A Winter Wedding: Chad and Teressa {Portland Wedding Photographer}

We woke up to snow falling this morning. "Snow day!" I thought to myself, and enjoyed the slow of a normally-crazed morning. Being from sunny Cal, I've never known days like this until moving to Oregon, and even then, its not too often that we are treated to beautiful snow.

Speaking of winter...I'll share another love-post for the month of February.

Chad and Teressa had longed for a winter wedding. And a beautiful December wedding it was. Their day was reminiscent of all things winter--the colors, the decorations, and the joyous thought of Christmas just around the corner.

It was a high of about 40 degrees that day, with expected 35 mph winds. Talk about cold for a native Californian. These guys were troopers, braving the winds and dodging passing trains for pictures. I was fortunate to have the talent of Jason shooting alongside me, as we captured a celebration of an incredible love.

We were welcomed indoors to a ceremony that was cozy and warm, marked by a new stage in their love and fond memories of their past. Both friends and family danced away the evening, while the winds whirled outside. It didn't matter that the temps had dropped to freezing by that point, all that mattered was inside that building.

A love rooted in friendship. Two people made one.

Now that's something to celebrate.

Vanessa and Phanith {Portland Engagement Photographer}

My husband says I am too wordy. "I am a chick," I tell him, rolling my eyes. "What else would you expect?" I don't take challenges lightly, so to prove him wrong, I set out to find a single word to describe Vanessa and Phanith.

I could easily say a thousand words about any of the couples that I get to photograph. But to choose ONE? A single one? Lucky for me though, this one was a no-brainer.

Adored.

There you have it. Adored. And it doesn't take a heavy camera to figure that one out.

You could see it on his face the entire time we were together. You could see it in his touch, hear it in his voice, and notice it as they kissed. There was an unmistakable feeling that you got around them, knowing that it was a love meant to be. Its a privilege to be able to capture that on camera...and know the depth of their love behind it.

I am so honored to be able to photograph their traditional Cambodian-American wedding ceremony this summer. It'll be an incredible day...tying together two lives, two families, and two cultures. And in a beautiful way.

Adored.

So there, honey.

Chris and Shannon {Portland Engagement Photographer}

I am behind on blogging, I know. You should see my laundry pile. And if we have tacos one more night this month, I think I may have to start looking for another husband, as well.

This cool, rainy weather has given me a chance to get caught up on things. I had realized some time ago that in the busyness of Fall, I had never had a chance to blog about how I spent my days. There wasn't much I could do about it back then, after all, with as beautiful as Oregon gets in those autumn months, you don't waste a minute when you could be outside!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to introduce the couples that have the most exciting few months ahead of them. This Valentine's Day will mark their last one before they are husband and wife!

The first couple that I will introduce to you is one of the very first to ring in this summer with a wedding. And in a big way.

It'll be the largest wedding that I have shot, and maybe will ever shoot. They don't mess around with these things in Pendleton. It may be a small town, but its full of people with big hearts.

And Chris and Shannon are no exception.

The moment I met them, I knew that this gorgeous couple was meant for each other. Something about the way that their personalities complemented each other, and shared the same hearty values was the perfect foundation for what would be an amazing love.

An amazing love.

I'm looking forward to heading out to Pendleton for a few days this June. Its an honor to photograph their wedding, and just as joyous, will be meeting their parents, siblings, and scores of family and friends that will fill that small town.

Because if they are anything like these two, its going to be a simply glorious day.