I am so incredibly excited to share with you a peek into Ashley & Nick’s wedding. On the only fair weather day, sandwiched right in between two weeks of heavy snow before and after their wedding, Ashley & Nick exchanged their vows atop Mt. Hood. The ceremony was small, quaint and intimate. Their closest family and friends were transported up to the Silcox Hut by snowcat. When the guests arrived to the mostly buried in snow rustic cabin, they were greeted with beautiful strung lights, candles, flowers, and delicious food and drinks. The bridal party was last to arrive, and Ashley waited to don her gorgeous fitted lace gown until she was about ready to walk down the isle. The first time Nick saw his gorgeous bride-to-be, she was walking towards him on her father’s arm.
The ceremony was perfect in every sense. The words spoken were meaningful. Not one person in the room couldn’t feel the love and admiration shared between Ashley and Nick. It was all sealed with a passionate kiss.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom signed their marriage certificate and then mingled with guests atop the mountain while the snowcats shuffled them down in small groups to the reception that was held down at the lodge. When all that was left was the wedding party and the immediate family, we took as many formal shots as the downright frigid weather would allow.
The bride & groom were the last to enter the reception. They entered and were surrounded by a room full of 150 or so guests, all excited to see the recently married couple. The decorations were gorgeous. The centerpieces consisted of a rustic wood disk cut from a tree trunk. There were candles everywhere. Every place setting had a jar of homemade preserves, lovingly made by the couple to give as favors. The food was delicious. It was definitely a party to remember. I stole the couple away from their guests to take some shots of just the two of them. The day is so busy it can sometimes be hard to do that, but in the end, the shots of the bride and groom alone, sharing a private intimate moment, are often the best ones.
If you’d like to get a better sense of who Ashley & Nick are, take a look at their engagement photos HERE.
If you’re planning a wedding and haven’t chosen a venue yet, you cannot go wrong with Timberline. Below are a list of their vendors.
Caterer – Timberline Lodge
Cake/pies – Larson’s Bakery | Vancouver, WA
Florist – A Floral Affair | Oregon City, OR
DJ – Adam Nicewonger | Portland, OR
Hair & Makeup – AJ’s Hair Design & Makeup | Portland, OR
Officiate – David Griffin | Seattle, WA
The Bride & Groom
If you’re familiar with my photography, you know that I have a definite style and always produce a consistent product. I do this so that my clients know what to expect based on what they have seen. I edit clean without a lot of heavy processing so that my photos remain timeless. I did, however, take a lot more creative liberties with the photos of the bride & groom together. I took some of the photos to the next level and processed them with a vintage rustic feel to match the gorgeous setting of the lodge.
Of the 1600 photos taken that day, this one is my favorite. I adore the way Ashley’s hair is whipping around her face. I shiver at how they’re touching each other with only their fingertips. I see nothing but pure joy, content, and passion on both their faces. I can feel how much they love each other when I look at this photo.
The flowers were so gorgeous. Before the ceremony when I got my first glance at them, I told Ashley how much I loved the bold colors. She said “I did that for you”. Me? She knew I would love how they photograph against the snow. Isn’t she awesome?
I love ring shots. This one was particularly challenging because her engagement ring and wedding band weren’t fused together, plus the weight of that big old diamond wanted to let gravity take over and just hang on the little branch. Absolutely gorgeous set, isn’t it?
Taken through the window from the reception.
We moved inside for the rest of the shots. This one is classic Timberline.
Ugh. The way they kiss. The passion…
Yes, she is biting his ear.
Before
This was the view from the reception room before the ceremony. Sadly, the clouds moved in by the time the ceremony was over and the sky went from vibrant blue to dark grey, but we were so fortunate to see sunshine for part of the day.
This is the Silcox Hut where the ceremony was held. As you can see, it was almost completely buried in snow.
Ashley’s feet, walking from the snowcat to the hut.
The Ceremony:
My favorite shot of the ceremony.
After the ceremony, we went outside in the bitter cold for some formal shots.
I LOVE this photo. I asked each pair in the wedding party to do something completely inappropriate. You never know what you’ll get when you ask people to do something like that. These guys definitely took it to a level that had me almost unable to take a photo because I was laughing so hard. You get to see the sensored version. All the while, Ashley and Nick are loving each other as if time were standing still.
The Reception:
For the first time as husband and wife, please welcome Ashley and Nick!
Every single detail of their wedding was thoughtfully and equally planned by both the bride and groom.
The kids table had a pack of crayons and a wedding coloring book at each place setting. Super cute.
The first dance. They could have been completely alone or on a stage in front of a thousand people and it wouldn’t have made one bit of difference… they were in heaven at that moment.
Daddy and his little princess.
My last shot of the night.
Congratulations, Ashley and Nick. May every single day be filled with the same love and passion that you shared for each other on your wedding day.
