Marianne & Mike's Wedding

Marianne and Mike's wedding was one of the largest wedding parties we have ever photographed! There were 7 brides maids and 7 groomsmen. We started off photographing Marianne getting ready in the Heathman Hotel while Mike and the guys hung out at the Hilton. To ensure that Marianne and Mike did not see each other before the wedding, Holly and I coordinated a series of formals in the Park Blocks and communicated via 2-way radios throughout. We were extremely grateful to have a 3rd photographer -- John Valls from Valls Photographic -- on site to assist us throughout the day. We were able to be 3 places at once and boy did that prove to be helpful for this wedding. After the ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church, we all walked up to the Portland Art Museum to finish off the evening with some cake cutting, some outrageously fun dancing, and some great drinks!

Amanda & John's Wedding

I had the opportunity to recognize Memorial Day Weekend by photographing a wedding for a man who has served many years for our country. It was an honor and a privilege to get to know his friends and family. This day was clearly very special for Amanda. She has been in constant contact with me over the last couple of years wanting to make sure that I would be available to photograph her wedding. She spent a couple of years working in Kuwait while John served in Iraq. It was a pleasure having the opportunity to capture their special day.

Meghan & Shawn Engagement

Holly and I met up with Meghan and Shawn today for their engagement shoot. It was such a nice day that we had the opportunity to do quite a bit of walking. We photographed throughout the surrounding areas of the Hoyt Arboretum and travelled down to the Rose Garden. Even though the roses were not in bloom, the sweet smell of flowers was clearly discernable. We look forward to photographing Meghan and Shawn's wedding on July 22nd at Portland's White House.

Amanda & John Engagement Session

I am wrapping up the edit on my most recent engagement shoot. Amanda and John are dear friends of mine who are getting married on May 26th -- that's right gang -- just a few more weeks away! Amanda commented on how the two of them often communicate through letters and pictures when John is overseas, so I made sure to capture extra pictures of them together as a couple as well as individually so that they will have lots to choose from while John is abroad. I am very much looking forward to the wedding as well as the after party. Congrats Amanda and John -- your big day is just around the corner!

Marianne & Mike Engagement Session

We met up with Marianne and Mike today at the Hoyt Arboretum for an engagement session. It just so happens to be one of our favorite locations for taking pictures. The weather was quite nice and we enjoyed the opportunity to discuss some of the details of their wedding. It came as a bit of a surprise that the wedding is now less than 2 months away... Nothing to worry about though, because Marianne and Mike are well on their way with their preparations. We look forward to having another photo session with them on June 23rd -- though on this day -- it is wedding time!!

Alison & Steve Engagement Session

If you were outside yesterday at all, you would have noticed one of the craziest weather days ever! Alison and I scheduled the engagement session for May 2nd and little did we know what we were in for... The morning started off looking rather promising with bright sunny skies. This gave way to a rain shower that then became a lightning storm, which then was followed by a hail storm. Then, of course, the sun came back out. We decided to move forward with the shoot and while on my way over to the St. John's Bridge area, a heavy rain storm moved back in. Alison called me on her cell to state that the rain was really coming down hard and that we may need to re-schedule the photo shoot. My thought -- given the crazy weather patterns -- was to meet up under the bridge, wait 5 minutes, and see what happened. Well, 5 minutes later -- you guessed it -- the sun came back out again and we went for it!

Melody & Mason

If you were not at Melody & Mason's wedding yesterday, you missed out on one fantastic wedding celebration. We met up with the couple first thing in the morning at the Bell Tower Chapel. We setup our cameras and got right to work. Here are some of our favorites from the day:

A book that has been handed down through the generations in Melody's family:


Melody & Mason are officially married!


Just moments after the ceremony:


Melody's gorgeous bouquet:


Stay tuned for the details of what happened during the cake cutting...


Mason re-unites with his band for an unforgettable night of rock-and-roll:


The after party at the Jupiter Hotel went well into the evening...

Siamese If You Please...

If you have ever had the opportunity to swing by our studio, you have had the chance to meet our Siamese cats. There are 3 in total (a Traditional Seal Point, a Blue Point, and a Chocolate Point). Here are some pictures of the Blue Point (Oliver) and the Chocolate Point (Jasper). Couples are immediately be-friended by our pets, especially the two boys, and so we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to meet them...

Say cheese!!


The Next American Idol...

Ben - The Musical

Ever struggle over trying to remember a song?
Check out this humorous film short written and directed by Melani Brown. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Melani as the Cinematographer -- one of the more rare opportunities for me to be completely free and creative. And notice the cameo of Nicole Wickens (another wedding photographer), who also took this shot of me behind-the-scenes. Here is the link to the film: BEN

Planning a Non-traditional Wedding?

Today's couples have more opportunities than ever to create a wedding event that truly speaks to their individuality, character, and desires. For those of you who are planning a unique event, consider some of the wise advice provided by one of our brides and groom. Susan Beal and Andrew Dickson were interviewed as part of a recently published book called "Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides" www.offbeatbride.com. The book provides numerous ideas and ways to subvert the traditional norms of weddings. Here is Susan's advice for planning that non-traditional wedding:
www.offbeatbride.com/susanbeal.

Myra & Matt Engagement Session

Myra & Matt are getting married on 9/8/07. This past weekend provided an opportune time to spend some time together and to take some engagement photos. We met by the Forestry Center, took in some sun, and talked about the details of the wedding. Here is a selection of some of our favorites from the photo session:

Cancun

Each year during our off-season, Holly and I pick a vacation destination to rest, relax, and recoup. This year, it was Cancun! And this year, our travel plans were quite different than usual. We travelled to Cancun with all 9 of Holly's siblings (yes, she is the youngest of 10), their children (yes, there are a total of 23), and her father (yes, he is responsible for the group). Escaping the great Northwest for some hot sun was just what we needed to do. Here are just a few travel pictures:


Cancun during the day:



Cancun at night:



A friendly visitor:



The Andres Family: