There are a couple phrases to describe when everything falls into place. ”The A-Ha Moment” or ”Epiphany” or ”The Moment it Clicks”. The last one being my favorite of course. I would use that to describe my experience with Josh and Celeste. After meeting with them the first time, it just seemed like I was meant to photograph their wedding. After the Engagement Session I felt even stronger about it. It was funny because everything just made sense, everything felt as if it was supposed to be like that. Up to the wedding weekend. Saturday was not so great and Monday was downright terrible weather up at the mountain. On the wedding day, blue skies, mildly cold, no rain or wind. It was amazing. As I was driving up I wanted to stop and snap some shots of the surroundings because it was so pristine. Everyone was so happy that day. I think the officiant said it best as Celeste’s dad escorted her to the altar. She said, ”Who needs a symphony when you have the sound of the babbling brook and the breeze through the trees.” It was the perfect setting. After the ceremony and a couple family photos we continued up the mountain to Timberline Lodge. We had a couple of minutes while guests were still checking in to take some photos of the amazing sunset bouncing it’s warm beams of light on a freshly white canvas of snow. Even though it was a little chilly, Celeste and Josh braved the elements and we had a great time. We then went inside to warm temperatures. After some eating, speaking, dancing, cake smashing, drinking and laughing, we decided to go outside once again for a few photos on a ski lift. I will say it was the first time I’ve ever been on a ski lift without something strapped to my feet but it was well worth it. At the end of the night, a few friends ended up at the bar with a country band playing and there was more eating, laughing and drinking. This day was an awesome experience and I would like to thank Josh and Celeste for giving me a glimpse into their amazing circle of friends and family. ”The Billies are alright…”

From the couple
It was super easy to negotiate our way through the wedding photography process. Once we decided to go with you guys, I didn’t have to worry about anything. THat was a great relief.

Our wedding didn’t follow the normal patner, nor did we fit the normal mold. Mike was super flexible and really got to know us and what we wanted. Unlike many people we dealt with in the bridal business who struggled to understand our concept, Mike totally embraced us. He got all the shots we wanted and knew the names of all our family members. Looking back at the day, he really is one of the great things.

Justin & Jen are two of the coolest people I’ve ever worked with. Having been to a lot of weddings themselves (they’re the owners of Paradox Productions), they wanted their wedding to be ”un-wedding like”. They wanted a party to celebrate their marriage and they couldn’t have done a more spectacular job! There was a photo booth, Wii games on a big screen, a cartoonist (great idea by the way!), and after dinner had come and gone, they brought in a second course — pizza and VooDoo Donuts for everyone! They thought of everything.

All my love to you two! You have a beautiful family and an intensely strong bond that was apparent to everyone. Thank you for letting me be there.

From the Couple :
Thank you so much for your wonderful work at our wedding last Sunday. You were absolutely one of our best vendors (if not the best). I will be sure to give a raving review to Powers (as if they don’t already know) and will always recommend you whenever asked! Let me know if there is somewhere online you would like me to leave a review and I’ll be happy to do so.

Sara was one of our best/favorite vendors. She was incredible with our bridal party and guests. From the pictures we have seen thus far, it is exactly what we we looking for. She is a true pro.

Had an absolute blast with Roy and Yin-Yin shooting all around downtown. A quick ceremony in the downtown courthouse and the rest of the time dedicated to getting fun portraits all over the place. They will have a larger wedding with family in Toronto in the summer.

Roy and Yin-Yin are a very sweet couple and it really shows. They were both getting ready in Roy’s studio apartment in town. When I first arrived they weren’t speaking or looking at one another. I thought ”Oh no, is something wrong?” but no, they were just taking the first look very seriously. So although they both got dressed in the same space, they managed to keep their backs to one another. It was great.

The whole day was a field day, but some of my favorite shots came in the evening, we were on the sidewalk outside of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall — I was sure to get the car headlights from oncoming traffic in the background. Shooting at a very shallow depth of field let all those light sources fall beautifully out of focus. I’m a huge fan of movies, and I loved how shooting those shots with just natural light gave it a striking cinematic feel.

Congrats again Roy and Yin-Yin, thanks for letting me be part of your day!

Lots of fun and great moments at Scott and Lisa’s wedding. They love the outdoors and nature, and it was wonderful to see that theme come through in all the details.

You know you are in good company when there are large cardboard tree cutouts on hand for guests to pose in. ”I wonder what the tree props with the holes for faces are for?” I thought when I first arrived. ”People, will take shots posing in them to be part of the ’Family Tree’,” someone explained to me. Of course! Hey, passers by may have arched an eyebrow, but I tell you those tree props were an absolute hit. It was awesome.

