I had such a wonderful summer full of great weddings.  I got to work with some great clients and Lori and Gregory are the perfect example.  They are both super kick back and more than anything wanted to have a relaxed celebration of their love – and it was just that.  Their wedding took place at Cathedral Park in North Portland under the St. Johns bridge.  It was beautiful day (and luckily not as hot as we all feared). The ceremony took place in the round which was a whole new experience for me, but with the help of some math minded groomsmen we got the chairs looking great.  Lori’s family cooked a great meal and everyone enjoyed a picnic, games of frisbee, and lots of dancing.  To see a slideshow of their day click HERE.

Photography by Becca Blevins.

I got to know Tia over the past 6 months and when she asked me to help with her wedding I was thrilled.  Tia and Ed have been together for 10 years and their celebration in August was intimate and personal and oh so beautiful.  Here are a few pictures from their day (these were taken by me so don’t expect anything too impressive):

The day included guests putting their well wishes into marbles and presenting them to the couple, personal words to guests and each other, a beautiful marriage certificate created by the brides mother, and lots and lots of fun.

Ceremony: Mt. Tabor Summit

Reception: Landmark Saloon

There are so many wedding websites out there today, but what I come back to over and over is photographers websites.  I love looking at great photography and I believe this is the best way to read the story of a wedding.  So, today I want to share my favorites – the ones that inspire me.  I have worked with some of these talented individuals and others I hope to work with one day.

Here they are (in alphabetical order):

Ashley Forrette

Beloved Photography

Espana Photography

Leigh Miller Photography

Tec Petaja

What Shanni Saw

Wildflowers Photography

You look Nice Today Photography

Of course I know there are a ton of other amazing photographers out there…so, let me know…who inspires you?

Here is another post from Noah and Rachael Hershman’s wedding. I loved their table creations and it was great to see Rachael’s vision all come together. Rachael’s florist, Hannah, was so talented and I was so so impressed with how she brought in many different florals to create such a unique, fun, creative, artistic look.

I had the pleasure of working on the wedding of Danny and Julia in July.  It was a warm summer day, but everything come together well despite the high temperatures.  Here is one of my favorite photos from the day.

To see the incredible work of Heather Espana from the day click here.

Thank you Julia for your wonderful compliment on my blog earlier.  Here is a bit of what Julia had to say about my contribution to the day:  With your help, our wedding day ran smoothly and without hiccups.  Or, more importantly, if there were hiccups…I had no idea which is exactly how it should be!

And she is right – the bride should never be burdened with logistics!  That is why I am there.

Tomorrow I am coordinating two weddings!  It should be a fun, somewhat crazy day that I am sure will leave me completely exhausted – but I can’t complain…I get to help both of these couples celebrate love:

(Gregory and Lori)

(Ed and Tia)

I love the idea of initials at a wedding. If I ever have my own wedding venue (I can dream, right) I would love to have a big wooden gate or a big barn door where we would hang the initials of the couple. I think it would look something like this:

[Beloved Photography]

Another fun way to use initials is for branding your wedding. I love the personal touch of initials and also that they can be used throughout different parts of your wedding (programs, favors, signs, invites, thank you cards, etc). Here is an example of how Rachael is using initials:

I get to spend this weekend with this couple:

(Espana Photography)

At this beautiful location:

(Sublime Thyme Gardens)