New York

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"What are you doing next week? Do you want to go to NYC with me?" - Bryan
"Hmm.. I don't think I have any plans. Oh wait, it's my birthday, yeah no plans though" -Me

"Perfect so you're coming to NYC with me for your birthday?" -Bryan

Haha, YOLO. After all, I'd never been to the East Coast so figured I should probably experience it. Bryan's been my travel pal for the last few years and I'm thankful he invites me on the majority of his adventures with him and his friends (shout out Bryan, you da best)! Last year I was in Norway with him on my birthday, and this year - New York City with him, haha.

I've never considered myself a city girl, and that could not have been more validated on my first experience in New York. Don't get me wrong - I had SO much fun and it was a blast to experience NYC with good friends, but the whole lifestyle there... nope, just couldn't do it. I'm a country girl who believes that west coast is best coast whole-heartedly :)

However, NYC did treat me extremely well though. I got to frolick around the city and do touristy things with my dear friend Mark who came and met up with me from Jersey, celebrated my birthday with Bryan, Jon, and even my college bestie Christina who I haven't seen in years! We experienced 3 seasons in 3 days.. it was raining when I got there, 60 and sunny the next day, and then a winter blizzard the last day. Emily joined us for the last couple of days, and us 4 saw so many different things in a matter of a few days, and walked so many steps that I thought my feet were going to fall off. We got rad photos, took a ferry at sunset, ate marvelous food, and just had a wonderful spur-of-the-moment trip to NYC! Bryan, Jon, and Emily - too much fun with you guys, thanks for having me tag along, and can't wait for the next adventure ;)

Enjoy my photos from the big apple! Shout out and photo cred to Bryan and Jon for the couple photos of myself, as well. 

Secret Supper in BEND, OR

If I lived anywhere besides the Portland area, it would definitely be Bend, OR. The landscapes, the community, the breweries, the seasons, the people, the all around vibes... I love it all!
Huge shoutout to my friend, Max, for inviting me to a "Secret Supper" in Bend this last weekend. It was a beautiful weekend, and just what my body needed in this travel season of my current life.

We stayed at Suttle Lake Lodge, which is EPIC. It is the perfect combination of rustic and modern, with a cozy common area, a warm fire, a trendy bar, an arrangement of popular games, and a record player complete with an impressive collection of legendary records. The rooms are also the perfect mix of spacious and cozy, in a way that you literally look out the window and feel like you are in your own private cabin on the lake. I took a few photos so you know what I mean!

Okay... I had no idea what I was in for going into this "Secret Supper" thing... I had never even heard of it, but apparently it's a thing. A wonderful thing! Truly one of the coolest experiences of my life. The amazing team behind it began doing these secret suppers about a year ago, with the vision of inspiring people through feast, community, and the natural surroundings... and just something out of the ordinary. Mona and Jaret, from Tournant Catering in Portland, are the incredible chefs behind this masterpiece concept (and also the cutest couple ever, I obviously HAD to take a few portraits of them)! They teamed up with a talented team of creatives, Christiann, Danielle, and Eva, to really bring their vision to life. I believe this was their 4th one, and this one was alpine themed. They cooked everything over an open outdoor fire, the candle-lit table setting was to die for, and the people we dined with were genuine, fun, down-to-earth folk that I seriously feel so lucky to have met and spent all weekend with! Sorry for the picture overload, everything was too beautiful - I could not stop taking photos, even though I was there to just enjoy it, oops. Not pictured - Max rounding up 12 of us after dinner to join in the lodge and play a rowdy game of Cards Against Humanity - complete with home-made cookies, more booze, and more laughter.

Buy tickets to their next Secret Supper because you seriously have to experience this yourself to truly know how wonderful it is. We laughed, we feasted, we drank, we shared stories, we cozied up with blankets, it was 30 degrees and we didn't even know it! Anyways, thank you to the Secret Supper crew for blowing my mind... you guys are amazing.

With the obvious highlight of the weekend being the Secret Supper, we also made sure to spare a little bit of time for some hiking and adventure on the way home. We met up with my friend Megan and her cute pup Dally for a hike at Tumalo Falls. We couldn't stop talking about how glorious the weather was that day... the falls and surrounding areas were completely covered in snow but the sun made it feel like t-shirt weather. We worked up a 10 Barrel appetite and enjoyed more of the sunny day at the cute Bend brewery before ending our day at Smith Rock.

All in all, it was an epic weekend. I love to travel, and I love to explore and try new things, this included. However, this was semi-different in a sense that it was a weekend prioritized with NO priorities, NO plans, and I thoroughly enjoyed NOT having a worry in the world, breathing in fresh air, relaxing, and enjoying the people that I was surrounded with. Martha and Thadius - the cutest young couple with old souls... They recently got married, and we loved getting to know them.. they sat across the table from us if you couldn't tell, I took so many candids of them! :) Also, Tim and Deb - I loved getting to know this couple and hearing their stories... Tim fell in love with Deb when she walked into his elementary class, and now they are married with kids my age. It's stories like theirs that you appreciate and really admire. I just adore them! Tim reminded me of MY dad Tim, and had me constantly laughing at the table, as well as in our Cards Against Humanity round-up. Anyways, here's to my new friends, Max for inviting me, the Secret Supper crew, the wonderful staff at Suttle Lodge, and the beauty that surrounded us all weekend! Oh and here's to BEND, OR too :)

 

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Styled Elopement in the Gorge

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If I'm being honest, traveling is my absolute favorite past time in my "off-season" of November-May. However, every once in awhile, us PNW creatives have to get our "wedding fix" in come mid-off-season time ;) Baylee, Jessica, and I had been discussing the idea of a styled shoot for awhile... This has definitely been in the works, folks! Huge props to Baylee for honing in on all of her connections and really coordinating the whole thing in order to make this dream a reality!

In truth, we had tossed so many ideas around over the course of about 6 months, and everything came together beautifully as if it was meant to be, just in the last week or two of the shoot. Our models - STUNNING, and so much fun to work with! They were a perfect fit, a real life couple, sweet and funny, and so passionate about it each other, that it made for a very romantic outcome in the imagery. Baylee and Jess photographed the entire day, whom made for a killer photographer duo. I filmed obviously, and was so stoked to put together this film, I hope you liked it! We are so thankful to all of our vendors who participated, please check them out in the links below! And enjoy this combination of imagery from both Baylee and Jess:

Coordination and Photography: Baylee Dennis 
Photography: Jessica Heron Images
Models: Bailey O'bar and Kevin Bacewich
Hair & MUA: Mallory Savery
Wedding Gown: Cocoon Silk in Portland, OR
Florals: Your Flower Friends
Jewelry: Rageda's Jewelers
Venue: The Gorge... No better place than the PNW ;)

Here are just a few "behind-the-scenes" shots that I took while filming:

All in all, it was such a fabulous day! Despite cutting my finger open, getting a flat tire, Bailey rolling her ankle, all of us pushing our car stuck in snow, and painful frozen fingers and toes later... we were completely blessed with beautiful weather and just the right amount of wind, and all of us had so much fun together. It honestly couldn't have been more perfect. Thanks again to all of our talented and amazing vendors!

San Francisco

My fellow photographer and dear friend, Baylee Dennis, and I finally get to work together this summer! One of the cutest couples I've ever met, Austin and Katie, hired Baylee as their wedding PHOTOGRAPHER and me as their wedding VIDEOGRAPHER coming up this year. We are SO excited! They took us down to San Fran to capture this special time in their lives, engagement bliss. I tell ya, traveling with your wedding photographer and videographer for a long weekend is definitely a good way to get to know them! We had such a blast frolicking around being San Fran tourists, road-tripping to Santa Cruz and Mavericks, CA and taking rad photos and video of our beautiful couple (and now dear friends) Austin and Katie. A sneak peek of their engagement film is featured at the end of this post... A separate blog post with their engagement photos and full love story film coming soon :) For now, enjoy some behind-the-scenes photos from our trip...

Here is a little one minute preview of what's in store for Katie and Austin's Love Story Film coming soon...

Travis & Tonicha

Where do I start with Tonicha and Travis? I was lucky enough to become Tonicha's "first friend" when she moved to WA (thank you Sharon for knowing that we would become instant besties) and we immediately connected on a lot of different levels. Similar to what Sharon said at the rehearsal dinner, I, as well, have only known them both TOGETHER... As long as I've known Tonicha, I've known Travis, and I cannot imagine Tonicha without Travis. They compliment each other extremely well and it's obvious that God designed them for each other.