They also had one of the coolest first dances I’ve seen at a wedding. It took weeks of rehearsing and practice — and all the time investment showed, it looked great. Guests were wow’d.

They both enjoy fly fishing. Given this, one of their cake table decorations was bride figurine having hooked and reeling in the groom. Classic.

What really made my day was seeing Scott and Lisa enjoying their time with friends and family. They took the time to spend time with everyone, and not just in the receiving line. Seeing that extra care for those who came out for their wedding was inspiring. Congratulations again Scott and Lisa!

Allayne & Justin had their ceremony in the wine cellar of the Hotel Vintage Plaza, a perfectly romantic setting. Following was a petty cab ride around downtown Portland (on a rare rain-free winter evening!) and a reception at the Hotel Monaco. The dessert table was beautiful and those cupcakes were delicious! Mmm! It was a wonderful evening. Congratulations, Allayne and Justin!

Kari and Kim had the best idea for their wedding. What could be a better, more romantic or intimate location for a wedding than paradise?! Jamaica provided a stunning backdrop and, not to mention, perfect blue skies and sunshine. The crew at Sandals Riviera are pros at making a wedding run smoothly and care-free. Kari was absolutely stunning in her wind-blown veil and Kim looked amazing in his Army uniform (a wool jacket in 80 degrees cannot be pulled off by just anyone). It was also a treat for their photographer to be flown to such a destination. Thank you Kari and Kim, and congratulations. You were amazing.

After a beautiful intimate ceremony in the warm Jamaican sun, Kari and Kim’s reception back in Oregon was enjoyed by plenty of friends and family. It was quite a difference in scenery, but after days of Portland rain, somehow we managed to call out the sun. We got the best of both worlds! Paradise, and the beautiful Pacific Northwest! Kari and Kim, you know how to enjoy life! Thanks for letting me come along for the ride

From the couple :
Overall, we were very impressed with the business aspect of the studio. We met with a few different places and none of them had the initial paperwork & meeting style that Powers did! When we asked for specifics from people they wouldnt have anything readily available, and say that they would get info to us (which when they did was never the level of detail or broad scope of info that Powers gave out).

Briena was such a delight to have as our photographer! Everyone in the family commented about how nice and friendly she was. She came to the table with lots of ideas on shots, and did a great job incorporating the shots that we wanted!

Well, Abernethy sure did their construction right on this beautiful project!  We were honored to take some of the first images of their space for their Open House and even did a few updated images of the gals that coordinate.  Enjoy!

It’s funny how weddings can bring people together. Old friends or maybe family members who haven’t seen each other for a long time. Guests from far and near congregate in one singular celebratory purpose. Lydia and Jeff’s wedding was of no exception. Friends and family came from all over to share in their special day. One of the most endearing things of the day was Jeff’s pure excitement. He kept saying, ”I can’t wait to see Lydia” over and over again with a smile that over took his whole face. After the ceremony, photos were taken and reception was well on it’s way. We decided to duck out for some more couple photos. It was a beautiful and sunny winter day which was a minor miracle in itself. Now back to how weddings bring people together. During our first meeting, Lydia and I discovered that we grew up in the same town in Louisiana. After talking a little bit more about that during the day we discovered that we went to the same elementary school at the same time. Crazy. The odds of me shooting a wedding for someone who I probably passed a hundred times during recess in New Orleans is astronomical. Congratulations to these two crazy love birds!

Jill and Tim picked a great spot for their engagement session. Cathedral Park is the perfect location for a shoot and for admiring the amazing architecture of the St. John’s Bridge.Plus, the location is just enough off the beaten path, that it isn’t very crowded. Jill and Tim were able to relax and have fun with their session.

Kim and CJ’s wedding took place on a spectacular winter day! The sun was shining and it was nearly 65 degrees in Portland. Up on the mountain at Timberline Lodge, the air was fresh and crisp… just a bit below freezing.

We had a great time shooting around the lodge and grounds. The wind kept us from venturing out too far but the day was darn near perfect! Thanks guys for such a great time; I really appreciate your hospitality.

From the couple
We were very pleased with our experience at Powers. We loved our engagement pictures, loved the wedding pictures which just went up on the blog, and were very impressed with the service we received from the office staff. Erin was very easy to get a hold of with questions and very prompt in responding to any emails I sent her way. I think that the process of picking the photographer was essential and also helped make this experience all we could ask for. Plus you gave me blazers tickets which was pretty awesome!

Ben was amazing. He was very easygoing when family members were running behind for family pictures which helped me relax a bit. I also had a guest mention how nice she thought he was when he was getting a shot of us cutting the cake and he grabbed her camera to get the same shot for her too. He was very instructive and based on what I have seen so far on the blog, took all that we had discussed prior to the wedding and applied it.