Adventurous Minnesota Wedding Photographer

I make the photos. You make the memories.

Professional wedding photography shouldn’t be an afterthought in wedding planning. Your wedding photographer matters. Whether you tie the knot with an adventurous elopement or a fun and festive wedding celebration, photos have the power to let you relive the magic again and again. A photograph done well can transport you back in time to some of life’s grandest moments.

That’s why you’ll often catch me balancing on tree limbs, wading through freezing water, and scouting out epic backdrops to make sure you get those once-in-a-lifetime shots. They feel larger than life, but they’re equally authentic, featuring you in your truest, most beautiful form.

I love weddings because all kinds of wonderful and unexpected things happen. Like a fingerprint, no two are the same. It puts the wind in my sails to create photos that convey the emotions of your day through visually stunning compositions and attention to detail. 

It is possible to have the trifecta: fine art portraits—in nature—that reflect authentic connection.

I encourage you to live in the moment and savor the experience. I’m not here to get in your face or twist you into crazy poses (unless you want that). You do your thing, and I’ll capture the magic of the moment.

No matter the activities or adventures that draw us together, one thing is for sure: everyone wants to be remembered in spectacular ways and have fun doing it! From destination weddings on exotic islands to modern and rustic affairs, I am an adventurous wedding photographer who photographs extraordinary weddings in Minnesota (and beyond!).

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Minnesota wedding photographer
(FYI: Sometimes I sport a beard.)

About Andy

I am passionate about all things art and capturing the beauty in every photograph I take. When you hire me, you’re hiring a photographer who’s practiced photography since I was a teen. I earned a bachelor’s of fine arts in photography not long before I photographed my first wedding in 2006. 

Weddings pair many of my favorite things to photograph: wonderful people celebrating, great venues from barns to oceans to backyards to any sort of creative visual space, and ultimately landscapes. I. Love. Landscapes. And you’ll look so good posing in them on your wedding day. 

One of my superpowers is my quick read on how events will unfold. Like anticipating the crescendos for any Queen, Prince, and most Beyoncé songs so I can capture photo gold (not a bad trait to have in the person who’s photographing your wedding). Taking those moments and putting them into photos makes me excited to see and share the results. I think you’ll feel the same way.

Most of all, I’m dreaming up the most dynamic portraits I can to provide my couples with a “WOW” photo—or twenty—on your wedding day. Magical photos are my unicorns to catch each wedding. 

Taking care of people is really important to me.

I want to make sure I visually tell your story so that you’ll be in awe for many years to come. I don’t hold anything back—in the best way possible, and I professionally guide my couples not only through their wedding day but leading up to that day and well after. If you want my style of photography to exhibit your wedding and feel adventurous, then let’s work together and make some wedding art. 

If any or all of this makes your ears perk or imagination flutter, then reach out.

“My Why” includes my

beautiful wife and our son

My wife Jennie and I met in high school when I first fell in love with her. We didn’t reconnect until 10 years later when she finally fell in love with me and married me–we had a perfect autumn wedding on Lake Vermillion. Jennie also is an integral part of this wedding photo business behind the scenes. You may catch her on Zoom or get an email from her, and you’ll see why I’m only better with her around. She is my rock and my everything. She keeps me grounded, and we have an awesome son Fletcher together who we absolutely adore.

Music Head

I am obsessed with good music. From mix tapes from years ago to Spotify playlists, I’ve always loved collecting and curating music. So happy vinyl came back to life. Let me know if you want to see my wedding playlists.

Education

I’ve been studying photography since I was 14 years old. In getting my BFA I studied in Greece, Japan, San Francisco and New York. I’m plan to continue to add to that list with my love for adventurous wedding photography.

Currently Viewing

Lovecraft Country, Arrested Development, Schitt’s Creek, Insecure, Hannibal, Modern Family, Letterkenny, Night on Earth, Black-ish, Watchmen, Superstore, Music Documentaries, Wipe Out.

