Salem Oregon Elopement Photographer - Christmas nuptials at Deepwood Museum & Gardens

As I mentioned last week, I will be re-blogging some of my favorite elopements, now that they’re my main focus (for weddings, that is). This one is a perfect example of what a local elopement can look like…and what I’d love to shoot more of!

If you follow my blog, you’ll probably recognize this couple. I’ve been working with them for about 7 years now and they have quite the love story. I did their engagement session in early 2017, as they planned for their wedding that fall. Only Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer and the wedding was going to be right in the middle of treatment. So, they decided to elope in December of 2017 and then have their “big” wedding celebration in fall of 2018.

Choosing to say their vows in December meant Anna’s out-of-town grandmother would be there AND that the Deepwood Museum (ie. the big house) would be beautifully decorated for the holidays. I had photographed several weddings at this venue and it never disappoints, but this was the first time one of my clients actually got married IN the house, rather than outdoors.

After their “first look” and some portraits, they moved indoors for their ceremony. As the sun went down on that beautiful December day, Kan and Anna exchanged vows in front of their closest family members.

West Coast Wedding Photographer - Nupials at Aah Ranch, in Lompoc, CA

I’ve known April for over 20 years, so when she asked if I would fly down to California to photograph her and Chris’s wedding last year, I did not hesitate to answer with a big, “Hell, yeah!” Not only was I excited to document this big day for my friend, but I was admittedly excited about shooting in the California sun. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few clients in California and there is just nothing like the light you get down there!

Only it wasn’t sunshiny. At all. In fact, their part of the state had the most rain they’d had in decades and everything flooded just days before the wedding, including their venue (Aah Ranch). Even the airport closed! Thankfully, though, the water receded just enough to open most things back up…literally the day before I flew in. It rained most of the time I was there, including on their wedding day, but it was still beautiful and in the end it made for a great story. Plus, how fortunate to have hired a wedding photographer who is VERY versed at shooting in the rain?

Anyway, Christ picked me up from the airport when I arrived. That was my first time meeting him and it honestly just felt like I had known him forever. We chatted the whole drive, from the airport to my hotel, which was great, as it gave me a chance to get to know him prior to their big day.

April and Chris has a beautiful day, celebrating with family and friends. The love from everyone was palpable and I’m so happy I was able to be part of it. They just celebrated their first wedding anniversary (yes, I’m always this behind on blogging, lol), so HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MR. & MRS. HUCKABEY!!

Oregon Elopement Photographer - big news for 2022!

With the exception of elopements, I have decided to take a break from weddings in 2022.

I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time and finally made the decision a few weeks ago to take a break from weddings in 2022…EXCEPT for elopements. My wedding clients over the last 13 years have been AWESOME and I adore them all, but Mama needs a break! Weddings are….a lot. They’re somewhat physically demanding (well, for an aging, out of shape person such as myself, lol), but more than that, they are mentally draining. You have to be “ready” every second of the day, even when nothing appears to be happening. Plus, I have a busier schedule these days. So, as of right now, I’m only planning on taking this year off, but I will reassess in the fall.

Like I said, I will still take on elopements this year. They’re much less stressful for me and, well, I just freaking love elopements! So, with that being said, I want to take a moment and share some of my favorite elopements over the years!

IZZY & REGINA… This was my first elopement ever! Izzy & Regina traveled all the way from Texas, to get married in Oregon, as same-sex marriage was not yet legal in their state. They rented a gorgeous airbnb out in Amity for their stay, which was the perfect location for an intimate elopement. Aside from myself and the officiant, the only other people there were the guitarist, who played for their ceremony, and a chef who prepared them a three course meal afterwards. These two were SO fun to work with. Not only were they madly in love, but they were spunky and adorable.

BRIANA & WINCHESTER… This was not your typical courthouse elopement, as you can see from the photos below. After tying the knot outside of the courthouse (some judges offer that at the Marion County Courthouse, by the way!), the newlyweds walked around downtown Salem and hit some of their favorite spots, like an ice cream shop and the record store! It was ridiculously laid back and hello, look at Briana’s dress that she made herself!

LIZZY & KEITH…This beautiful couple rented a cool house through airbnb for their candlelit elopement. They found it difficult to plan their big summer wedding, while living in two different homes. Since they preferred not to live together before marriage, they decided to elope in the Spring. They still had their big ceremony a few months later, which was much easier to plan once they lived together. I was more than happy to photograph their two separate, and very different, ceremonies. Lizzy and Keith are just cool individuals, who happen to also be very good looking.

ANNA & KEN…While planning their wedding, Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer. They pushed their wedding back a year, so that she could undergo treatment. When they found out that Anna’s grandmother was going to be in town for Christmas, they opted to elope during her stay. Although you would never know by looking at her smiling face, Anna was in the middle of chemo during this time. They chose Deepwood Museum & Gardens for their venue, which is beautiful all year ‘round, but the Christmas decor made it even more charming! The following year, they had their big wedding and celebration, which I also had the honor of photographing.

CASEY & JENYA…This elopement is a little different, in that I was the second shooter for Shelley K Photography. This couple flew in from Washington DC to get married against the gorgeous backdrop of the Columbia River Gorge. Aside from Shelley and I, the only other person in attendance was the officiant, who also happened to be Shelley’s husband. We hiked in to Wahclella Falls for their ceremony, which was very intimate, thanks to the sound of the waterfall (we couldn’t hear them, from where we were taking photos) . Afterwards, we drove out to Government Cove for some beautiful portraits. Shelley and I both shot completely on film and the results were straight up dreamy. So, while I didn’t really get to know this couple, it was a memorable experience because I got to shoot it with my friend and I was introduced to some amazing new shooting locations.

PORSHE & JEREMY…I don’t even know where to start with these two! I adore them SO much. I met Porshe when my business was still pretty new. She modeled for me and we immediately became friends. Since then I’ve photographed two of her births, a couple of boudoir sessions, family sessions, and of course their elopement…at a hospital! Yep, these two got married in the chapel at St. Vincent hospital in Portland. Porshe’s uncle, who is like a second father to her, was in the hospital and was not going to be able to attend their destination wedding, so they opted to get legally married with a little ceremony before leaving town. If you know me, you know I sometimes like a challenge..and making wedding photos in a freaking hospital look good was a challenge, but I think we totally nailed it!

RAVEN & MARCUS…This ridiculously adorable couple was also struck with Cancer, which lead them to the decision to elope at the courthouse in Salem. I booked this wedding THE DAY they got married! I started the day in Nebraska and ended the day at the Marion County Courthouse. Their ceremony was short and sweet, but everyone still cried. Afterwards we did a few quick photos and then they were off to celebrate with family and friends. I was there for less than an hour, but it was still magical.

JENNA & RICHARD…I met Jenna, when she took my photography class at Chemeketa. She was just the sweetest, most soft-spoken girl, with gorgeous red hair, so I was honored when she asked me to photograph her wedding photos (once the term was over, of course, as I don’t take students as clients). Due to the pandemic, they postponed their wedding for a year. Because Jenna’s father was battling cancer (seriously, though, cancer can just fuck right off already), they kept their original wedding date and eloped in Salem. They held a more traditional wedding and reception the following year, near the coast, which I also photographed.

SABRINA & BRIAN…This was a day full of love and gorgeous scenery. I met up with them at their airbnb, just outside of Cannon Beach, where they got ready and also had their first look. From there, we headed over to Ecola State Park, where Sabrina’s brother married them and Brian’s brother was their witness. One of the best things about elopements is that you aren’t rushed and the couple isn’t obligated to do anything else, like mingle with guests or answer 1,957 questions about where things are and where they go. This free time gave us the opportunity to shoot with multiple backdrops, such as the park, the beach, the rocks, etc. After we finished up with portraits, I dropped the two of them off at a restaurant, where they had dinner reservations.

JESSICA & DARIN…I did not meet the groom until the day of their courthouse elopement, but I had known Jessica for years. She is our favorite teacher! My older two boys (now nearly 20 and 22) had her as a teacher in elementary school and they absolutely ADORED her. It’s not surprise that she was honored as teacher of the year in our district! My oldest even had her two years in a row. We all hoped that my youngest would get her too, but she switched schools before it happened (booooo). She will forever be our favorite teacher and I was absolutely honored to document her and Darin’s special day.

TRACY & JORDON…I met Tracy through her sister, who is a good friend of mine. Shortly after they got engaged, Jordon got orders for an overseas deployment, which prompted their elopement. Neskowin, Oregon is a stunning place to get married and this isn’t the only elopement I’ve photographed there! Their ceremony was simple, but oh-so-romantic. Best of all, Jordon made it home safely from his deployment and they now have a new baby!