Their wedding took place at Reinstein Ranch in Livermore, CA. This was the first wedding that I handed the majority of the reins over to my two lovely assistants, who flew down to CA to capture their day, and I was able to just enjoy the wedding day as one of their guests, it was fabulous, and a "first" for me in awhile! - to be able to sit back and soak up a wedding day without having to capture it all...although I obviously love to capture weddings, too! ;)

Anyways, HUGE shoutout to Katelyn and Ellie for absolutely killin' it! The couple of times throughout the day that I tried to micro-manage a little bit, they both shoved me away saying "Rachel! We got this. You go have fun!" This is why I love them. And shout-out to Seth, who drove down from WA and arrived just in time to capture epic aerial footage. To my friend, Gerry, who was my +1 to their wedding after our long week of hiking and camping in Yosemite. To my new sweet little friend, Annika, who danced the night away with me.

Thank you to Shelby Payne who photographed their wedding, beautiful work as always. Last enormous thank you to "Auntie" Melissa who did all of the floral work, which turned out perfect. 

Although I wasn't the photographer, I still took some random photos at their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and just a few at the wedding that I wanted to share in this blog post along with their wedding film. It was such an amazing weekend! 

Travis and Tonicha - I love you guys immensely. Thank you for having me be a big part of one of the the most beautiful days of your lives! It was very special to me, and I'm even more thankful to be a part of your lives. 

And a few fun photos from Shelby as well...

I was actually Tonicha and Travis' roommate for awhile last year so I had access to their home luckily, therefore I secretly threw together a little "preview wedding film" for them to come home to from their honeymoon a week after their wedding. I got Travis' dad, Mike, to bring his projector over, I framed some of Shelby's photos that I had her send over early, and I decorated the front room, and let's just say there was the usual amount of tears from Tonicha when they walked in :) Check out their reaction:

2016 [Behind-The-Scenes] Recap

2016 was one of my best years yet! It brought a ton of new adventures and meeting new friends, with many of those new friends being my brides/grooms/clients. I've never done a "behind-the-scenes" blog post but thought it would be fun this year since my assistants and I truly had the best time at every wedding this year and had so much fun with all of my couples.

Check out all the behind-the-scenes fun, at the end of this post... 

But first, I want to give a shout-out to my extremely talented and awesome assistants that I also get to call some of my best friends. Stephanie and Katelyn worked with me at the majority of my 2016 weddings, but I had a couple of fun opportunities to get to bring 2 other gals along, Lacy and Lauren, to a few weddings, too. Not only that, but I also brought Ellie on board at the end of the year, whom will be shooting all of my 2017 weddings with me as well, and I seriously am so excited! Thank you girls for being a part of my year, a part of my life, and huge assets to the success of my business. I love you girls and hope you know how thankful I am for you.

STEPH

Stephanie is my go-to for wedding dress shots, pose ideas, attention to detail, and encouraging me when I'm stressed. You can always find her with the cute kids at the weddings. She is a delight to have with me at all times, we have way too much fun traveling and on road-trips to weddings together, and my clients absolutely adore her. She is sweet, caring, hilarious, and has a gentle heart. Stephanie- I couldn't be more blessed for the direction that my life has taken me, because your friendship has been a huge part of it and means the world to me. Thank you for also killin' it with me in the wedding photography industry and especially for making me laugh so much.

KATELYN

This was Katelyn's 2nd year filming and photographing weddings with me, and she is so much fun. As a cheer coach at Camas, I've enjoyed getting to watch her grow into a beautiful, talented young lady since freshman year and now I get to have her as my assistant, side-kick, dance buddy, and dear friend. Seriously though, she's the only one who can ever pull me out to the dance floor. You'll see in the photos and videos... She easily makes friends because she is so loveable and you can always catch her on the dance floor. Oh, and she's a really great rapper!

LACY

Lacy was one of my 2014 brides and I am so lucky to have her in my life, I absolutely adore her. She is one of the most kind-hearted people I know and am so blessed with her friendship. She is also a blogger (Positively, Lacy) and I love her style. I had been keeping up with the recent photos she takes for her blog and opted to invite her on one of my June weddings. Despite her being 6 months pregnant, and it being a double header (2 wedding) weekend all across the state, she was so enthusiastic about going and she ended up killin' it. I was so proud of her and it was such a joy to have her along for my first 2 weddings of 2016. Lacy- you are a life savor! Love you!

