West St. Paul Wedding Photographer
Dakota Lodge in Thompson County Park, The Bella Event Center and Southview Country Club. Collections from $3,100 with an engagement session included.
Quick Answer
Who is the best West St. Paul wedding photographer?
Honey Deww Photography, led by Emma Ziegler, photographs weddings in West St. Paul, Minnesota, from the Dakota Lodge in Thompson County Park to neighbourhood event centers and golf-club clubhouses. 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 West St. Paul?
West St. Paul sits immediately south of Saint Paul and west of South St. Paul. The city was incorporated in 1889 and has a long retail strip along Robert Street.
The three venues here are close together but different. Dakota Lodge is a Dakota County four-season event center inside Thompson County Park, with a picnic area overlooking Thompson Lake. The Bella Event Center has a private bridal suite and outdoor patios, with food prepared in house. Southview Country Club hosts weddings in its clubhouse, with a view of the course from the first tee. The lodge is the only one that publishes its fees and capacity, so it is the easiest place to start comparing.
Your licence comes from Dakota County, and the park and permit details are below, each with its source.
Venues
Where do couples get married in West St. Paul?
West St. Paul has a county-run lodge in a lakeside park, an event center with a bridal suite and a golf-club clubhouse. Each states on its own page that it hosts weddings or events.
Dakota Lodge (Thompson County Park)
Dakota County four-season event center with weddings among its listed uses
The county describes a natural setting near downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis, with a picnic area overlooking Thompson Lake in the park. Its published weekend Deluxe rate for wedding receptions and ceremonies is $1,775, and an outdoor ceremony is $100. Weekend events run Friday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to midnight, with no overnight rentals, and reservations open 21 to 365 days ahead. Call 952-891-7000.
160 with tables and 190 with chairs only, per the county.
In West St. Paul, in Thompson County Park. 1200 Stassen Lane.
Event center with a bridal suite and patios
The venue's own site describes a private bridal suite, outdoor patios suited to cocktail hours and photos, and in-house food prepared by the owner and head chef. It states there are no venue rental fees. The site does not state a capacity.
In West St. Paul. 886 Smith Avenue S.
Private golf club clubhouse that hosts weddings
The club says it hosts weddings, business meetings, holiday parties and fundraisers in its clubhouse, and describes a panoramic view of the course from the first tee. The site does not state a capacity.
In West St. Paul. 239 Mendota Road E.
Photo spots
Where are the best photo spots in West St. Paul?
West St. Paul's documented portrait settings are a Dakota County park with a lake and a city park with a rentable pavilion. Neither publishes a photography rule, and each entry names who to call.
A 57-acre Dakota County park the county describes as a quiet getaway in the midst of West St. Paul, with a large picnic area overlooking Thompson Lake, wooded trails, a fishing pier and River to River Greenway connections. It is open daily 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., and admission and parking are free.
Permit or photo rule: No photography rule on the park page. Ask Dakota County Parks at 952-891-7000. The North Shelter is rentable.
A 29-acre community park at 1625 Humboldt Avenue on the former Lothenbach farm and grove, with the River to River Greenway, a fishing pier, a nature area, a picnic shelter and a rentable pavilion that seats about 80. It is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Permit or photo rule: No photography rule or rental fee published on the page. Ask the City of West St. Paul at 651-552-4100.
Timing
When is the best time for a wedding in West St. Paul?
Dakota Lodge's weekend Basic rate is higher from April to October than from November to March, and Thompson County Park is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. in every season.
- Dakota Lodge's weekend Basic rate is $1,115 from April to October if booked 90 or more days ahead and $920 from November to March. The lodge is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Source: Dakota County, Dakota Lodge
- Thompson County Park is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Source: Dakota County, Thompson County 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 West St. Paul?
West St. Paul couples apply through Dakota County, and the county itself rents the lodge in Thompson County Park with its fees published.
- Where do West St. Paul couples get a marriage licence?