CHERYL & ROB… I will always remember this wedding because they got married on December 19th, which is the same day my husband and I got married! We will forever share a wedding anniversary. Obviously, the bride’s gown is to die for. When I found out she was wearing a gold velvet dress, I was like, “YESSSS!” Anyway, these lovebirds said, “I do” at a little Christmas tree farm in Corvallis. Of course it rained because that’s what it does in Oregon, especially in December, but how gorgeous is that umbrella shot?! Oh, and fun fact…Cheryl is Tracy’s mom (from the above photos)!

CORI & NOAH…This was my most recent elopement, having just taken place this past fall. It’s a long story, as to how this elopement came together (you can read the story HERE), but they tied the knot on their 10y year anniversary, having their children as their only guests. These two have the biggest hearts and have been a second set of parents to my middle son for years.. The actual ceremony was held at Deepwood Museum & Gardens, but we drove out to the pumpkin patch for some fun portraits afterwards. It rained (because…Oregon) and we got soaked, but it was totally worth it!

So…what do I consider an elopement? I love it when it’s just the couple and their witnesses (or in many cases, just one witness, as I often sign as the second witness), but I don’t really have a limit on the number of people that will be there. It’s more about WHAT will be photographed. For example: no wedding party (bridesmaids/groomsmen), no reception, and no list of specified shots you want. Elopements are meant to be laid back and stress-free. If you aren’t sure whether or not your wedding would be considered an elopement, just ask me!

The Dalles Oregon Wedding Photographer - Kylee & Dustin's Tygh Valley Barn Event!

Kylee & Dustin, both Marines, met while stationed in San Diego. Long story short, they fell in love and got married at their local courthouse in 2020. Like most of my wedding clients, they then planned a bigger event about a year later…which is where I come in.

I have known Kylee since she was born. I met her mom, Angie, in first grade and she has been one of my best friends for nearly 40 years now! In fact, Angie was pregnant with Kylee (and her twin sister, Taylar) when she was a bridesmaid in my wedding! Fun fact: Kylee was actually the first baby my husband ever held!

The bride and groom celebrated one year of marriage with their closest family and friends, with a traditional wedding ceremony. The Tygh Valley Barn was a great venue for this group, as there is a house to rent on the property, as well as plenty of space for camping. A lot of the guests brought their camper vans and made a weekend out of it.

The whole day was fun for me, as I had a lot of friends in attendance. It was so nice to see and catch up with everyone, when I wasn’t shooting. I even spent some time chatting about VW busses, with a few other bus owners. The green bus shown in the photos below belongs to Kylee’s uncle and it’s the same year as mine!

After getting ready, the happy couple did a first look, as they had not seen each other in their wedding attire (they wore different outfits for their courthouse nuptials). It was a sweet, private moment with just the two of them…until their two pups joined in! We did most of the portraits before the ceremony, but I did manage to grab the bride and groom for some photos of just to the two of them before I left, which is always my favorite part of the day.

Oregon LGBTQIA+ Elopement Photographer - rustic cabin elopement inspiration

I shared this shoot a few years ago, but as you may or may not know, my website crashed last year and I lost all of my old blog posts. :( I’ve been trying to repost old ones every once in a while, in the hopes of eventually having most of them blogged someday.

Anyway, this styled elopement shoot was SO much fun. Real couple, Lauren & Mindee Jo, were kind enough to model for me. They were engaged at the time of the session and were married shortly after this. We were jokingly calling it their test run. There was no shortage of love (or chemistry!) between these two and they even brought along their real life friends (also a real couple) as their “witnesses” for the shoot. My friend and long time client, Tiffany, stood in as our faux officiant.

The short lace dress was one that I scored at Ross Dres for Less and it was less than $10. Mindee Jo already had the perfect boots in her closet, so she wore those. Lauren wore an outfit she already had, paired with a cute bowtie that I purchased online for about $10. The flowers were provided by Morning Glories Floral https://www.facebook.com/morninggloriesfloral/) and I used For the Love of Pete Event Rentals for the majority of the props seen in the photos.

The cabin we used was one of the guest houses at Viola Farm at Bear Creek (http://www.violafarm.com), which is a wedding venue in Canby, Oregon. I rented it through airbnb, but I couldn’t find the listing to include with this post (not sure if it’s still available through airbnb). We shot at sunset and the area is just gorgeous and the light came through the trees in the dreamiest way.