LAUREN

I met Lauren in 2014 when she interned with me for her senior project. It was such a fun year, and I was so excited to get to have her along for a few weddings this year as well. It's always a joy to get to work with Lauren. She is sweet, thoughtful, talented, and witty once you get to know her ;) Oh and I learned this year how much she loves cows. Love and appreciate you Lauren!

Meet ELLIE

When I posted for a job opening for 2017 weddings, I was blown away with the amount of responses I got. As flattered as I was, I was bummed that the majority of them were 40+ year old males. Not that I have anything against you men, but with the amount of traveling that comes along with my weddings, I was really hoping for a female close to my age that I could really click with. When I was just about to give up hope, I got the sweetest email from "Elizabeth Parker" who was just asking for a chance. When I looked through her portfolio, I was like "a chance to work with me?! Girl you're more than talented!!" I was so excited... then when I got to asking her more questions like if she'd be interested in video too, she nonchalantly mentioned that she had her degree in video production and was almost done with her photography degree as well. OKAY?! Dream come true... I feel like I hit the jackpot with Ellie, especially once she started working with me, and I found her to be just as sweet and fun as she is talented. I am so excited to have her on board for 2017 weddings! I know you guys will love her as much as I do :)

 

I truly feel the meaning of "dream team" capturing weddings with these gals. I am so thankful for them and my 2016 weddings would not have been the same without their talent, composure, humor, spontaneity, friendship, style and class. Here's some more behind-the-scenes of 2016:

Shout-out to Seth, too, my "drone guy"
...Who slays at aerial footage and steals all of the flower girls' hearts :)

Cheers to 2016 being one of the best ones yet!

Small little moments captured behind-the-scenes of some of our 2016 weddings. Love my girls! You'll notice Stephanie is always working or with children, and Katelyn is always dancing and/or rapping.

Sydney & Chad

I couldn't have asked for a better day with Sydney and Chad. They are very laid-back and so much fun, plus we got blessed with the most GORGEOUS day at Mt. Hood. We happened to find out when we got up there that it is was one of the busiest skiing days of the whole year (the day after Christmas). Luckily, we weren't there to ski so there were no lines and we managed to create our own parking space, so we frolicked around Mt. Hood like we were the only ones up there.

I had a blast with them and I cannot wait until their July 2017 wedding! It's going to be epic!

Jackson Hole Road-Trip

I'm lucky to have such rad and talented friends who get to travel and take photos for a living! Bryan did a campaign for Avis car rental (see his work at the end of this post) and invited Jake, Andrew, and myself to tag along to Jackson Hole, WY in pursuit of "winter adventure." I've been wanting to see the Grand Tetons for awhile now, so I was beyond excited for this road-trip! I originally just wanted to make a BTS video of the trip, but these guys always inspire me to try to get better at my landscape photography, so I put the filming on hold half way through the trip to focus on my photos... But I still got a couple fun pieces of footage to make this little 1 minute vid of our trip:

(NOTE: Andrew and Jake's videos are also randomly included throughout this blog post)

WY Road-Trip with @bdorts, @jakechams, @andrewtkearns SO.MUCH.FUN

We drove for 13 hours straight from Portland to Jackson Hole, with just a few stops for pics. Luckily we got into Jackson when we did; we were blessed with a stunning sunrise, sunset and an epic view of the Tetons for our first full day in the area. Our cabin was the cutest, coziest place to stay, too. If you go to Jackson Hole, WY, I highly recommend staying at Spring Creek Ranch

Vlog 126 - Tetons suckas. Excited for the next few days. Iceland Blogs: Day 1: http://www.andrewtkearns.com/blog/2016/10/23/iceland-day-1 Day 2: http://www.andrewtkearns.com/blog/2016/10/23/iceland-day-2 Day 3: http://www.andrewtkearns.com/blog/2016/10/23/iceland-day-3 People In This Vlog ----- Jake: https://www.instagram.com/jakechams/ Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/r_petey/ Bryan: https://www.instagram.com/bdorts/ IG/Snap/Tmbl/Twtr: @andrewtkearns

Like I said, we were fortunate to get into Jackson when we did because the following day was Jackson's first big snowfall of the season and the Tetons were not even visible with all of the snow. Although bummed the Tetons were not visible and all of the national park roads were closed, we still spent the day exploring around Jackson and found some wildlife as well as awesome historic houses on Old Morman Row. I finally got my pic under the Jackson antlers too, thank youuuuu Jake!

