Sonja & Trevor! ~ Portland, Oregon Wedding

Wedding season 2019 is in full swing! I’m so excited to be there to celebrate with several amazing couples and families this year! My first wedding of the year was held Grant Park Church in Portland, Oregon. (Even though I’m based on Vancouver, Washington, ALL of my wedding bookings this year are with Oregon brides… where are my Washington brides at?? I’ve still got space for you! lol).

Sonja and Trevor were an absolutely amazing couple and it was a joy to be with them on this beautiful day in May! Grant Park Church had a great set up for the couple, with private space for the both the bride and groom’s party to get ready on-site. Plus, the sanctuary space was quickly and easily converted from ceremony to reception.

I was very happy to have a second shooter with me for this wedding… having two of us there meant that we were able to split our time and focus on the bride AND the groom during the pre-wedding prep. So we were there for the dress and veil, as well as the tie and cuff-links! And the card games that ensued as the hour drew near!

The ceremony was a simply, classic expression of love, happiness, and gratitude. The couple each had four close friends and siblings join them in their parties. The groom walked his mother down the aisle, and the bride’s father, who traveled all the way from Montana with Sonja’s mother to attend the nuptials, had the honor of walking his daughter down the aisle.

A friend of the couple played the guitar, and another was there as a sign language interpreter for the family’s deaf and hard-of-hearing friends.

The ceremony consisted of prayer, vows, and rings, per usual, and also a special box where the couple enclosed special letters that they’d written for each other.

The bride and groom opted to NOT do a first look… they decided that they wanted to see each other for the first time as Sonja walked down the aisle. Again, the benefit of a second shooter at your wedding is that both viewpoints can be captured at that very special moment! I was able to see the bride’s face, full of love, and my second, Sara, was able to document the HUGE grin on the groom’s face!

After the ceremony, the couple’s family and friends worked together to transition the ceremony setup to a reception set up, while I took the bridal party to Grant Park, down the street from the church, for some formal portraits. The light and colors at the park were amazing! I had such a fun time getting some bright, colorful shots of the bride and groom’s first moments together as husband and wife!

After the park, we snuck back into the church and got some more photos in the preschool room (yes, the preschool!) and the balcony overlooking the sanctuary.

After photos were done, it was time to head back to the party… and just in time! We narrowly avoided the rain! It was dry and beautiful int he morning, started to sprinkle as we were doing the formals after the ceremony, but waited to down pour until everyone was safely back inside and enjoy the cake!

There was food, there was cake, there was speeches and dancing (and more cards!) but most important, there was so much love, joy, and laughter! It really was an amazing day!

Congratulations Trevor and Sonja! I’m wish you the most amazing life together with some fantastic adventures!

**If you’re looking for a wedding photographer in the Vancouver, WA or Portland, OR metro areas (or, really, anywhere… I love a good vacation and adventure!) reach out! Let’s grab coffee and chat about the plans for your day and if we’re a good fit for your photography needs!