A Curation: The Best Engagement photo locations in Duluth
I have a special love for Minnesota’s North Shore. My husband and I got married at Gooseberry Falls and we typically find ourselves somewhere on the North Shore once every two weeks or so during the summer months. Lake Superior is so inspiring and offers such a variety of breathtaking locations for engagement photos. My mother in law has a beautiful beach house in Park Point, and father in law has a cozy cabin in Two Harbors - having spent so much time in this magical place, here is my curation of favorite locations to suggest to my couples for their engagement photos.
Park Point
45th St and Minnesota Ave, Duluth, Minnesota 55805
Best time to photograph: Year Round (note: very cold in Winter months)
I will begin with my absolute favorite location for engagement photos in Minnesota. There are a number of reasons why Park Point (AKA Minnesota Point) remains one of my favorites..for starters, few other places are going to deliver this level of natural variety. On one end, you are going to get a positively scenic beach surrounded by Lake Superior. You can roll up your pants and head out into the waves or take pictures with the water right at your back. Unlike the rest of Lake Superiors shorelines, you walk through san dunes with tall grasses to get to the soft, sandy, beaches. They allow leashed dogs, so your pup doesn’t miss out on any pictures. The area stretches on for three miles, and you will find tons of different locations, including boardwalks along the grassy sand. There are also several iconic structures you can use as your backdrop.
As I mentioned previously, my Mother in Law has a beautiful little red cottage on the beach which makes a perfect meeting to meet my couples and begin our Park Point engagement session adventure - and a perfect spot to outfit change.
It is important to stay on the trails in the dunes and on the boardwalks when you can in order to preserve the fragile Sand Dunes!
For more Park Point engagement photo inspiration - take a look at Hannah & Tyler’s gallery here
Rose Gardens
1300 London Road, Duluth, Minnesota 55805
Best time of year to shoot at the Rose Gardens: June-August
The Duluth Rose Garden is one of those spots that is so gorgeous for engagement photos that it almost doesn’t feel real. It definitely gives an English Garden aesthetic! The land stretches across a mere 4.5 acres, and every single corner is bursting with color. Throughout the spring and the summer, this is one of my absolute favorite spots to go for pictures.
The first thing you need to know is that there is on-site parking, and the trails are paved, allowing heels to be an option. As you walk along, you are going to discover carefully paved brick paths that take you through countless rose bushes. Hedges obscure much of the city, making it easy to hide the parking lot and the nearby grocery store. You can sit on the park branches or steal a kiss in front of the vintage horse fountain. There is also a quaint white gazebo where you can get some exceptional views of Lake Superior.
Canal Park
10 E Superior Street, Suite 200, Duluth, Minnesota 55802
Best time of year for photographs in Canal Park: Year Round on Weekdays - weekends (during the summer) get very busy and congested with people and traffic.
If you want something a little more urban for your engagement photos, Canal Park might just be your Duluth spot. With this location, you are going to have access to some of the most iconic sites in all of Duluth. This is where life within the city happens! You can duck into a restaurant (Northern Waters Smokehaus is my favorite and has a beautiful patio!) and share a meal together, or you can share a drink at breweries or my personal favorite - the Vikre Distillery. There are also a number of unique backdrops you won’t find anywhere else. The Aerial Lift Bridge is a marvel that will add the perfect texture to your pictures, and the warehouse where the DeWill-Seitz Marketplace is located will give you a beautiful industrial chic look. Once you are done with all the major places, it’s time to head to the newly restored Lakewalk, where you can get views of Lake Superior as it laps against the pebbly beach.
Favorite spots in Canal Park for engagement photos:
The Lakewalk, Vikre Distillery (cheers!!), Northern Waters Smokehaus (for fun patio vibes!), DeWill-Seitz Marketplace building makes for an iconic backdrop.
Glensheen Mansion
3300 London Road, Duluth, Minnesota
Best time of year for photographs at Glensheen Mansion: last week of September and first week of October for beautiful Autumn colors
Glensheen Mansion will always have my heart, and while they no longer host weddings, it is a phenomenal location for engagement photos. This positively opulent space has a bit of a dark history, but it continues to stand as an elegant staple within the community. Inside, they offer a few limited photo opportunities, but honestly, the exterior is all you are going to need. For your pictures, you can walk around the exterior of the house, where you will find a covered porch leading to the back of the home. Out here, you can sneak a kiss on the balcony before going through a stroll around the pristine courtyard. My favorite thing about this property, however, is the land surrounding the home. The house is
located in the midst of 12 acres near the water. You can wind your way through forested trails before coming across a picturesque bridge that takes you across the water reservoir (truly feels like a fairytale!) While this area is gorgeous all year long, it comes alive in the fall when the trees turn to fiery shades of red and orange. It is simply one of the best spots for engagement photos in all of Duluth!
Park Point Duluth Engagement Photos
My daughters and I walking to the beach on Park Point
(Summer 2024)
The North Shore is so special to me. You will find the North Star in my logo, and the inspiration behind my name, Sea Circus Weddings comes from my love of capturing couples on breathtaking shorelines and coastal settings. Lake Superior may not be a “Sea” but it is the closest feeling to being by the sea that one can find living in Minneapolis. I feel lucky to know this area well, and there are so many more stories I would love to capture and watch unfold here! Please reach out if you would like to work together for your engagement & or wedding photography!
I’m so happy you’re here!
Hello!
I’m Reyna, the heart and soul behind Sea Circus Weddings. With over 12 years of experience as a wedding photographer, I’m based in Minneapolis but have had the joy of capturing love stories across the country. My journey also led me to capture beautiful moments in Bali, ranch weddings in Carmel-by-the-Sea California, engagement shoots in New York Sea and on the shores of New Buffalo Michigan! I am always ready for an adventure to capture a beautiful love story.
My passion for photography blossomed from witnessing the profound love my grandparents share. At 86 and 84, their enduring bond is beautifully preserved in their wedding photos, which have become cherished heirlooms in our family. The timeless color tones and raw, natural emotions in their images inspire me to create heirloom, film-inspired photography for the couples I work with. I love capturing celebration, people on their happiest days, the intricacies of deep love, and beautiful flowers!
I live in a charming Tudor house in Minneapolis with my husband, our two little girls, and our cuddly cat, Goose—named after Gooseberry Falls, where we tied the knot in 2019! In my free time, you’ll often find us enjoying dance parties, embarking on camping adventures, or cuddling up with a good book (currently, I'm captivated by The Secret History by Donna Tart!).