Winter Wonderland in Jackson Hole, Wyoming Little recap video of my time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We experienced the first snow of the season and some crazy conditions.

Vlog 127 - Talk starts about 7 or 8mins in - Casey is the man, thank you for everything. People in This Vlog: ------- Jake: https://www.instagram.com/jakechams/ Bryan: https://www.instagram.com/bdorts/ Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/r_petey/ IG/Snap/Vine/Tmbl/Twtr: @andrewtkearns

Since the snow was supposed to continue in Jackson for the next few days, we decided to leave and find other places to explore for the rest of the week. We attempted to drive the 4ish hours to Salt Lake City, but with the winter storm we got caught in, it took us the entire day (10 hours) to get to our SLC airbnb, only to find out that the exit off of the pass, to our airbnb cabin, was covered in 3 feet of snow and totally inaccessible. So we went into town, met up with the great @samuelelkins (i tried hard not to be a fan girl), and planned our next day's adventure. Check out Andrew's vlog of our 10 hour drive in the winter storm, the funniest guy helped us with our car mid-way through our drive and he was quite the character!

Vlog 128 - Beep Beep Skrrt Skrrt now I'm Driving. People in This Vlog: -------- Jake: https://www.instagram.com/jakechams/ Bryan: https://www.instagram.com/bdorts/ Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/r_petey/ Sam: https://www.instagram.com/samuelelkins/ IG/Snap/Tmbl/Twtr: @andrewtkearns

You have to check out the Alvord Hot Springs in the Alvord Desert (Southern Oregon) if you haven't already. It is literally in the middle of no where but so beautiful! Andrew spent hours in the hot springs while the rest of us drove out to the middle of the desert and were definitely the only ones for a 100 mile radius. We got out there just in time for sunset too, made a fire, took some pics, then joined Andrew back in the hot springs before heading to Bend for the evening.

Recap video from my time in the Alvord Desert with some great friends. This place was something to remember.

Vlog 129 - Loooong drive day, but Hal provided some entertainment, as well as enjoying some stellar Hot Springs. People in this Vlog: Jake: https://www.instagram.com/jakechams/ Bryan: https://www.instagram.com/bdorts/ Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/r_petey/ IG/Snap/Tmbl/Twtr: @andrewtkearns

Our last day, datboychad met up with us in Bend, OR and we went to check out a secret cave. Unfortunately, it was bat hibernation season and we didn't want to disrupt them (or kill them by invading their space), so we just frolicked around in the snowy forest outside of the cave. Such a fun day! These guys keep me entertained 24/7... watch Andrew's "don't fall in" video and you'll know why.

Vlog 130 - Started off with Breakfast in Bend with a few new friends then headed to the caves which didn't work out, then back home in time for friends giving People in This Vlog: -------- Jake: https://www.instagram.com/jakechams/ Bryan: https://www.instagram.com/bdorts/ Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/r_petey/ Ryan: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_field_/ Chad: https://www.instagram.com/datboychadnay/ IG/Snap/Tmbl/Twtr: @andrewtkearns

It was such an epic trip! Thankful for the beautiful places we explored and the priceless memories that we made. Check out some of Bryan's work he did for the Avis campaign below:

Jennie Lou Art

I had the great pleasure of meeting Jennie recently, who not only struck a chord in my heart strings friendship-wise, but who truly blew me away with her talent. She picks up a paintbrush, has no idea what she is about to paint, and the magic just comes to her. When I asked her how she does it, she said there's only one answer... "Jesus." Truly! This girl is amazing.

Her main passion is "live paintings" which if you are getting married soon... you should definitely have her "live paint" your wedding. Seriously, check out her website, it's amazing! And a truly unique way to capture your wedding day. 

Check out more here

Emily

I met Emily when she was a freshman, and I coached her in JV Cheer at Camas. She is one that exudes joy wherever she goes and whoever she interacts with. She has a wise, wise head on her shoulders, too and I'm always blown away with her maturity for her age. Emily is a sweet, caring, genuine girl with a joyful heart and I couldn't help but post so many photos from her senior session! It was such a fun day shooting around one of the best parts of the PNW - the gorge.

