Waconia Wedding Photographer
Parley Lake Winery, Island View Golf Club and the Lake Waconia shoreline. Collections from $3,100 with an engagement session included.
Quick Answer
Who is the best Waconia wedding photographer?
Honey Deww Photography, led by Emma Ziegler, photographs weddings in Waconia, Minnesota, around Lake Waconia and the Carver County wine country. Collections run from $3,100 (4 hours, one photographer) to $5,300 (12 hours, two) and include an engagement session. Travel within 40 miles of downtown Minneapolis is included; beyond that it is billed at cost with no markup.
What is it like to plan a wedding photographed in Waconia?
Waconia is named for Lake Waconia, about 3,200 acres and the second-largest lake in the seven-county metro area, whose Coney Island was a resort for Twin Cities visitors in the late 1800s. The city's own Lakes page says so, and the lake is the organising feature of nearly every wedding setting here.
Three venues here give three different days. Parley Lake Winery is a venue-only winery with vineyard ceremony spots and a historic barn, open for events May to December. Island View Golf Club overlooks the course and Lake Waconia. The Sun Room at Paradise Commons is a county-run event room on the lakeshore with year-round reservations. That range, from a hillside vineyard to a glass-walled room, is what makes light and a rain backup different from one Waconia wedding to the next.
Your licence comes from Carver County in Chaska, and the park and permit details are below, each with its source.
Venues
Where do couples get married in Waconia?
Waconia has three wedding venues: a vineyard winery, a golf-club banquet room and a county-run lakeshore room.
Venue-only winery with a historic tasting barn and vineyard ceremony sites, seasonal May to December
The winery describes landscapes and a historic barn with views of its Itasca Vineyard and Parley Lake in Waconia Wine Country, with ceremony spots in the vineyard and reception space in the barn.
Up to 200 guests, per the venue.
In Waconia. 8280 Parley Lake Road.
Island View Golf Club (with Green Fox Grille)
Golf-club banquet and event venue
The club says its event spaces overlook the golf course and Lake Waconia, and that it partners with Green Fox Grille to host weddings and private events.
The Banquet Room holds 30 to 180 guests and can be divided; The Fox Den holds up to 32, per the venue.
In Waconia. 7795 Laketown Parkway.
Sun Room at Paradise Commons (Lake Waconia Regional Park)
County-run public event room on the lakeshore
Carver County describes the Sun Room as available for year-round reservations, with large windows overlooking Lake Waconia and covered picnic shelters alongside. Paradise Commons opened in 2024.
Up to 80 seated guests, per the county.
In Waconia, east of downtown along Highway 5. 8170 Paradise Lane.
Photo spots
Where are the best photo spots in Waconia?
Waconia's documented portrait settings are a county regional park, a downtown park and a lakeside city park. None publishes a photography rule, and each entry names the office to call.
Lake Waconia Regional Park (with Coney Island)
A 164-acre Carver County park on the southern shore of Lake Waconia with lake views, beach access, picnic areas, trails and access to historic Coney Island. It is open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Permit or photo rule: No published rule on the county park or FAQ pages. Ask Carver County at (952) 361-1500, the county main number on the park page. Covered picnic shelters are reservable online.
A downtown park on Main Street between Pine and Spruce Streets with paths, benches, the VFW Pavilion, the Paul Melchert Gazebo and veterans memorials. It is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Permit or photo rule: No published photography rule. Ask City of Waconia Public Services at 952-442-2615, 310 10th Street E. The only rental published on the city's park-rentals page is the Brook Peterson Park shelter, at $35 per hour.
A city park on Cedar Street at Lake Waconia with a fishing pier and tennis and basketball courts. A shoreline walking path continues west along Waconia Parkway. It is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Permit or photo rule: No published photography rule. Ask City of Waconia Public Services at 952-442-2615.
Timing
When is the best time for a wedding in Waconia?
Parley Lake Winery hosts events May to December, while the Sun Room at Paradise Commons and the regional park are available year-round. A vineyard ceremony is a warm-season choice, and a lakeshore room is an option in any month.
- Parley Lake Winery hosts events seasonally, May to December. Source: Parley Lake Winery
- The Sun Room at Paradise Commons takes year-round reservations, and Lake Waconia Regional Park is open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Source: Carver County, Lake Waconia Regional Park
Checked against each venue’s and authority’s own page in October 2026. Dates, fees and rules change, so confirm before you book.
Local details
What licences, permits and park rules apply in Waconia?
