saint paul

Wedding Contest Winning Image For World's Best Wedding Photos "Memorable Moments" /  by Bradley Hanson

This photo of mine was just featured as a winning image in The World's Best Wedding Photos for their contest on "Memorable Moments" from over 7000 entries. It's an honor. To see more photographs from the article, you can click below. This photograph was from the St. Wencelaus church in rural Minnesota.

Behind the scenes, I was walking around the wedding venue before the ceremony. I was watching the bride walking around the entryway, the doors open to let in the breeze. I held the camera up to my eye, waiting for that magic moment when the wind happened to blow her veil up as she went in to kiss her grandfather in his wheelchair.

You can see the image, along with all of the winning entries, here:

https://www.worldsbestweddingphotos.com/photography-contest-memorable-moments-awards

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).

Meghan And Brian's Elegant Black And White Downtown Saint Paul MN Wedding At The Lowlands /  by Bradley Hanson

I’m caught up with 2023, my busiest year in a decade, and finally able to share one of the best weddings of the year. The groom, Brian, is a well-known photographer in Atlanta, specializing in head shots. The bride, Meghan, is a talented makeup artist in Atlanta. We met for coffee before the wedding while they were in the Minneapolis area and clicked immediately, no pun intended.

Their wedding was unique in a number of ways, but most notably, all of the decor, from the tables to the walls, invites, clothing and details, was black and white. Normally wearing one of my many blue suits, I got a black suit specific to this wedding so I could remain as inconspicuous as a 6’2” photographer can be.

Coordination and design was done by the talented Heidi Almendinger of Jenna Culley Events, and hair was by the always stellar Hair By Sitha, who I’ve had the good fortune of working with probably a dozen times over the past couple years alone.

Everything took place at a new, modern and minimalist wedding venue right on the Mississippi River on the outskirts of downtown Saint Paul, MN. I really loved the venue and can’t wait to photograph there again. The only bump in the road was torrential rain akin to what one might expect in Florida that scuttled my grandiose plans for photographs of the couple during the cocktail hour, but the timing was nearly perfect as it occurred after photographing the family, moments before the start of the ceremony, which took place indoors anyway.

The gallery images below were chosen not only from the pool of favorites, but to give a sense of what it was like to be at The Lowlands on that day. In the spirit of their chiaroscuro contrasty design intentions, I’ve chosen to only share B&W images.

Vendors from Meghan and Brian’s wedding:

Venue: The Lowlands 

Beauty: Lady Vamp Artistry - Sitha Kim (hair), Laura Seaboy (makeup), Rob Hinderstein (tattoo cover) 

Bridal Fashion: White Magnolia Bridal Collection 

Cake: Queen of Cake

Catering: Green Mangos

Entertainment: Rock With U (Band) & Jennifer Marlin Illustration (Fashion Artist)

Floral: Wilderland Floral (Jamie Spellerberg)

Groom's Attire: Red Label Bespoke

Officiant: Melinda Guess

Photography: Bradley Hanson Photography

Rentals & Decor: Linen Effects, Collected & Co, AVEX & Girl Friday 

Stationery: Minted

Transportation: Renee's Limousine & Unparalleled Parking 

Travel & Accommodations: The St. Paul Hotel, Hyatt Place St. Paul/Downtown, Loews Minneapolis

Videographer: Cooper Films & Love Stream (live streaming) 

Wedding Planner & Event Design: Jenna Culley Events (Heidi Almendinger)

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings, elopements, and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading.

To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right of the page).

Wedding Contest Winning Image For World's Best Wedding Photos "Picture Perfect" Portrait Contest /  by Bradley Hanson

This photo of mine was just featured as a winning image in The World's Best Wedding Photos for their article on "Picture Perfect Portraits” from thousands of entries. It's an honor. To see more photographs from the article, you can click below. This photograph was at the Summit Manor in St. Paul, MN

Behind the scenes, I was walking around the wedding venue during the reception. I saw the couple entertaining each other while at their table. One of the things I love about it, in addition to the composition and lighting, is that it is the guests truly caught in the act of being themselves.

