Golden Hour Dreams at the Oregon Coast

You ever have those moments where the day gets off to a not so great start and somehow the stars just perfectly align? This was one of those days. Lennys and Eric came all the way to Oregon from Salt Lake City, Utah to celebrate with their closest family and friends. Anyone who is familiar with the Pacific Northwest knows that the coasts are always expected to be gloomy, wet, and poetically moody even on the summer days. You can imagine the shock we all had when on October first we had not a cloud in the sky, not a tiny drop of breeze and the temperatures reached into the high 80's. You would never have guessed that it wasn't part of the plan by the way these two handled it with ease. Eric stood in a full suit, waiting to see his bride for the first time and never expressed anything other than excitement. He stood out in the sun for over a half hour waiting eagerly. Meanwhile, Lennys, her mother, and I were inside the temperature controlled Airbnb. This time was so sweet and intimate. We gathered some getting ready shots and helped Lennys get into her gorgeous custom made black dress. Did I mention that she designed it herself? No? Well she did. It was impeccable and fit her and Eric's vibe flawlessly. Her mother stopped to say a prayer and bless her daughter before we all loaded up into the car and headed to the beach.

Upon arrival to the coast all of the nerves of planning a wedding were being replaced with excitement. I ran ahead and get Eric into the right position so we could start the show. He sat, while sweating from the heat, squealing in sheer excitement and anticipation of seeing Lennys for the first time. We created an aisle in between family and friends standing on the sand with the rugged rocky coastline as the backdrop. The sun was high overhead and it was time to go. The moment he saw her was so beautiful. He let out an excited scream and the grins couldn't leave both of their faces. They hugged each other and shared a kiss before starting. There wasn't anything traditional about this wedding and that is exactly how I liked it. The ceremony came equipped with all of the emotions and there wasn't a dry eye to be found. The love shared is evident and was felt by all who were in attendance.

Everyone gathered back at the Airbnb following the ceremony and began to celebrate. Friends were grilling tacos on the grill, bottles of champagne were being popped, many shots were taken and music was playing. All of the good vibes were being had. The taco lunch was delicious, laid back and so on brand for these two. Everyone was really just enjoying the time spent together. A wholesome, good for the soul kind of day. After the tacos hit our bellies and we had a few hours to relax, the sun finally lowered and we were met with perfect golden light for the portraits. Lennys, Eric and I rushed to the beach and the photos were some of my favorite I have ever taken. Don't take my word for it, see for yourself.