Willow River State Park Engagement Session

Jane and John decided to have their engagement session in the winter at Willow Falls; it’s a gorgeous State Park in Wisconsin that’s just forty-five minutes from the Twin Cities! Since this was to be my official first winter session, I was so excited when they said they told me about their vision for the photos. They trusted me to pick the location and we all met at Willow River State Park.

We set off down a seemingly mild trail packed with snow, but quickly came to the decline into the gorge. If you do come here in the winter, shoe spikes might not be the worst idea. The trail leading into the gorge is rather steep. Use your best judgement when going out into nature. We all agreed the trail wasn’t icy enough to warrant rescheduling, so we continued on while taking our time traversing the trail so no one fell. Amazingly enough, there was a fresh snowfall the day before the session. It couldn’t have been better timing for our goals because this area is stunning in the winter. All three of us were really hoping nature would pull through for this session (and she did!)

For living in the North, I’m honestly more surprised winter sessions aren’t more of a thing here, especially because so many popular areas look even more incredible in the winter (if that’s possible!) In the future, I’m hoping more couples in the future will want to take advantage of the abundant winter beauty around us. Getting a day with good snow coverage can be a challenge, but it’s worth it for the beauty. Just be sure to bring some hand-warmers and a warm drink to keep you comfortable throughout the session! Maybe I’m also just a fan of winter!

Either way, please enjoy the highlights from their winter engagement session. I hope it inspires you to get out to your nearest local park to enjoy some nature, no matter the time of year!