Vernonia Springs Wedding

Over all of the years that I’ve photographed elopements on the Oregon Coast almost every trip includes passing by the turnoff for Highway 47 to Vernonia and wondering what exactly is out that way. This summer I finally had the chance to take that turn and photograph a wedding at Vernonia Springs.

Vernonia Springs is a 28 acre forested private park, glamping campground, and wedding venue just outside of the small, historic town of Vernonia, Oregon. The property is bustling with natural beauty and is the perfect spot to spend your wedding weekend surrounded by friends and family. The property has several yurts and platform tents for your wedding guests to spend the weekend and enjoy the night around the fire. The property has a beautiful flower garden that was buzzing with pollinators and butterflies as well as a peaceful lake. It is also surrounded by great hiking trails and the amazing Banks-Vernonia State Trail that makes use of the old railroad line for walking and biking. 

Come wedding time, the property has a large suite for getting ready with a private bathroom, a large lawn with a stage for ceremonies, and a log reception pavilion for dinner and dancing. If you’re providing drinks, your guests can also visit the Hillbilly Bar. 

I loved capturing all of the little details and décor for this wedding including all of the elements that make Vernonia Springs beautiful.  Following their ceremony, I had the opportunity to work with these two a couple of times for portraits around the property and I had so much fun capturing candid moments of guests throughout the day. 

Vernonia Springs is a 45 minute drive from Portland and only 1 hour from Cannon Beach in case you want to plan an Oregon Coast mini honeymoon following your wedding. 

The venue is available to rent for your wedding for $5995 for 24 hours and can accommodate weddings up to 100 people. You can learn more about weddings at Vernonia Springs here. 

I’m so glad that I was able to document this wedding day and I’m already planning on adding Vernonia Springs to my list of favorite outdoor wedding venues.

Opal 28 Wedding

Tucked away off NE 28th Ave and NE Glisan St in Northeast Portland is Opal 28, an intimate event space, where these two had their beautiful wedding on a Portland summer Friday. This was my first time photographing a wedding at Opal 28 and I loved it. 

Smaller, intimate weddings are such a great experience and with 60-ish guests this one didn’t even feel all that small. Their ceremony took place on the venue’s private outdoor patio with a small number of guests seated in chairs and the remaining folks watching from the cocktail area below. 

Prior to their ceremony I photographed some getting ready moments at the venue’s Airbnb units above that the couple and their families had reserved. Afterwards we carpooled to nearby Laurelhurst Park for a first look and some family portraits. Opal 28’s distance from Laurelhurst Park and Oregon Park is super convenient and makes up for the venue’s limited outdoor spaces for portraits. I love spending time at Laurelhurst Park which made it quick and easy for me to find backgrounds and areas for portraits.

Following their ceremony the couple had a fun cocktail hour outside before moving inside to the venues two “great rooms” for dinner, toasts, and dancing. The venue offers a full service bar as well as in house catering and it’s own private chef who helps tailor your meal to your preferences. 

It was such a fun wedding to photograph and I loved getting the chance to finally work at Opal 28. 

You can learn more about weddings at Opal 28 on their website including how to reserve the event space for your wedding. 

Mt Tabor Wedding

Mt Tabor in Southeast Portland has always been one of my favorite parks within the city. When I lived on Hawthorne walking there was a regular part of my weekday routine. It’s also one of my favorite locations for family sessions and portraits. It’s a wonderful forest oasis amidst the sprawling neighborhoods of Southeast Portland. Up until this May, I had yet to photograph a wedding there so I was super excited when these two reached out about their wedding plans and wanted me to photograph their day.

We started the day at the KEX Hotel in the Central Eastside. It’s such a cute hotel with plenty of common areas as well as a rooftop restaurant/bar space. The bride and her friends got ready in the bunk room which was a really cute space for some wedding party fun. Following a quick first look on the patio downstairs, we transitioned to Mt Tabor for their ceremony.

Their wedding day was all about family and friends and enjoying the beautiful spring weather in the Pacific Northwest. Having an outdoor wedding in Portland in the Spring is always a gamble with weather but these two got lucky and struck gold with sunny weather in the low 80’s. Their ceremony and reception took place in the amphitheater, one of several ceremony locations at Mt. Tabor. The lawn was filled with an array of games for kids and adults and open buffet of yummy food and desert for those ready to eat.