Waconia couples get their licence from Carver County in Chaska, and the city's park pages say who to call about photography in each park.
- Where do you get a marriage licence in Carver County?
- Carver County Land Records & Vitals, in the county government centre at 600 East 4th Street, Chaska. The fee is $125, or $50 with 12 hours of premarital education and an educator's statement. The county page states no waiting period, and the licence is valid six months and non-refundable if unused. Both parties appear in person with ID and must be at least 18, and the county asks you to call (952) 361-1901 to schedule the oath appointment. Source: Carver County marriage licences
- Can you reserve a shelter at Lake Waconia Regional Park?
- Covered picnic shelters at the park are reservable online through Carver County. The park is open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the county's park and FAQ pages publish no photography rule; call (952) 361-1500 to ask. Source: Carver County, Lake Waconia Regional Park
- What does Waconia charge to rent a park shelter?
- The city's park-rentals page publishes one rental, the Brook Peterson Park shelter at $35 per hour. It publishes no photography rule for City Square Park or Cedar Point Park; ask Public Services at 952-442-2615. Source: City of Waconia community parks
Checked against each authority’s own page in September 2026. Fees change — confirm before you budget.
Do you photograph weddings in Waconia?
Yes. Waconia sits roughly 37 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, inside the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro. I photograph weddings in Waconia and know the venues, the light, and the timing quirks that come with this corner of the Twin Cities.
Waconia is built around Lake Waconia, about 3,200 acres and the second-largest lake in the seven-county metro, which gives weddings here lakeshore, vineyard and golf-course settings in the same town.
Couples choosing a Waconia wedding photographer usually weigh up nearby suburbs too — Chaska, Victoria, Mayer, Norwood Young America, Chanhassen, with travel included within 40 miles of downtown Minneapolis. If your session is in Waconia but your portraits are downtown Minneapolis or on Summit Avenue in St. Paul, that's a routine day rather than an add-on.
Where do you take portraits in Waconia?
Portraits in Waconia lean on Lake Waconia Regional Park, City Square Park, Cedar Point Park, Parley Lake Winery. Whether you're after something classic or more editorial, I map the day's schedule around the light so you get the best fifteen minutes at each stop, with no rush between Waconia and downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul.
Which cities near Waconia do you cover?
I photograph weddings, engagements, and portraits across the Minneapolis–St. Paul southwest metro. These are the Waconia-adjacent Minneapolis–St. Paul suburbs I cover most often — every city links to a dedicated local guide.
- Chaska
- Victoria
- Mayer
- Norwood Young America
- Chanhassen
- Minneapolis
- St. Paul
Also serving the wider Twin Cities metro — view all Minneapolis–St. Paul locations.
People also ask
Quick answers about wedding photographers in Waconia
How much does a Waconia wedding photographer cost?+
Waconia wedding photography collections start at $3,100 for 4 hours of coverage with one photographer and include an engagement session, online gallery, print release, and full high-resolution downloads. Most couples book the 8-hour Pearl collection at $4,200, which adds a second photographer.
Do you travel to Waconia?+
Yes — Waconia is roughly 37 minutes from downtown Minneapolis by car, in the southwest metro. Travel within 40 miles of downtown Minneapolis is included; share your venue address when you inquire so any additional travel costs can be confirmed in your quote.
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Waconia Wedding & Portrait Photography
A look at recent weddings, engagements and portraits from across Minnesota and the wider Twin Cities.
What the day includes
What does wedding photography coverage include in Waconia, MN?
Every Waconia collection covers three parts of the day: bridal portraits before the ceremony, candid documentary coverage throughout, and the ceremony and reception into the evening. Collections start at $3,100 for four hours.
How each part is photographed is explained in my wedding photography style, and it is the same in Waconia, MN as anywhere in the Twin Cities area.
Waconia Wedding Photography FAQ
Do you charge travel to Waconia?
Travel within 40 miles of downtown Minneapolis is included, and beyond that it is billed at cost with no markup. Send me your venue address and I will confirm which side of that line it falls on in your quote.
Where can you get married in Waconia?
Parley Lake Winery, Island View Golf Club and the Sun Room at Paradise Commons each state on their own pages that they host weddings. Details, capacities and links are in the venue list above.
When can you marry at Parley Lake Winery?
The winery hosts events seasonally, May to December.
What does a Carver County marriage licence cost?
$125, or $50 with 12 hours of premarital education and an educator's statement. Both parties appear in person at the county government centre in Chaska after scheduling by phone.
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