Abbey and Jesse had a sweet backyard wedding… she grew up on this pocket farm in Wilsonville, trading vows under an apple tree planted by her parents when she was very young.
The thing about a backyard wedding is the comfort factor… there is something about sitting to table in the yard where your family has played for so many years… there is a soft, familiar air over all of it. Take your shoes off… walk in the cool grass… have a piece of cake. ;0)
There is no way to describe the relief that washed over me when I finally found this photograph after having lost it for about 8 years. I was pretty sure it was in my house still but I sure couldn’t put my hands on it. Of course it came to light when I was looking for something else.
This was taken on a frozen February morning in Winnipeg… it was 1979 and Lon and I had flown in from Boston to catch a total eclipse of the sun. The entire trip was rather surreal… especially standing in a remote and utterly frozen field many miles north of Winnipeg as the light began to take on another dimension. He was able to concentrate on his telescopes and the cameras attached but all I could do was live it. To this day, I can see the light coming across the open spaces… kind of pink and, somehow, about 3 feet high.
That train left at midnight and we were on it, westbound for Oregon. Even though our relationship was on the wane, it was the beginning of a new life here.
We all know what a pain it can be to spend an otherwise lovely afternoon in the company of your dweeb cousin.
Lucky me. ;0)
Stacey and Darrell hired us for three days in October… a halloween party on Friday, a sunny recreational Saturday at Crater Lake followed by a Sunday wedding on the rim. It was the last open day of the season… the lodge was about to shut and the roads would close as soon as people were out. Sunday morning found us with much lower skies and rapidly dropping temperatures… enough that the bridal party wore long underwear and hiking boots under their beautiful dresses. On the rim, the cold wind was close to unbearable… guests wrapped in plastic parkas braving the sleet and the freezing fog. The flowers popped in that stark light. Stacey braved it somehow in her spaghetti strap dress.
The party was down the hill in a little grange hall in Fort Klamath… homemade pies and fine BBQ. As the rain subsided, I asked them to come across the street with me to play in the high grass.
Up on the rim, the roads were closing for a long white winter.
You have seen them… they are generally on the short side, all polished up for the day and completely oblivious to the idea that they are visible up there at the altar. It’s a part of the day I look for because it is such an entertaining slice… something they can be gently teased about for a long time.
Over the years I have found that the young ones and the old folks are the truest faces for my camera. They really don’t worry about it very much. People in the middle years seem to have a camera face if they know you are pointing a lens in their direction… that’s why a very candid approach is the very best thing.
Specializing in real life… have a look around this site while you are here, ok?
Meghan and Ryan had a spectacular day at Bridal Veil Lakes. It was one of those soft July days… not too hot… the light beautifully bright under the trees. She crafted her retro bouquet and his boutonnière from tiny beads wrapped into flowers… they passed as real enough to make you look twice.
They met on the path around the lake and my favorite part of this image is her earring swinging high as she turns.
Come get married in Oregon… we have a wealth of beautiful places!
Alyssa’s sisters had her back from the beginning… they kept her laughing and steady as she made her way to marry Fletcher… you couldn’t ask for more. I posted this particular image to make a point about family shots… I do a ton of them at every wedding. I don’t blog them very often and my portfolio is light in this arena for a reason… I figure each set of clients will have their own range of needs and the varied personalities that go along with all of that. The thing that makes it work is to just show up, relax and let me see what I can bring out of the groups. It should be about the love, not about the poses. I have several of this band of siblings that are plenty formal but we all know that this is the one that caught the true sisters.
Be there… be real.
Vista Hills Vineyard in late August… we have an absolute heaven right here in Oregon. Our vineyards are all within about a 45 minute drive from Portland… it’s the best of both worlds. That proximity has become a marvelous reason to get married in these beautiful rolling hills.
Stephanie and Lee took a break with their friends a little before dinner… there was wine passed and laughter on that summer road. Come to Oregon. Bring your dreams.
Well… not totally unexpected. Madeline and Lee knew the dress would be there, though only for the dancing. Her mom was blown away when Madeline changed out of her long slinky gown, mid reception, into this snappy little number from so long ago. In fact, when she had it altered they found some rice in the hem. Imagine that rice just hanging out over the years, waiting for the daughter to grow up and decide to wear the dress… how cool is that?!
Mom’s dress was great for dancing and Madeline owned it… just like she did the entire day. What a great time we had!
Take your wedding for the ride of your life… hire the right people, live happily ever after.
I think it’s important to have a collection of images from the wedding feast without making those awkward fork-in-face close ups. If you have a buffet service, it’s easy enough to showcase the food before it’s on the plates but if you have a seated dinner it becomes a different thing altogether. Ambiance and mood are key elements in any reception. As a photographer, I still have to bring it back for the bride and groom but I have to avoid embarrassing anyone. With any luck, I am still mostly invisible in the process.
This was a lovely summer wedding in the Heritage Ballroom at the Governor Hotel in downtown Portland.