You can see the image, along with all of the winning entries, here:

https://www.worldsbestweddingphotos.com/photography-contest-picture-perfect-portraits

Abbey And Mitchell's North Loop / Northeast Minneapolis Minnesota Wedding at Hewing Hotel And Bauhaus Brew Labs /  by Bradley Hanson

Abbey and Mitchell started their day near their Mississippi River apartment at the lovely Hewing Hotel in North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis, with their wedding ceremony and reception at Bauhaus Brew Labs in Northeast Minneapolis. They were very sweet and obviously very connected to each other. Abbey’s dress was one the best I had seen in a while.

According to Abbey: “The North Loop and northeast being near and dear to us. We’ve lived in North Loop the entirety of our relationship and spend a lot of time making memories with friends in NE (Bauhaus in particular being our favorite spot), so incorporating those spots was important to us. We wanted our wedding to be authentically us, and laid back in a way that made our guests feel they could be themselves.”

 “After meticulously researching wedding photographers, we landed on Bradley given his documentary style, natural editing, and his professional training and experience. Unlike many photographers we considered, Bradley is a true student of photography and a master of his craft. He was a pleasure to work with, making sure to understand our vision, needs, and plan for our wedding day. We adore our photos, received them (over 1,000 of them) within one month. Our guests continue to comment on how impressed they were by Bradley and that our photos are the best wedding photos they’ve ever seen. We don’t disagree.”

-Abbey and Mitchell

Preparation Venue: @hewinghotel
Reception Venue + Bar: @bauhausbrewlabs
Coordination: @mavenevents
Hair + Makeup: @ladyvampartistry
Catering - Food Truck: @butchersalt
Catering - Food Truck: @centro_twincities
Entertainment: @transmission_music
Photography: @bradleyhansonphotography
Florals: @notherly.flora
Ice Cream: @lildippersoftserve

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings, elopements, and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading.

To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right of the page).

Kelsey and Chase Autumn Riverfront Elopement In Minneapolis /  by Bradley Hanson

Kelsey and Chase had a very quiet elopement. I met them at the Hewing Hotel in downtown Minneapolis (North Loop) to photograph them getting ready. We then went straight to the government building for their vows outside with the judge.

While photographing them on a bridge at Nicollet Island Inn, Chase bumped into the group of bicyclists he regularly rides with, a complete coincidence and entirely unplanned.

After the ceremony, Kelsey and Chase hosted a casual brunch at LynHall on Lyndale Ave in Minneapolis that included great food and Jenga! No dancing or traditional reception events, just a nice meal with friends.

“We are a Tinder love story, and had our first date walking around St Anthony Main in 2015 - so it’s especially fun that we had some of our pics from the wedding day there! Chase proposed to me on the Stone Arch Bridge - he made me bike there with him so he had an excuse to bring a backpack because the ring box wouldn’t fit in his pocket. As far as planning the wedding - just that we wanted it to be intimate and low-key and couldn’t be more thrilled about how the day turned out.”

Now this is the proper reaction to seeing your partner on your wedding day!

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).

Xandra And Ryan's Beautiful Outdoor Wisconsin Wedding at Hayvn At Hay River /  by Bradley Hanson

Hayvn at Hay River in Wisconsin is a farm based venue owned by the bride, Xandra, and her family since 2019. Because of the pandemic, the grand opening was significantly delayed until recently. It’s tucked away in an area of Wisconsin with beautiful rolling hills, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. But during the wedding, it felt like the center of the universe because there were so many beautiful things to photograph in every direction.

Xandra is a graphic designer, and her vision for the venue is that it will feel like, as the name implies, a haven for a great day. From the venue: “Located just an hour from the Twin Cities area and 10 minutes from Menomonie, Hayvn at Hay River is nestled among picturesque rolling hills. Our newly renovated venue accommodates up to 225 guests and offers both indoor and outdoor locations to customize your day. The grounds allow plenty of space for lawn games, cocktails on the patio, bonfires and gorgeous views of the countryside. Come experience the tranquility of this unique property and let us help you create the wedding of your dreams!” For more information about the venue, click here.

I chose the example photos below to not only give one a sense of the couple, and what it was like to be at the wedding, but also to showcase some of the unique and beautiful things I loved about the venue. I can’t wait to come back…

Click any image to see it at a larger size.

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).

Vanessa And Alex's Timeless Outdoor Seattle Wedding At Dunn Gardens /  by Bradley Hanson

I just photographed this wedding at Dunn Gardens in north Seattle a few weeks ago. This was the last frame, just after the sparklers burned out. The teal blue vintage Citroen DS originally belonged to AC/DC singer, Brian Johnson.

From the bride: “Alex and I met in August of 2019, from breweries, concerts, and camping we quickly realized there was something special there. The second week into dating I asked Alex if he would meet me at Pike Place Market to see Head and the Heart perform- not knowing that at the time, he left a wedding in Spokane (on the opposite end of Washington State), drove through the mountain pass and waded through the thick crowd to find me. The best concert with my favorite person.”

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).

Nan And The Horses In Stillwater, Minnesota /  by Bradley Hanson

stillwater minneapolis saint paul minnesota horses stable barn black and white photography

These photographs were made a month ago while visiting our friend Nan and her son at the family stable in Stillwater, MN. We had a wonderful time and our son, Oliver, was exposed to the joys of equine life, understanding the complex ways horses communicate and how to best understand them, and the care required to maintain these beautiful animals. Laura and Nan’s son, Todd, keep their two horses there, Hallie and Lula.

When I’m not photographing weddings, I’m either on my bike or shooting portraits. Lately, I have been shooting a lot more portraits, which is great because I don’t actively seek the work. I photograph family portraits, senior portraits, corporate events and even headshots for companies and Linked In profile photos, etc. Contact me at info@bradleyhanson.com or through the contact link of my website above to get a quote.

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).

Sarah And Peter's Lake Minnetonka Summer Boat Wedding In Minnesota /  by Bradley Hanson

Sarah and Peter got married on the Bella Vista cruise ship on Lake Minnetonka, after getting ready with the wedding party at the nearby Guest House in Excelsior on the main strip there.

From Sarah: “We have a love of travel and have learned to be spontaneous with it with Peter’s tricky pilots schedule. We take advantage however and whenever we are able. Our first trip ever as a couple after 1 month of dating was driving through a blizzard a few hours to Chicago to go to the Vincent Van Gogh exhibit. Next up was a week in Negril, Jamaica on a beach like lazy sea turtles and cliff jumping. And following that we packed a singular backpack, headed to the airport for our 5 year anniversary to jump on any flight stand-by that we’d be lucky enough to sit Delta One cabin. We ended up on the most romantic 48 hour trip to Paris and back. We landed in a rain storm, hopped on a bus straight to the Eiffel Tower and as we climbed the stairs amongst the first to arrive, the sun peaked through the clouds rewarding us for our journey. Museums, walking the hidden streets, lovely coffee, and home again. Knowing we have all our lives to add to our list of adventures.”

Shortly after seeing their wedding images, Sarah and Peter left this review for me:

”Our experience with Bradley Hanson was exactly what we had sought out for our wedding. Besides being a perfect gentleman and a calm presence on our stressful excitable day, it was as if he disappeared into the rays of sun and captured the best moments of our day without barely even being noticed. His photos delicately but most ardently tell the story of our day, the hidden moments in between, and we are overwhelmed with joy and the love we see in each shot. Bradley’s unique vision for variety, use of lighting and photographic intent are unparalleled. A subtle genius.”

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).

Wedding Contest Winning Image For World's Best Wedding Photos Silhouette Contest /  by Bradley Hanson

minneapolis saint paul minnesota wedding photography photographer worlds best wedding photo silhouette contest

Guests during the wedding reception toast at a winery in Napa, CA

A favorite photo of mine was just selected as a winning photo by World's Best Wedding Photos and Rangefinder out of over 1500 worldwide entries for this contest on wedding silhouettes. It was taken with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and the 14mm lens.

More images from the contest here:

https://www.worldsbestweddingphotos.com/photography-contests/30-best-wedding-silhouettes

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I have two accounts: @bradleyhanson is my personal one, all square images from my iPhone since 2008. @bradleyhansonphotography is my professional portfolio, a mix of weddings, family and portraits, as well as black and white and color landscape images. If you are still reading this far, you’ve already figured out how to find my website…

I am a Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota based wedding photographer, specializing in documentary style weddings and Indian/Hindu weddings all over the world. To see more of my wedding work, click the wedding galleries under the portfolio heading. To inquire about my rates and availability, call me at 206-393-8292, email me at bradley@bradleyhanson.com or fill out the contact form (click the “contact” link on the top right above this paragraph).