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:

Leah & Robert

On January 6, 2007 at 11am, Leah & Robert will premiere their wedding video shot by Paul Rich Studio! The venue is a brand new theater called Living Room Theaters (http://www.livingroomtheaters.com). The building was designed in part by Robert and is sure to be a great addition to downtown Portland. As part of the opening festivities, Leah & Robert were granted the ability to showcase their wedding video. We are very excited for the two of them and look forward to frequenting the new theater here in town!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Paul Rich Studio!! I wanted to take a moment to pause and thank those couples who allowed us into their lives and who shared one of their most important days with us. We met many wonderful couples in 2006 and are looking forward to meeting even more couples in 2007. To kick off the new year, Holly and I are completely re-designing our online proofing gallery. Within the first couple of weeks of January, couples will have the ability to view their wedding proofs through a state-of-the-art online gallery. The interface is very user friendly and the turnaround time for our print orders will be reduced to a 1-2 week period. Have a wonderful New Year!

Best wishes -
Paul & Holly

Jeanie & Josh

Without a doubt, all weddings are unique...and to stay with this trend, Jeanie & Josh are planning the event of the year. In 2007, they are having not just one...but TWO weddings!! On September 15th, Jeanie & Josh will marry at the Gray Gables Estate in Oregon. Then, exactly 1 week later on September 22nd, they will have a second wedding at Pequitside in Canton, MA. Since weddings are so much fun, it was only natural to plan two! So, Holly and I will photograph the Portland wedding, put together a DVD slideshow of images, board a plane for Boston, photograph the east coast wedding and during the reception show pictures of the wedding from the great Northwest. To kick off this amazing event, Jeanie & Josh asked to have their picture taken in front of a local movie theater marquee for their "Save the Date" cards. In early October, images from both weddings will be posted on our website through the "proofs" link. See you then!

Bethany & Andrew

Holly and I traveled down to Eugene, OR to spend the day with Bethany & Andrew. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we had a blast taking pictures. Here are some of our favorites from the day:

No outfit is complete, without the matching "Bride's" cap!!


Detail of Bethany's beautiful wedding dress.


Just seconds before the couple's first moment...


Sometimes each ring requires an individual ring bearer.


First kiss


It's official!

Janice & Tom

On September 2nd, Janice & Tom were married at the Leach Botanical Gardens. The garden is a fabulous location for giving your guests a taste of the great Northwest. The property was originally part of a 320-acre donation land claim belonging to Jacob Johnson, one of the sawmill operators who was furnishing lumber for the very early homes in Portland. Then, in 1931, John and Lilla Leach purchased part of the property and named it Sleepy Hollow. John, a pharmacist, and Lilla, an accomplished botanist, devoted their land to their fascination with plants. As a guest visiting the garden, you are easily seduced by the charm and the elegance of the property. It is certainly a great location for a wedding and one that we highly recommend.


Janice observing guests arrive from the bridal suite




Janice & Tom enjoying a moment together




The excitement of having just gotten married




Like dessert? Here is a new take on the traditional wedding cake -- why have just one?!?!




Too young to drink, but certainly not too young to have fun