- Dakota County, not Ramsey. Complete the online application first, then reserve a time with the package number at the Dakota County Administration Center, 1590 Highway 55, Hastings (651-438-4312). The county page says walk-ins are accepted and booking is encouraged. The fee is $125, or $50 with 12 hours of premarital education and a signed educator's statement. The page states no waiting period, and the licence is valid six months. Source: Dakota County marriage licences
- What does Dakota Lodge cost for a wedding?
- The county lists a weekend Deluxe package for wedding receptions and ceremonies at $1,775 and an outdoor ceremony at $100. The lodge holds 160 with tables and 190 with chairs only. Reservations open 21 to 365 days ahead, and weekend events run Friday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to midnight. Call 952-891-7000. Source: Dakota County, Dakota Lodge
- Is there a photography rule at Thompson County Park?
- The county's Thompson County Park page publishes no photography rule. The park is 57 acres, open daily 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. with free admission and parking, and the North Shelter is rentable. Ask Dakota County Parks at 952-891-7000 or parks@co.dakota.mn.us. Source: Dakota County, Thompson County Park
- Can you rent the pavilion at Marthaler Park?
- Yes. The city lists a rentable pavilion that seats about 80 and a picnic shelter at the 29-acre park, 1625 Humboldt Avenue. The page publishes no rental fee or photography rule; call the City of West St. Paul at 651-552-4100. Source: City of West St. Paul, Marthaler Park
Checked against each authority’s own page in September 2026. Fees change — confirm before you budget.
Do you photograph weddings in West St. Paul?
Yes. West St. Paul sits roughly 12 minutes from downtown Minneapolis, inside the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro. I photograph weddings in West St. Paul and know the venues, the light, and the timing quirks that come with this corner of the Twin Cities.
West St. Paul sits immediately south of Saint Paul, so a wedding here can pair a county-run lodge on Thompson Lake with a neighbourhood event center and a golf-club clubhouse a few minutes apart.
Couples choosing a West St. Paul wedding photographer usually weigh up nearby suburbs too — St. Paul, South St. Paul, Mendota Heights, with travel included within 40 miles of downtown Minneapolis. If your session is in West St. Paul 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 West St. Paul?
Portraits in West St. Paul lean on Thompson County Park, Marthaler Park, Dakota Lodge, The Bella Event Center. 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 West St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul.
Which cities near West St. Paul do you cover?
I photograph weddings, engagements, and portraits across the Minneapolis–St. Paul south metro. These are the West St. Paul-adjacent Minneapolis–St. Paul suburbs I cover most often — every city links to a dedicated local guide.
- St. Paul
- South St. Paul
- Mendota Heights
- Minneapolis
Also serving the wider Twin Cities metro — view all Minneapolis–St. Paul locations.
People also ask
Quick answers about wedding photographers in West St. Paul
How much does a West St. Paul wedding photographer cost?+
West St. Paul 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 West St. Paul?+
Yes — West St. Paul is roughly 12 minutes from downtown Minneapolis by car, in the south 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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West St. Paul 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 West St. Paul, MN?
Every West St. Paul 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 West St. Paul, MN as anywhere in the Twin Cities area.
West St. Paul Wedding Photography FAQ
Do you charge travel to West St. Paul?
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 West St. Paul?
Dakota Lodge in Thompson County Park, The Bella Event Center and Southview Country Club each describe weddings or events on their own pages. Details and links are in the venue list above.
What does Dakota Lodge cost for a wedding?
Dakota County lists a weekend Deluxe package for wedding receptions and ceremonies at $1,775 and an outdoor ceremony at $100. The lodge holds 160 with tables and 190 with chairs only.
Which county issues a West St. Paul marriage licence?
Dakota County, at the Administration Center in Hastings. The fee is $125, or $50 with 12 hours of premarital education and a signed educator's statement.
Is there a photography rule at Thompson County Park?
The county's park page publishes none. Dakota County Parks answers questions at 952-891-7000.
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