Audrey and Brandon imported me all the way from Portland, OR to Glen Ellen, CA to photograph their lovely vineyard wedding at Jack London State Historic Park last month. I was so excited to be capturing my first (but hopefully not my last) California wedding, and I couldn’t have asked for a more heartfelt, beautiful one than theirs! It was a whirlwind couple of days, with their rehearsal lunch and brewery tour and engagement session on Friday, and then a full day of wedding fun on Saturday, but with all these gorgeous photos of these lovely people, it was totally worth it!
When artists get married, their weddings are always especially beautiful. So it was with Amira and Noah’s lovely Oregon Coast wedding at Camp Magruder last September.
I first met Amira when she was a bridesmaid in Tim and Sylvie’s wedding in Minneapolis several summers ago. We all live in Portland, Oregon, but travelled to Minnesota for the wedding. Since then, I’ve worked with her several times, photographing her beautiful jewelry designs and making some environmental portraits to help promote her business. I was excited to photograph her wedding because I knew that she had great taste and the skills to translate her artist’s eye into very photogenic wedding. And she and her financé Noah didn’t disappoint!
The day started early and went late, but everyone was in amazingly good spirits throughout. It was especially fun for me because I got to cross several things off my bucket list — 1. Though I was was born and raised in NY, I had never before walked the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a gorgeous day for it. 2. This was my first time photographing an elopement, and Chad and Hans generously devoted a large part of their big day to allowing me to photograph them, which was amazing, and 3. Despite a veritable gaggle of gay friends (largely earned through my many years studying and working in theater), this was my first opportunity to photograph a gay wedding. I did my best to make the most of the chance — for Chad and Hans, whom I love, and for added diversity in my portfolio! Through either the courts or the ballot box here in Oregon, I’m optimistic that there will be lots more beautiful weddings on the horizon, and I can’t wait to be a part of them as the wedding photographer. Love is love!
Anne and Adam were married at her family’s Oregon Vineyard late last summer. When we met up the weekend before, it was pouring down rain and Anne was a little nervous about their lack of weather contingency plans. Adam had complete faith, though, and turned out to be right — their wedding day was clear, sunny, and VERY bright.
I love this couple and this wedding. (I love it so much that I just ordered a new sample wedding album for my studio using these photos.) It was the first time I saw rain on an August wedding in Portland Oregon in my photography career (despite our wet reputation, it never rains in August here!) — and with another couple, this might have spelled disaster or at the very least, caused a few tears. Not these two. Neon and John stood in the rain to say their vows with smiles on their faces, and enjoyed every bit of it, as far as I could tell. Really, the drizzle lasted just long enough to break the humidity from earlier in the day and give everything a bit of a glow for the photos, so I enjoyed it immensely. And when it was done there was delicious dinner from ¿Por Que No? Taqueria, heartfelt speeches, homemade pies and lots of dancing. As a wedding photographer, there wasn’t much more I could ask for.
As promised, Rob and Anna’s beautiful Mt. Tabor wedding ceremony! I’m not sure dear friends Rob and Anna could’ve made this any easier on me — in addition to being one of the most photogenic couples around (I can’t look at these pictures of Anna without thinking of old Hollywood Glamour), they chose to have their ceremony atop Mt Tabor. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Mt. Tabor is a volcano in Southeast Portland with views of the city and beautiful, mottled light. Add in a host of beautiful, thoughtful details, like a simple, classic fabric banner to mark their ceremony site, a hand fasting ceremony using her grandmother’s lace and his family’s tartan, and lovely coils of paper containing their vows, and you have a photographer’s dream wedding. . .
Tim and Sylvie are friends from Portland who traveled to Sylvie’s hometown near Minneapolis, Minnesota for their wedding. Beforehand, while they were making plans, Tim and I were chatting and he said, “I wish you could shoot my wedding!” And I responded, “me too! Wait… why couldn’t I?’ So we made it work, and I’m so glad we did, as these pictures are some of my all-time wedding favorites. A vintage tandem Schwinn bicycle for the lovely bride and groom to ride into the reception? Come on! Not to mention beautiful little St. Albert’s Church with the gorgeous light where the ceremony was held, the striking multi-colored flowered dresses on the bridesmaids, the amazing rustic decorations in Sylvie’s family’s yard, the super cute kids, the lawn games, and the amazingly fun Contra dance at the end of the night… The list goes on, but you should just see the cuteness for yourself.
Ali and Josh have big, boisterous personalities, and lucky for me, they’re not afraid to show them to the camera (or the world!) That, combined with scads of thoughtful details and lots of warm, lovely friends made shooting their summer wedding great fun for me. Oh, and the delicious barbeque from Reo’s Ribs helped too!
