It’s hard to go wrong when you plan your wedding for such a spectacular setting as The Gorge.  Wind or no wind, that part of the world always delivers for me jaw-dropping gorgeousness in all it’s natural splendor.  So you match that up with two of the smartest, more creative, slam-poetry rappin people and all their wonderful people and you really can’t have a bad day.

Susan + Daniel were married on a spectacular August afternoon on little known Thunder Island out in Cascade Locks.  Minus the Skipper + MaryAnne, this Island in the middle of the Columbia River is still a world of it’s own.  Add to this the fact that Susan was wearing her step-mother’s original Laura Ashley dress from her own wedding {oh, how I miss those Laura Ashley wearin days}…and they had a plethora of talented people in the bunch perform assorted musical accompaniments as well as the ceremony itself…and that they collected every single last piece of dinnerwear from local 2nd hand stores…and the bride really did throw down with some of the most amazing slam-hop I’ve ever heard.

And then you can begin to see why I love my job so much.

I am a lucky girl to have this incredible opportunity almost every single week to meet people from all over the world who invite me into their lives and share their love stories.  And Susan + Daniel were certainly no exception.

Thank you both so very much.  Wishing you much continued mutual adoration + creativity in your life ever after.

In reference to my earlier post, this week’s episode of Through The Looking Glass is brought to you by the number 3…

Though Mary + Jerome were celebrating 3 for a different reason.

Their third + youngest was about to set sail for college the following week so this was their last opportunity to capture their family together before the next phase of life set in + family portraits start to include a potpourri of girlfriends, boyfriends, spouses, + kids.  And when Mary initially contacted me, I didn’t have a face to put with the name.  Turns out she’s one of our fabulous vets at Parkway Vet.

So….{no pressure}.

Thank you so much Mary + Jerome for allowing me the opportunity to document your beautiful family + this turning point in your lives.

A fantastic afternoon spent tracking scents, digging up grubs + begging for snacks… sometimes kids come in the four-legged variety.

I have mountains of awe for the grace + patience with which Sophie + Mark go about raising their precious gifts.  The diapers in their lives recently tripled with the arrival of sweet, sweet Windsor….making him third in the lineup of the 2 + under club in their home.

I am eternally grateful for the existence of this beautiful family in my life + in the world.

Konnie + Bet’s August wedding was a beautiful blend of Lao + American wedding traditions.  With a simple + intimate ceremony earlier in the day, the focus of the evening was the reception + celebration of their life together amongst a much larger gathering of family + friends.  This is the second Lao wedding celebration I have had the fortune to be a part of, and especially enjoy the performance of the first dance, a slow circling of the dance floor, with the bride + groom gracefully swaying their hands back + forth.  Family + friends then join the dance in a mesmirizing swirl of hands.

And I couldn’t help but find the humor + enjoyment in all 30 of my backup photographers.  Thanks guys.

Konnie + Bet, thank you so very much for the honor of being a part of your celebration of a life lived happily ever after.