Sam and Omid - Elysian Ballroom Wedding - Portland, Oregon

Sam and Omid are the type of people you want to be best friends with as soon as you meet them. When we did their engagement session, we wandered around Portland and chatted for hours. I normally get anxious being downtown (because traffic), but these two have such a welcoming vibe about them that it was hard to feel anything but relaxed while hanging with them.

This wedding was photographed by our associate photographers Kathleen and Sierra, and I am beyond jealous that I wasn’t able to be there. When I got the photos back, I spent hours and hours going through these and I felt like I was there the entire time. My team can photograph weddings better than I can even dream of. The details were stunning, and I could feel the energy of the day through the pictures.

The Elysian Ballroom is a venue that most girls only dream of. It’s covered in chandeliers, gold chairs, and elegant fixtures everywhere. The getting ready suite is baby blue accented with gold, and has the perfect natural window light. This venue has definitely been on the bucket list, and I don’t even think that photos will do it much justice or show the actual beauty of this elegant ballroom in the heart of Portland.

Sam and Omid spent their morning getting ready, enjoying champagne (and beers) and hanging out with their crew. They did a beautiful first look on the staircase, and then headed outside into the hustle and bustle of Portland to do some classic bridal party photos.

After a beautiful ceremony, heartfelt toasts, and the traditional cake cut, they spent their night hanging out with tons of family and friends and dancing the night away.

Sam and Omid, you two are some of the most kind and generous people I have ever met. Thank you for trusting our team to photograph your beautiful ballroom wedding and I wish you a lifetime of happiness.

Cam and Lauren - Castaway Wedding - Portland, Oregon

Wow. What a whirlwind of a day and such a beautiful wedding at one of my favorite Portland venues.

Lauren and her babe tribe got ready at the Benson Hotel downtown in Portland, Oregon. We snacked on thai salad and finger sandwiches while the girls called the desk for 80 bottles of champagne (Ok - I may be slightly exaggerating - But it was enough to make the front counter question us hehe). After Lauren got into her gorgeous modern wedding dress dripping in beads that gave me all of the vintage feels, we crammed everybody into the elevator. I won’t lie, I was shocked that it didn’t break down on us. When we got to the lobby, Lauren and the girls were surprised with a huge pink hummer limo - and off we went to the Castaway to get these two beautiful people married!

Lauren and Cameron tied the knot with an urban backdrop and had a huge ceremony filled with beautiful family and friends. If you met these two, you wouldn’t even question how they have hundreds of friends. They are both such kind, loving people. After the ceremony, we snuck off for some fun bridal party photos and ended with some intimate shots of just the bride and groom.

We headed back into the venue where we ate delicious food, played adult beer pong, listened to incredible toasts from their closest and dearest family and friends (there were a lot of tears), and tore up the dance floor. Let me tell you… Their family can get DOWN on the dance floor. Later in the evening, Lauren was surprised with a look alike Dumbledore - She almost dropped her wine so I’d say that was for sure the highlight of the night!

And after everyone’s feet started hurting, it was time to put an end to the magical night with a beautiful sparkler exit. I will never forget this wedding, and I will hold these two in my heart because they are both so incredible, and made me feel like family. Thank you for an amazing night "Larry & Tex" ❤️🙈

Galina and Max - White River Falls Engagement Session - Madras, Oregon

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Sometimes in order to get the best photographs you have to work for it, and that’s what this couple did during their engagement session at the breathtaking White River Falls in Madras, OR.

Galina and Max joined me in hiking all the way up to this gorgeous waterfall and Galina even trailblazed it through the rocky terrain all while wearing her heels! We had a blast playing in the cold water and laughing and talking all about their love of corgis. Galina’s adorable backless light blue dress and black strappy maxi dress made for some incredibly picturesque photographs.

Beyond being incredibly photogenic, Galina and Max are the most vibrant and smiley couple ever, and with hearts of gold! They went out of their way to make me feel comforted and loved after learning that my kitten had recently been put down. At our shoot they brought me a framed picture in special memory of my kitty; because that’s the kind of amazing people they are! I could not have asked for a better couple to do this shoot with and I cannot wait to be able to be a part of capturing their wedding next year!

