pics Near Cottage Grove?

jtothelee216

Our engagement session is next week w/ Laura Ivanova. I'm really excited (even though I'm a little upset with my forehead for choosing THIS week to break out)! Ugh! Anyway, I'm looking for any tips from you ladies on places to take pics and any advice you would give for the shoot. We're looking to take our pics near the east side of the metro, and are aiming at a rural type session. I love tall grass, trees, water, etc... The closer to Cottage Grove the better. TIA!

hkiesling

It's not in your area, but we took ours at the Mill City Museum/stone arch bridge area (PIB). It offered a lot of different scenery changes from rivers and bridges to prairie grass and board walks.

0stephka

Go to some of the State Parks...we're having ours taken where we almost got married, at Afton State Park. Try Fort Snelling too? There are a lot of other wetland/nature areas around Cottage Grove...there's a wetland area down by Mississippi Dunes. There are tons of places out in Afton, too! Good luck!

skannenberg

I suggest Hastings... There is a lot of tall grass on the way to the lock and dam.... I will try to go take a picture tomorrow for you. There is also Vermillion Falls, the Mississippi River, Historic Downtown, railroad tracks, etc.

jtothelee216

Thanks for the suggestions so far... Hastings would be pretty cool. Look forward to seeing the pic if you remember to take it.

huwehotaling

DH and I got engaged at Vermillion Park in Hastings.  There are a lot of great outdoor settings there, I would definitely recommend it for e-pics.  We wanted to take ours there, but the timing didn't work out with our photographer.

jlaroo33

There's also the Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park. I think there might be an entrance fee, though.

blckwhtyllwgirl

Maybe cedarhurst? On the beach in prescott.

jaramler

When are you doing yours?  We're doing ours next Sunday (the 20th) with Laura! 

jtothelee216

We're doing ours this Sunday, the 13th w/Laura. We went to Vermillion Falls this afternoon, and I'm not sure if that's the route we're going to take. Has anyone done their pics in the Stillwater area?

AmberDerek

We live in Cottage Grove and had ours taken in Afton State park and downtown Stillwater in the evening.

jaramler

I'm not familiar with the east side of town.  But I've been looking at photographer's blogs to check out engagement sessions.  They normally say where the photos were taken.  I've seen a few in Stillwater - at least one I saw on Laura's blog.  You could try looking online to see what you think?

skannenberg

It sounds like you are looking into alternatives- but I do have some photos for you to look at. http://tinyurl.com/m77aaf Let me know if you have any questions.

jtothelee216

Thanks for the pics!  Appreciate the help. I think we've decided to follow in AmberDerek's footsteps and take our pics at Afton State Park and downtown Stillwater.  If anyone knows of cool nooks/crannies in Stillwater/Afton to take pics, feel free to comment. : )

AmberDerek

Good choice : ) Here is the link to all of our e-pics so you can see more spots in Stillwater. http://barclayhorner.smugmug.com/Galleries/Engagements-08-2/Amber-Derek/6469852_wLeRd#410503767_JvSU7

jtothelee216

Wow!  Amberderek, all of your pics turned out phenominal!  Were any of them taken in the caves?  If you don't mind me asking, how long did your shoot last?

skannenberg

I agree- your epics are EXCELLENT!!!!

AmberDerek

Thank you!!  Nope, they were just outside of the caves.  I can't remember how long.  It was a decent amount of time though.  It was a great time!  I thought my FI would have complained, but he didn't, not even once : )