Kalina and James ~ Cornelius Pass Roadhouse ~ Hillsboro, OR

When Kalina and James reached out to me and shared that they were looking for a wedding photographer… They also told me that together, they’re going to have a 7-person family!

It’s such an honor to see a blended family come together in a wedding ceremony, and it’s also so fun to see the excitement of the kids as their parents make it official! For these reasons, I was especially looking forward to working with Kalina and James.

Their July 2024 wedding was held at McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse in Hillsboro, Oregon. It was a warm, beautiful day that was perfect for celebrating their love!

On the day of the wedding, Kalina got ready in her apartment which happened to be just 10 minutes away from the venue! Her bridal party, mother, and daughters also joined her, and everybody got ready together. Kalina let me know that she really wanted to have photos of her friends and family all getting ready with her. We definitely made this a priority and captured tons of photos of them getting their hair done, makeup done, and adjusting their wedding looks.

In these photos, you may notice that Kalina isn’t wearing her wedding dress! She got ready with her friends and family but wasn’t able to put her dress on… because she couldn’t fit in the car while wearing it! Once she arrived at Cornelius Pass Roadhouse, she was finally able to put on her gorgeous wedding dress.

The afternoon really flew by, and the 5:00pm ceremony start time came before we knew it! At this time, guests were already seated at the Octagonal Barn and were waiting in anticipation of all the wedding excitement. The couple’s flower girls and ring bearer kicked off the ceremony and walked down the aisle with so much energy! Their wedding party then followed, and they all wore outfits in a beautiful mid-tone green. These looks went perfectly with the rustic theme of their wedding!

(Fun fact… Their wedding party included both Kim and Dennis whose wedding I photographed a couple years ago, and it was awesome to see them again!)

Next, it was time for Kalina to meet James at the end of the aisle. Her dress was a showstopper that featured straps, intricate embellishments, and a gorgeous train. All eyes were truly on her as she came down the aisle! James had SO much joy in his facial expression as Kalina walked toward him. When it was time for the newlyweds to make it official with a kiss, their ring bearer covered his eyes… This moment in the ceremony definitely gave us a good laugh!

Once the ceremony ended, we snapped a few portraits outside! The natural backdrop and greenery really complemented their rustic wedding theme. Along with the trees and leaves that were behind them, there were also twinkly lights that made an appearance in some of these shots.

I love that the newlyweds are both looking at each other in many of these photos! Their expressions are filled with a ton of love and happiness that I’m so excited we could capture on camera. Years down the road, I can’t wait for Kalina and James to review these photos and remember exactly how they felt on this day.

After taking portraits of Kalina and James, I walked around the reception space to capture all of the woodsy details and decor from their wedding! The wooden signs used throughout the venue were such a creative touch, and the white flowers went perfectly with the other greens and browns that were used for decoration.

I definitely couldn’t forget to take photos of the cupcakes and cake from Favi’s Fabulous Cakes. The cake was gorgeous, and the cupcakes were absolutely delicious! The cupcake flavors included churro, oreo cake, and chocolate cake with raspberry… All of the baked goods were SO tasty, but I have to add that the cupcakes were really a hit!

Once the reception started, it was dinner time, too! The food was prepared by McMinamens and was so yummy. The BBQ beef brisket and grilled salmon were incredible, and based on everyone’s reactions while eating… I know that the wedding guests would definitely agree with me!

During this reception, guests also had time to leave their marriage advice and special messages for Kalina and James! All wedding guests from kids to adults participated and had a ton of fun sending their best wishes along to the couple.

Congratulations to Kalina and James! Your wedding was beautiful, and it was an honor to be there to help capture memories on your big day. When your kids are older, it’ll be a lot of fun to revisit these photos and go back through your favorite wedding memories!