Get in Touch with Andy

Are We A Match?

As a wedding photographer, I specialize in portraiture in landscapes. I have a keen eye for fine art photography, and I infuse an adventurously candid approach to your wedding photos, unlike other fine art wedding photography. Stilted, posed, and over-processed images often feel…well, posed. But your wedding day will be brimming with emotion, passion, and connection. So, I’ve honed my style to deliver evocative and wall-worthy photos that reflect the unique connection you have as a couple. 

I’m a huge people person, so I’ll helpfully guide you toward great shots when needed. (As a long-time wedding photographer, I’m good at taking cues and reading rooms, so no stress or awkward intrusions here). My goal is to help you relax in front of the camera to bring out those genuine smiles. I truly enjoy connecting with each of my clients. 

What do I ask of you?

A sense of adventure and willingness to challenge your comfort zones for beautiful images that will make your heart skip a beat. And you can know that I’ll do the same. To give you a better idea, some of my most requested wedding locations are on the North Shore of Lake Superior. (Or, let’s go to Hawaii North Shore—I’m ready!)

Have an epic photo idea or wedding vision in mind? I’m excited to help you pull it off with one-of-a-kind artistic flair. Drop a line here to get started creating something amazing together.

“Andy is a true artist!”

He captured the magic of our day not only with his tech skill but also with his ability to work with people–encouraging interactions to get the shots! He easily understood our ideas and brought excellent ideas of his own. We loved our experience with Andy.

Luke T.
Minnesota Wedding

“From our heartfelt first look to when everyone let loose at the dance party!“


We are so happy to have found Andy in our search for wedding photographers. We were looking for a photographer whose style could capture both the drama and lightness of our special day. He truly delivered. We were especially pleased with some of the wider panoramas that included a natural backdrop. 
Suzanne & Ryan
Stillwater, MN

“Who’s worried about a few clouds?”

Andy captures more than people’s look in his images, he captures their personality and humanity.
He photographed my wedding in New Orleans. The big day was a little cloudy, but Andy managed to use all available light to capture the mood of the event. He also captured a comprehensive vision of my wedding, with close-ups, landscapes, and portraits of my family and friends. Thanks to Andy I have a really unique, honest look at an important day in my life.
Jesse
New Orleans Wedding

Kind Words

“From the beginning, Andy had a vision for our wedding. Our unique wedding location on the North Shore was ripe for an artistic eye.
If you have art and adventure in your heart you will be delighted with his finished product.

Andy’s ability to capture Lake Superior in all its emotions and landscape in all its grandeur is really impressive.
He was so helpful in creating a fun and eased environment that the worries we had with posing really faded away.
We really seem like our authentic selves in the photos, fancy and gorgeous versions of ourselves. 

“We had the honor of having Andy Hardman photograph our Portland, OR wedding. A picture is worth a thousand words but his photographs left us speechless.
Andy’s expertise and creativity enabled him to masterfully adjust whatever scenery, lighting, weather, or angle needed to capture the essence and beauty of that moment.
He engaged and disarmed everyone, resulting in natural and relaxed expressions.

Reviewing the pictures the day after with him reminded us how time flew and that everything felt like a blur! Andy has exceptional skills in perfecting photos.
Lastly, not only were his photos amazing, he had great business acumen as well!
Andy is punctual, reliable, generous, funny, and professional.”

“For every couple that is getting married, wedding is one of the most special moments of your life. Finding the right photographer becomes one of the most important piece of planning a perfect wedding. Ours was a far-from-home Punjabi wedding. Finding someone who understood our sentiments and could capture all the important moments during the three day event was crucial.

While money was a factor, it definitely wasn’t the only criteria to finding the right photographer. We researched many portfolios trying to find a photographer who captured moments like we’d want. The moment we came across Andy’s photography, we knew we wanted to talk to him and see if he would capture our wedding through his lens. Getting on a call with Andy was probably one of the best early decisions we made. Explaining what we wanted felt like talking to a friend.” 

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