Courthouse weddings don't have to be drab, especially when your courthouse is beautiful (like the Washington County courthouse), you request an outside ceremony with the judge (I didn't even know you could do that, did you?!) or, when your bride and groom show up looking dapper as hell. Ian and Ana hired me for two hours and we made some magic together on a smoky, hot day in September. A huge wildfire nearby was burning and so the air smelled like a campfire and the light was softened with an orange hue. There were even ashes falling, dusting the men's coat jackets during the ceremony. I'm so happy for these two and so glad I got to spend time with them on their wedding day! Small weddings are the absolute best.
Brianna + Matt | Portland courthouse wedding & MT Hood backyard bash
It rained non-stop on the day of Brianna & Matt's wedding but never once did I hear either of them (or their guests) complain. Through the ceremony and portraits everyone just laughed and threw on a rain jacket. The reception got moved inside, which included Matt & Brianna's much-rehearsed Dirty Dancing routine. (She even had her dress custom made to replicate the swingy, pink one worn by "Baby" in the movie's epic final scene.) It was in this cramped living room of a vacation rental home near Mt. Hood that they drank cider, shared homemade pie, let the dogs loose on the dance floor, and ate their first meal (burgers & hot dogs) as man and wife for the first time. It was casual. It was fun. It was wet. It was so, so perfect. It was why I love small weddings at home because they are less about perfection and more about the heart. I often become friends with my couples, and with these two it's been no exception. Matt & Brianna are so much more than my friends though, they are role models for what I want to have with a partner. They are eachothers' best friend and have an easiness about they way they communicate and share their life that I admire so damn much. Happy anniversary you two. I'm so happy for you. xoxo
The day before their wedding, Brianna & Matt had a courthouse ceremony and asked me to come along instead of photographing their rehearsal that night. I LOVE courthouse ceremonies and loved the extra opportunity to get a few portraits of them outside of their wedding day. If you are planning your wedding consider this an option!
Neil & Susannah | Leach Botanical Garden | Portland winter wedding
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Susannah & Neil were two of the first people that I met when I moved to Portland. They own a wonderful art gallery called Antler located in Northeast Portland in the Alberta Arts District. It reminded me a lot of Studio&Gallery in Durango, CO., except with a darker, nature-centric tone. They are SO friendly and easy to talk to. Scott and I found ourselves attending every one of their openings. I was so grateful to be their wedding photographer because they told me from the very beginning that they weren't very traditional and borderline cynical when it came to weddings. They just wanted to do it their way which meant a small number of guests, a black wedding dress, and in the winter when life feels slow. When I heard this I said, "I have to be your photographer!" We were a perfect fit and although the rain was relentless and the daylight waning, it was the perfect intimate evening. I'd love to come back and photograph another wedding at the Leach Botanical Garden in SE Portland. It was so lush and felt like a cozy cabin in the woods far away from the city. It was magical. Happy anniversary Susannah & Neil!
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