Cassie & Drew [and Milo too]

I met Cassie my freshman year of college... actually the first day of orientation... actually we were chatting online even before we knew each other discussing possibly being roomies.  We have so, so many memories - it's crazy to think back to our college years and where we are now! Anyways, when she met Drew a few years ago - I had heard many great things and seen so many cute pictures of them together.... and without meeting him yet, I had a hunch :) They are so good together and balance each other so well, I loved getting to capture a little bit of their love last month when I was up in Seattle :) Hope you enjoy how cute they are!!

Chase // Red Rocks

While I was in the Denver area this month visiting family, I also got to spend a gorgeous Friday afternoon with Chase (you may recognize him from The Bachelorette) at one of my favorite places in Colorado - Red Rocks Amphitheater. This place has breath-taking views and serves many purposes. Not only is it an iconic music venue, but there is great hiking trails to explore and many people utilize the staircases for their workouts, sitting at 6,000 feet high - the altitude alone is a great way to push your limits as an athlete. 

It was a fun day getting to shoot Chase and getting to know him a little bit. We took in all of the viewpoints, hikes, and beauty of Red Rocks for most of the afternoon but ended the day with a short workout on the famous staircase. 

Also, check out Chase and his buddy's unique apparel company, Lucid Blvd .... their movement is to "aspire to bring a BOLD lifestyle, a DARING free spirit, and an UNFILTERED sense of humor back into society. We know that life is short, so we encourage you to push your comfort zone. Try something new. Test your limits, but most of all, don't forget to laugh!"

Gray/Black Jacket: Point Zero

Yosemite

Usually I do all of my traveling during off-season but I had the opportunity this September to do a 5-day hiking/camping trip with a friend that I just couldn't pass up. Although it was 30 degrees and absolutely freezing at night, we had the most beautiful weather during the days for exploring! It was an epic adventure and truly a trip of a lifetime. I'll share a few favorite memories of the trip briefly here, but will then let the photos do most of the talking.

One of my favorite memories included waking up every morning and having coffee at Glacier Point. It quickly became our daily tradition, especially because the sunrise was so beautiful at that spot and there was hardly anybody ever there. ALL of the exploring and hiking we did was incredible. Although we didn't end up getting the lottery permit to do Half Dome this time, we found adventure in several other places. Some of my favorite spots include Taft Point, Ostrander Lake, Merced Grove, Vernal Falls, Glacier Point, and Cloud's Rest.

Cloud's Rest was by far the most difficult hike that I've ever done in my entire life. It was a 14.5 mile, strenuous hike and I never thought I was terrified of heights until I got to the top of Cloud's Rest. It sits at 9,926 feet (1k feet higher than Half Dome), and has phenomenal panoramic views.

Besides the breathtaking scenery, some other favorite memories also include bagging our day plans one day and helping a family that was stranded on the side of the road, randomly taking photos of a proposal at Taft Point and making good friends with them, and capturing an elopement another night also at Taft Point. We had such a great week in Yosemite and I feel so blessed with the people that we got to meet!

Between the people I met, getting to explore with my friend Gerry for a week straight, the personal records that I broke, the things that I learned, the laughs that made my tummy hurt, I think it's pretty safe to say that Yosemite is one of my happy places. Obsessed.

If you haven't seen the cool photo opportunities I randomly stumbled upon during my time in Yosemite, check them out there:
 

Alex and Kris' Proposal Story

Charley and Elle's Taft Point Elopement

 

MY Family Portraits

I don't remember the last time my immediate family had portraits... and I don't think my extended family has EVER had portraits together, so while we all gathered in Colorado for Grandma's 75th birthday this month - we figured it's about time :)

This Thanksgiving, I'm truly thankful for so many things, but most of all: family. I'm so thankful for every single one of them... My loving and supportive parents who truly are my #1 fans, my two brothers who consistently keep me proud and teach me several things in life, my grandma who is my soul sister, my Aunt Mindy who I love like a best friend and who is one of the bravest woman I know, my uncles Scot and Cory who teased me like heck growing up but now I look up to the both of them in so many ways, my Aunt Teri who was my role model growing up and also happens to be my Godmother, and all of my crazy little cousins who bring so much light and laughter to our family. And this is just my mom's side of the family! I'm so thankful for all my family on dad's side too.... Maybe we can do portraits one day of all 50+ of us ;)

Happy Thanksgiving ya'll. 

