Mary Ann & Cheryl ~ Historic Covington House ~ Vancouver, WA

Whenever I’m preparing to photograph a new wedding, it’s always exciting to learn more about my new couple and their personalities!

Let me tell you… When I met Mary Ann and Cheryl, I immediately knew that their big day would be full of SO much laughter and love. I just couldn’t wait for their wedding!

In April 2024, Mary Ann and Cheryl had an intimate ceremony at the Historic Covington House in Vancouver, Washington. It was a beautiful spring day filled with tons of joy and their closest family and friends.

On the day of the wedding, Mary Ann and Cheryl both got ready in the morning. Cheryl quickly got dressed in the back of room of the Historic Covington House, and then she mingled with their guests before Mary Ann arrived.

Both Mary Ann and Cheryl were excited about the idea of a “first look,” so they planned to have me capture this moment in front of the cottage!

As Cheryl faced away from Mary Ann, Mary Ann walked up to her soon-to-be wife… And Cheryl’s reaction was priceless! Even from these photos, you can see SO much joy in Cheryl’s face as she looks at Mary Ann in her beautiful wedding dress. In this moment, you could absolutely tell that both of them have endless love for each other.

Before the ceremony started, the couple also received a blessing! This was such a meaningful way to begin their special day.

Before we knew it, it was time for the ceremony to begin! Mary Ann and Cheryl walked into the ceremony space and had their arms linked with their nephew. Then, the wedding was officiated by a family friend of theirs… and this officiant was also the wife of Mary Ann’s attendant! With this smaller, intimate ceremony, the couple found a way to actively include all of the special people who are dearest to them.

The ceremony included a special handfasting tradition that symbolized the binding together of two lives. This literal way of “tying the knot” was a deeply meaningful moment between Mary Ann and Cheryl!

Some other highlights of the ceremony were the dogs! Both Mary Ann and her attendant brought their dogs along, and they were super interested in the events of the day. The dogs made such a beautiful ceremony even more joyful.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds made it official and signed their marriage certificate!

Next, it was time for some portraits. Thankfully, it was a beautiful April day, and the weather was perfect for taking outdoor photos! A few photos were taken outside of the cottage, and we also captured some shots of the couple with trees and a gorgeous natural setting behind them.

Of course, we also had to take detail photos that included their flowers and wedding jewelry! Between these portraits and the close-up detail shots, Mary Ann and Cheryl will have wedding memories to clearly look back on for years to come.

Before the reception started, we made it a priority to capture all of the beautiful details found in the venue itself and their wedding decor. Mary Ann and Cheryl chose a sunflower and bee theme for their wedding that featured both yellow and blue. This theme and their chosen colors could be found all over… from the cake all the way to their flowers! They found such a fun, playful way to bring their theme into all of the wedding details.

While everybody was still at the Covington House, it was time for cake. It was such a cute cake that tasted just as good as it looked! It was clear that Mary Ann and Cheryl had a ton of fun with the cake cutting, too.

At this point in the day, I also made sure to capture more photos of their wedding guests. All of the attendees were having a great time and looked right at home at this close-knit wedding!

After cake at the Covington House, the newlyweds drove across the river into Portland, Oregon to have dinner at Salty’s for seafood on the riverfront. Their family and friends came along with them, too. Visiting the Columbia River was the perfect way to wrap up this special day!

Thank you SO much to Mary Ann and Cheryl for trusting me to capture your wedding! I’m excited that you’ll have these photos as wonderful memories of this joyful day to look back on together. Congratulations!