Como Zoo Wedding in the Sunken Garden

When we asked Charmaine what she was most nervous about for her wedding day, she wrote back: being the center of attention. Then she and Alec planned a Marjorie McNeely Conservatory wedding under the glass dome at Como in St. Paul, with a live band booked to keep everyone moving. We love that contrast. This is a couple who would rather be on the dance floor than on display, and they built a day that felt like a party instead of a performance.

A Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Wedding Built Around the Party

Charmaine and Alec met at a party. Alec proposed at a Tyler Childers concert. So when we asked what they were most excited about for the wedding, the answer surprised nobody: the dancing and the party.

That told us a lot about how to plan their coverage.

They held the ceremony and reception at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. One location means no shuttle, no dead hour between venues, and no guests wandering off to find parking twice. The energy never has a chance to drop. For a couple whose whole goal is a good party, that matters more than any single backdrop.

And the backdrop is a good one. The Conservatory gives you palms, flowers, and soft light through the glass all year. The Visitor Center gives you a modern room for dinner and dancing. You get garden photos and a real reception space without leaving the property.

They brought in one of our favorite Minneapolis wedding bands, Vinyl District, to run the night. A live band changes the room. Guests stop watching the couple and start dancing with them.

Getting Ready in St. Paul: A Hairstylist Takes the Day Off

Charmaine and Alec got ready at the same spot in St. Paul. That kept the morning calm and close, with nobody racing across town.

Here is our favorite detail. Charmaine does hair for a living, and on her wedding day she let someone else do hers. Ella Doing Hair styled her, Adorada Beauty and Gypsy Hair Guru Weddings handled makeup, and The Glow Lounge took care of her spray tan before the big day. If you work in the beauty industry, you know how hard it is to sit in the chair and trust someone else. She did it, and she got to just enjoy her morning.

Alec kept it simple, with his brother Will standing next to him as his one attendant. Charmaine had one too, Zia Williams. A wedding party of two keeps portraits quick and keeps the couple surrounded by people who actually know them.

Nervous About Being the Center of Attention? Plan for It

A lot of couples tell us the same thing Charmaine did. They love each other, they want the photos, and they dread being stared at for eight hours.

The fix is not posing lessons. It is design.

Charmaine and Alec did three things right. First, they kept the wedding party small, so there was less standing in lines and less “everybody look here.” Second, they put the party at the center of the day. When the dance floor is full, nobody is watching the couple, and that is when the best photos happen. Third, they gave us their love languages ahead of time. Alec’s is acts of service. Charmaine’s is words of affirmation.

We use that during portraits. Give the acts of service partner something to do, like fixing a veil or holding a hand through the greenery. Ask the words of affirmation partner to hear something out loud. People forget the camera when they are doing something real.

If this sounds like you, start with a wedding day timeline that leaves room to breathe. Short portrait blocks with breaks in between feel a lot less like a spotlight.

Planning Your Own Marjorie McNeely Conservatory Wedding

If you are looking at a Marjorie McNeely Conservatory wedding, here is what we tell couples.

The indoor gardens work in every season, which is a big deal in Minnesota. A January wedding still gets green, living color. In summer, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory’s wedding spaces also include outdoor options, like the Japanese Garden and the Exedra overlooking Frog Pond.

Check the current photo policy before you plan portraits. The Conservatory is a public garden, and Como has restricted posed photography during public hours. Build your portrait time around your rental window so you are not sharing the Sunken Garden with a field trip.

Plan for light. Glass ceilings make soft, bright light on cloudy days and strong overhead light at midday. We schedule couple portraits around that.

Want another look at this venue? See Justin and Leah’s Como Conservatory wedding for a different take on the same glass and greenery.

Ready to Plan Your Como Wedding?

If you would rather dance than pose, you are our kind of couple. Our team photographs weddings across Minneapolis and St. Paul, and we plan coverage around how you actually want the day to feel. You get a questionnaire, a timeline built with you, and a photographer who knows when to step back.

Tell us about your wedding and we will send you dates and pricing.

VENDOR CREDITS

Venue | Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

Band | Vinyl District

Hair | Ella Doing Hair

Makeup | Adorada Beauty

Makeup | Gypsy Hair Guru Weddings

Spray Tan | The Glow Lounge