Eileen (she/her) and Jerry (he/him) wanted their winter engagement photos to reflect who they are and what they love. Their vibe is playful and romantic, and their ice skating engagement photos in Minneapolis was the perfect way to tie all of that together.

Jerry is from Florida, but loves winter sports. Eileen is an old soul who loves classic rock, especially the band Queen. Jerry proposed to Eileen on a trip to New York while they were ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza, while “You’re My Best Friend” was playing. If that’s not the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever heard, I don’t know what is! The goal of their engagement session was to recreate that romantic and joyful vibe from their proposal while staying in the Twin Cities. I’m so pumped we were able to pull it off!

We chose to go ice skating at Centennial Lakes in Edina. This was a great choice for us because it has plenty of parking and an adorable warming house where you can chill while putting on your skates. It’s also free to photograph here, and we didn’t need a permit.

When to Book Ice Skating Engagement Photos in Minneapolis

If you want to book indoor ice skating photos, you can find several places that are open year round. Indoor skating is a great option for folks who are looking for a more controlled environment or don’t want to wait for days with optimal skating weather.

The best time to book an outdoor skating session in Minneapolis is during the outdoor skating season. This is typically mid-December through mid-February, depending on the weather. After mid-February, the late-winter sun causes ice conditions to deteriorate. Even if temperatures are around freezing, the stronger sun causes issues that make the rink unsafe. And if the weather is unusually warm for more than a few days, those rinks will become unsafe and may need to close for the season. Because of this it’s always best to monitor the weather beforehand and call ahead to make sure.

Eileen and Jerry’s session took place in January, where the high was around 15 degrees F. These temperatures were great for the ice, but weren’t very comfortable for us. We only stayed outside for about 20 minutes so the couple didn’t get too cold. I also provided hand and foot warmers for added comfort.

What to Know About Ice Skating Engagement Photos

Most skating sites won’t allow you to walk on the ice without skates. But if you’re like me and don’t know how to skate, you’ll want to find a rink where you can photograph from the sidelines. Centennial Lakes was great for this because I was able to photograph their session entirely from the sidewalk. Having a location with a variety of angles and backdrops from a safe vantage point was so helpful.

Here’s what Eileen and Jerry had to say about their experience with me:

“We had never done a couples photoshoot before our engagement session, so we were pretty anxious going into it. But during the session it was so easy. It felt like getting together with an old friend and taking photos! Our favorite part of our engagement session was how (Janet) made us feel at ease. We didn’t feel awkward at all, which is a feat for people who don’t take photos very much!”

To book your winter ice skating engagement photos in Minneapolis, reach out here.

Contact Me | Follow Along on Instagram