I always love weddings with kids and one element that was really special about this wedding is the couple made a point to make sure families knew I would be available for some portraits throughout the day. I’m always happy to shoot some quick family photos at any wedding but not everyone feels comfortable asking so this was a great way to prepare folks ahead of time.

Following their ceremony we walked around the park to some of my favorite areas and we shot some couple portraits with nice light. Having been to Mt. Tabor countless number of times I have a pretty good idea of how light hits certain areas and what time of day is best which lets me take full advantage of the time we have allotted for portraits.

This was a great Portland wedding and a wonderful way to kick off the summer at one of my favorite parks and wedding venues!

How to get married at Mt Tabor

If you’re interested in getting married at Mt. Tabor it’s definitely a great wedding venue to consider. Getting married at one of Portland’s city parks is typically a more affordable option than most wedding venues. The fee for renting out the Mt Tabor Amphitheater is $634 (2023). Not bad for a wedding venue that can accommodate 500 people. The city operates a wedding lottery for it’s wedding reservations that you can learn more about here.

Sunrise elopement on the Oregon Coast

It goes without saying that I’m always excited to work with couples on their wedding day. Having the responsibility to document meaningful moments never gets old.  When I was asked to photograph this couple's sunrise elopement on the Oregon Coast, I was especially excited. Not only was it going to be a beautiful and intimate wedding, but it would also be an opportunity to show the couple the stunning beauty of the Oregon Coast for the first time.

These two are from Kentucky and came across my photos on Pinterest. They had never been to the Oregon Coast before but knew it was exactly what they wanted for their wedding ceremony. Leading up to their day I helped provide recommendations and coordinate a timeline relative to light. I shared with them my Cannon Beach Elopement Guide and list of locations around Cannon Beach for ceremonies, portraits, etc. They were in good hands as they packed their bags and flew out to the Pacific Northwest for their dream wedding.

The original plan was to meet at sunrise at Hug Point and exchange their vows on the beach but as they settled into their trip they realized that sunrise in the summer in Oregon is pretty dang early! You've really got to be a morning person to be up for the challenge. Is it worth it? Sure but it doesn't have to be the highest priority that dictates your whole day. Instead we decided to kick things off around 6:30am with some getting ready photos followed by a short drive to the beach for their ceremony. 

Despite the early hour, the couple was full of energy and joy as they exchanged vows and celebrated their love for one another. The tide was low that morning and allowed us to access areas of the beach that wouldn't otherwise be reachable. We settled on a spot that had cool mossy rocks and tide pools that created fun reflections of the couple.

They shared their vows in an intimate ceremony with just me, Jenny as a witness, and their wedding officiant, Zach of Old Ways Ceremonies, who I had recommended while planning. Zach is such a great celebrant who works with you ahead of time to prepare a ceremony that celebrates your relationship. He’s kind and just an overall great person to be around.  

After the ceremony, Jenny and I helped to set up a celebratory brunch with champagne and pastries on the beach. We then spent the morning exploring Hug Point and capturing beautiful photographs of the two of them. I love having the opportunity to show people locations in Oregon that I love and that they haven't seen before.

The couple's (almost) sunrise elopement on the Oregon Coast was a truly memorable and unique experience. It was such a pleasure and honor to be a part of their wedding day and capture these once-in-a-lifetime memories for them.

Senior Photos in the Pearl District

It was a cold but beautiful morning when I met up with this senior for their senior portrait session in the Pearl District in Portland. She was hoping for a location that might have a mix of urban and natural backgrounds. I recommended an area of the Pearl District that I had shot in before because I knew there were plenty of manicured, green spaces surrounded by new buildings and downtown architecture. 

We started by taking some photos in a nearby park where we met and we quickly moved throughout the neighborhood to spots that I had scouted just before her session. Emphasis on quickly because it was only 26 degrees!  We worked together to find poses that felt comfortable and fun and I think we got some great photos that captured the urban and natural vibe she was going for.  I love finding locations that can serve more than one purpose because it really gives a lot of variety to a session and the resulting photos. 

Following our time in the Pearl District, we got in our cars and relocated a short drive away to a nearby bridge that has good pedestrian access and provided a unique photo backdrop. The weather was warming up and the light was casting a warm glow. It was the perfect end to a fun and easy going senior photo session.

Overall, the Pearl District provided the perfect mix of urban and natural backgrounds for this senior's portraits. I loved getting to know her and working to shoot photos that captured her unique personality and style in such a vibrant and diverse setting.