A Day to Remember

Jordan & Andrew were married on Saturday. I originally knew Jordan as a classmate of my son, Nicholas, and as a participant in South Salem High School's EXCELLENT music program.

Time moves on, doesn't it? She has been attending college in Seattle for - is it three years now, Jordan? - and while there, she met Andy.

Jordan & Andy have something special going on. I watched them during our engagement photography session, and you can see the love & the respect they have for one another. They are very affectionate - and SO cute!

The wedding was held at a beautiful old church in Albany. It was raining most of the day, but we managed to sneak outside for a few shots!

The bluest skies you've ever seen - in Seattle!

Genuine, kind, determined, committed – these are words that describe Danielle & Caleb. You see it in their relationship with each other, with their spiritual community, and with the world. It was a blessing to be part of their wedding on Saturday!

They were married at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle. Danielle’s mom made her wedding dress, a beautiful fitted dress with a royal blue train & hand embroidered accents.

I first met Danielle at a dinner in her mother's home. Mom has the gift of hospitality, and her daughter shares her ability to make people feel welcome. Even though I'd never met either woman before, I felt an instant connection.

I also met Caleb at one of Mom's celebrated dinners. (Two or three times a year, she invites a bevy of friends & strangers into her home. Authentic Indian cuisine & Seder celebrations are amongst the annual offerings.) I was immediately struck by his kindness, which was coupled with a zeal and determination - a rare and powerful combination!

Danielle works in the Episcopal church (at St. Mark's cathedral, in fact) and plans to pursue vocation as a priest. That's 4-5 MORE years of college, of course.

Danielle & Caleb are a natural and perfect fit for each other, and I wish them joy & a deeply spiritual walk through life.

Aloha!

I leave on Saturday to photograph a destination wedding in...Hawaii! Nels & Dannielle originally hoped to marry in Salem this summer, but Nels is a nuclear engineer on the USS Abraham Lincoln, and summer found him deployed in the Gulf. The wedding was delayed until December, and they decided upon a tropical location.

Nels & Dannielle highly value photography (Nels is the son of renowned photographers Neil & Miriam Haugen) so they asked me to consider going to Hawaii to photograph the wedding. I considered for a good 2 or 3 seconds before I said - yes!

So, the house sitter is in place, the bags are almost packed, the camera equipment checked and checked again. Aloha!

Bill & Tina

I met Tina in person only a day before her wedding. I was a little nervous about this, because I usually enjoy a long relationship with my couples before the Big Day. However, Tina lived in California, and it wasn't possible for us to meet face-to-face until Friday.

We hit it off immediately. On the wedding day, she turned to the members of the wedding party and said, "Do whatever she says. The pictures will turn out terrific - I've seen her website!"
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That's how so many of my couples find me - my website. (www.cherierenae.com) I am complimented over and over about the look and the ease of use of my site. (I'll be changing the look of it in the next few months, but it will still be easy to navigate.)

Thank you to all of you for your kind comments, and THANK YOU to Bill and Tina for inviting me to be part of their wedding!

Weddings, weddings, weddings!

I know that people get married all year round, but photographers seems to be busiest in the summer season. (Sometimes I feel like running a newspaper ad that says, "It's OK to call photographers for weddings during the winter months!" Help me get the word out, will you?)
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I love weddings. I always cry. I usually manage to get clear images, though... :)

Spring - a season of love

I give every wedding couple the gift of an engagement session. The engagement session captures the couple in their casual moments. It gives the couple the opportunity to enjoy portrait art when they are 'looking like themselves', to quote one groom.

As importantly, it gives each couple the opportunity for a 'dry run' before the all-important day. Most people approach portrait sessions with fear and trepidation. Either they are nervous because they've never done it before, or their prior photographic experiences have only reinforced their aversion.

If you've had a session with me, you know that I believe that photography can AND SHOULD be fun! I love to make people laugh, and to watch them relax and enjoy their time with me. When my couples discover that my camera is not a thing of fear, it makes all the difference on their wedding day.

Neil and Angela visited my studio today. We managed to avoid raindrops (for the most part) and to enjoy the fresh green of the budding leaves and the yellow of the daffodils at Deepwoods Estates.
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I also had the pleasure of photographing Megan and Josh's engagement session recently. Again, we were blessed with beautiful weather. Oregon is such a wonderful place to be in the spring!

Wedding Bells for Michelle and Bill

Best wishes to Michelle and Bill. I had the privilege of doing formal portraits in their traditional Russian Orthodox wedding finery on the day of their wedding. Michelle's spark and Bill's quiet confidence showed through in their portraiture. What a fun session!

Phillips-Keene wedding

Oh, my gosh - if I ever marry again (don't hold your breath) I will definitely get married in December! Nichole & Nathan chose late December for their wedding, and it was picture perfect. The holiday decorating at Mission Mill Museum provided a beautiful backdrop to this beautiful day.



The weather was mostly cooperative, and we were able to take outdoor images. That's what I love about Oregon - the weather almost always allows for a few scenic shots, even in winter.

As many of you know, I not only provide an engagement session with my wedding coverage, but also a bridal session. We do traditional, classical images, of course, but here is one of my favorites from that session, where we caught Nichole in a quiet, contemplative moment.

Erica & Alex

I just love weddings. They are one of the happiest days in the life of a couple, their families and friends. Erica & Alex's wedding was held at Peavy Arboreteum, which showcases the natural beauty of our Pacific Northwest. What a great day!

Chris & Stefanie's wedding

I'd never been to Postlewaites near Canby. What a lovely setting for a lovely day! Thank you to Chris, Stefanie, and their families for inviting us to share this day with them.

7/7/07

Megan & Jeremy enjoyed a picture-perfect wedding on the perfect day, 7/7/07. Silver Creek Falls State Park was a wonderful venue for this auspicious day. We enjoyed the photo-ops provided by the South Falls!
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Beautiful BeckenRidge...and a beautiful bride!

BeckenRidge Vineyard is a wonderful setting for a wedding, and Alex & Kim's was just magical. This was an unforgettable day for a truly special couple - you can see that everyone had a good time!

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It's raining Weddings...

It's high season for weddings, and tomorrow will be my third in as many weeks. (Next weekend, I have TWO! That's a lot for a one-woman shop - well, two-woman including my assistant, Ali.) Here is a page from Lisa & Rob's wedding album. We decided to have some fun with the intermittent showers that 'freshened up' their outdoor wedding.