Connor & Kelsey

I couldn't have ended my 2016 wedding season with a better wedding, truly. Despite the fact that there were thunderstorms and it rained all day, nobody cared, and everything was perfect.

This was a great example of a wedding day where the goal was to just have fun and celebrate. Everything came together beautifully, but it seriously was just SO.MUCH.FUN!!

Throughout the day, the entire bridal party had me laughing. Both Connor and Kelsey's reaction to seeing each other for the first time as Kelsey's dad walked her down the aisle was priceless. I've never seen a bride tear up at the first sight of her bridal bouquet, that was a first, Kelsey-I love you haha!! The rainy photos actually turned out quite fun. The dinner was absolutely delicious and one of the best catered wedding dinners I've had. The dancing and party into the night was outrageous. Everyone was delightful, I can keep going on and on and on.

Kelsey and Connor - thank you for choosing me to capture your perfect wedding day. I will forever rave about how awesome of a wedding you had and how incredible it was to be a part of it.

Love you guys!

Venue: The Evergreen PDX and Loyal Legion Bar

Catering: Elephants Deli Catering

Cake: RosyCakes

Florals: Sammy's Flowers

Men's Attire: Men's Warehouse

Bridesmaid Dresses: The White Dress

Bridal Gown: Bridal Exclusives

Hair and Makeup: Dosha Salon

 

 

Claude & Tuyen

I met Claude and Tuyen when I was working at 24 Hour Fitness in 2013. They are avid gym goers and both very inspiring individuals. They actually met themselves at 24, too! Be sure to watch their wedding film at the end, it's absolutely adorable to hear Claude describe the first time he laid eyes on Tuyen at the gym. 

They are such a fun couple and they truly radiate so much joy, check out their fun engagement session we did HERE

Their wedding was even more fun! We started out with their beautiful morning ceremony at Leach Botanical Gardens with their close family and friends. We then moved to HK Cafe later in the afternoon for the traditional "Tea Ceremony," before all 200+ of their other family/friends arrived for the celebration. And it was QUITE the celebration! It was an evening full of live music, cultural foods, family traditions, drinks, dancing, children's laughter, and great times! Claude and Tuyen, thank you for choosing me to capture your wedding, it was such an honor to be a part of the whole day and witness how truly loved you two are!

Kaitlyn & James

It's easy to get a little carried away with a photoshoot when A) your couple is THIS flawless and B) when they drive 150 miles just to have you shoot them.
Seriously, how adorable are they? You may recognize them from when I did a cute little couple session with them a few years ago... Check out their cute younger selves HERE.
I always told them I couldn't wait for them to get engaged...
AND HERE WE ARE!

Somehow, I always get so lucky to have the most rad, down-to-earth couples... but these two are seriously so much fun! Their love literally radiates and the constant laughter between them is infectious. Both individually and as a couple, they can keep you laughing - they are hilarious! They are also adventurous and up for ANYTHING which is a huge plus in my book.

James and Kaitlyn, thank you a million times for continuing to choose me and trust me with the most precious moments of your lives. I love you guys and absolutely cannot wait for the wedding!

Sign and Lettering: Once Upon a Cake & Crafts

Eddy & Katie

Eddy and Katie got married at the beautiful Cape Horn Estate in Stevenson, WA. What started as a cloudy, rainy day ended up turning into the perfect afternoon and evening. The girls began getting ready at Katie's sister house, and then we headed to the venue to get dresses on and hang out in the gorgeous bridal suite while the guys started getting ready, too.

All of the little details of their day were simple, but beautiful. Some of my favorite moments of the day included: Their first look (so tender!), the kiddos (so cute!), hanging out with bridal party (so entertaining!), a song they dedicated to Katie's grandparents which Katie's grandma was able to get up out of her wheelchair and dance for a little bit (absolutely priceless!), Eddy getting choked up thanking everyone for being there, and his friends getting up to bear hug him after (so sweet!), and of course the dancing the lasted all night long.

This was one of those weddings that I did not want to end. The happiness and joy amongst everybody was so contagious throughout the entire day. 

Eddy and Katie, thank you for letting me capture your beautiful day! I adore you guys and it was a pleasure to get to spend time with and get to know all of your awesome friends and family.