Jayme and AJ - Industrial Iron Fireman Collective Wedding - Portland, Oregon

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Getting to capture Jayme and AJ’s wedding was a delight. This was the very first wedding ever hosted at the Iron Fireman’s Collective and the setting was perfect and paired beautifully with Jayme and AJ’s style. Its restored wooden beams, exposed brick and rich textures were a charming backdrop for the bridal parties’ soft and blush tones in their baby pink dresses.

This day was a celebration of love, family and friendship and brought joy and smiles to all the faces of everyone involved. The stylish bridal party was comprised of a fantastic group of people who were a blast to spend the whole day with. They brought the fun and even made a soul train line dance happen! Later on in the evening as the sun was setting the couple and I were able to slip out onto the rooftop. The light was setting so beautifully as we spent those few moments capturing some more special portraits of Jayme and AJ.

The party didn’t stop and kept going throughout the night, continuing with a ton of fun dancing and laughter till the end of the evening.Thank you Jayme and AJ for letting me be a part of your special day!

Tatiana and Nate - Colorful Carnival Engagement Session - Portland, Oregon

Getting to have a session at a carnival in downtown Portland was a dream for me. The colors, the lights, and the energy of the whole evening was perfect! It was right down my alley of what I want in a shoot.

Tatiana showed up in a show-stopping two piece gown from Nordstrom and Nate was in a topshop blazer complete with a hat he custom made himself. They lit up the place with their bright and fun personalities as well as the love that is very evident between them.

The night was spent meandering the carnival, viewing the beautiful romantic cityscape from the high top of the ferris wheel, and having a blast on the big swing.

It was a magical shoot, Tatiana truly looked like a princess, so much so that one cute little girl thought she was Ariel.

I could not have asked for a better night and session with these two lovebirds. The images truly got to capture the whole night and share the magic!

Emily and Kasey - Oregon Coast Elopement - Pacific City, Oregon

As a photographer, I am constantly trying to make a footprint on this world through photographs, and I wanted especially to give Emily and Kasey something they could remember forever.

Emily and Kasey are an amazing couple who have experienced years worth of tough times within one; From hardships in their careers to health and life in general.  Recently Emily received a diagnosis that is now affecting her everyday decisions. She assures me that she does not want people to see her diagnosis and experiences as a sad story. She is one of the most bubbly, fun and charismatic people I have ever met. She grabs life by the horns and chooses to spend her time as CVICU nurse taking care of others and saving lives. She is BRAVE and full of life, and wants to use her story to spread awareness.

When I learned that I was already booked for her wedding day we were crushed, but I immediately knew that I wanted to do something special for her and Kasey and quickly put together a secret romantic trip for the both them. They deserved a stress free and beautiful experience after everything they have gone through this year. We told Emily and Kasey we would do a “fake wedding” and secretly pulled together a team of incredible Portland vendors to make the day spectacular.

We trekked the 2 hours to Pacific City, down a rocky private road to the ocean and the sand dunes. We hung out on top of the sand dunes, playing with their dogs and watching para gliders fly all around us. After spending time in the wind we came down onto the beachfront where we were greeted with a gorgeous bouquet and boutonniere. We snagged a few more breathtaking shots then packed and went over to haystack rock for a romantic picnic put together by our amazing team. Emily and Kasey got to have an incredible evening picnicking, relaxing with the dogs, and watching the sunset, all while having a camera capture it all. The day was full of laughter, wind, and love.

I have learned more valuable lessons from Emily than I have learned from anyone else. Spend every single day living it like it is your last. Whatever you do, love freely. If you are questioning something that gives you anxiety...say “screw it” and do it! Go against the rules of life, every single day. 

Thank you to Emily and Kasey for being so damn incredible and bringing us into your lives.

And a huge thank you to the entire team behind this magical set up -

Photography / Makeup / Hair : Sarah Willey of Sarah Lynn Photography
Floral & Spatial Styling : Rosemary Stafford 
Amazing kick ass assistant : www.instagram.com/antiqueashley
Comedy & Entertainment ( ha ha ) : Alex Simpson
Rentals : Something Borrowed Portland
Bridal Gowns: Brides for a Cause
Cake : www.christine-power.com
Catering : www.instagram.com/heartofcelebration
Wine : Ken Wright Cellars Winery