Stefan & Rachel - McMenamins Edgefield Wedding

Stefan and Rachel are one of the sweetest couples you'll ever meet. Nowadays many couples opt to do a "first look" and see each other before the ceremony, but waiting to see each other until after the ceremony started was very important to Stefan and Rachel. One of my absolute favorite moments of the day was seeing Rachel walk down the isle. Stefan's face was priceless seeing her for the first time, and as they walked, Rachel and her dad even broke down too. Tissues were brought out, and the whole crowd couldn't have been more overjoyed to see these two finally tie the knot. Their wedding was held at Mcmenamins Edgefield with their ceremony taking place outside in the Blackberry Meadow, and reception directly afterwards in Blackberry Hall. 

Stefan & Rachel's other Wedding Vendors:

(Bride's Dress) Allure via Bridal Exclusives, (Florist) Lamb's Thriftway, (Venue & Catering) Mcmenamins Edgefield, (Makeup) Ruby's Salon at Mcmenamins Edgefield, (Hair) Katie Engerman, (Wedding Cake) Lamb's Thriftway, (Invitations) Wedding Paper Divas, (DJ/MC) Ben Ehnert.

Baby Zarina - Portland Newborn Photography

When Zarina's mom brought her into my studio for the first time, I just couldn't contain my excitement! I knew we would get lots of beautiful images of this little cutiepie...but I had no idea that even at just nine days old she would already be on her best behavior. Simply put, little Zarina is pretty much my ideal baby to photograph. Perhaps a not-so-common fact about newborn photography is that, unlike photo shoots with older subjects, newborn sessions are filled with lots of mid-shoot feeding breaks, cuddle breaks, baby accidents, and the inevitable clean-ups that follow (after all, we are dealing with naked babies here! ;). But Zarina was by far the most well behaved baby I have ever had the privilege of photographing. She fell asleep as soon as she got to the studio, stayed asleep the ENTIRE time, and had NO accidents through out the entire session. She only began to wake up once we were packing up and saying goodbye! She was an absolute angel and as you can see, her hard work paid off, resulting in some incredible photographs for her family. If you haven't fulfilled your cuteness quota for the day, I suggest looking at the images below. They are bound to fulfill it. ;) ...Happy Tuesday!

Nigel & Sally Wedding - Dorris Ranch

Anyone who knows Sally and Nigel will know that they love doing things in their own unique way. Sally and Nigel met and fell in love at Guttenberg college, so naturally it was the perfect place to begin their wedding day. Both of them got ready there in the morning, and even had breakfast together before parting ways to get ready for the day. As Sally got into her dress, Nigel taught us the art of making coffee, something that he had spent years perfecting in order to make the perfect cup. Nigel and Sally shared a sweet moment in the garden of Guttenberg college, where Nigel, coffee cup in hand, got to see Sally in her wedding dress for the first time. After some sweet words together and a celebratory high-five, we headed to Dorris Ranch where Nigel's best friend would officiate their wedding. Their ceremony was held in the middle of a beautiful open field with a lush forest as their backdrop. Nigel and Sally both wrote their own wedding vows which were so sincere and heartfelt, even I started to tear up behind my camera. Their reception took place just a little walk away, in and around the open barn at Dorris Ranch. Friends and family from all over traveled to see these two finally tie the knot, and as an added touch to their already untraditional wedding, guests brought their own food and desserts for a potluck style meal which resulted in the most wonderful array of pies, meats, and cheeses imaginable. Sally did an incredible job personalizing each detail of their wedding decorations. The barn was decorated with beautiful bulb lights and hanging lanterns with an adorable outdoor lemonade stand. Vintage books and typewriter memorabilia were scattered everywhere to emphasize their love for learning, and there was even a coffee barista on standby to make coffee for anyone who wanted some (aka: "Nigel's Nectar"). I got to steal away the couple for a few minutes after the ceremony and we discovered a few of the beautiful little nooks and crannies Dorris Ranch had to offer, resulting in some gorgeous portraits of the bride and groom together. In all, it couldn't have been a sweeter wedding for a sweeter couple. 

Congratulations Sally & Nigel! I am so grateful we got to witness and celebrate your wedding with you! Best of luck on your new adventures together in Idaho! :)

Lamadrid Family - Maternity Session - Hoyt Arboretum

This little family stole my heart the minute I met them. The Lamadrids were so excited when they found out they were expecting child #3. They hadn't done maternity or newborn sessions for either of their other children and, since their new baby will most likely be their last, they wanted to celebrate the occasion with maternity portraits of the whole family. We photographed their session in Hoyt Arboretum, one of my very favorite locations in Portland. We grabbed some family shots of them all together, until the kiddos became restless and just wanted to play, allowing us to capture some beautiful portraits of just mom and dad together. We finished the session with a wardrobe change and a family picnic, complete with bottled sodas, blueberries, and strawberries. This family couldn't be any sweeter and I am so grateful that I was able to capture these once-in-a-lifetime portraits for them.