Jake & Sarah // Lebanon Oregon Wedding
This was the absolute perfect wedding to end my 2018 season with. August has been more than a little crazy (4 weddings in as many weekends plus still working another full-time job), but I wouldn’t have traded any of my awesome couples or their beautiful weddings for anything!
Jake + Sarah got married at Jake’s grandparent’s old berry farm, and their entire wedding day was loaded with family, happy tears, and moments that just grabbed you by your heart strings. They got ready for the day in their new-to-them house there on the property, and then walked out under a big ole oak tree for their first look. Sarah had done a great job of throwing Jake off the scent of what her dress would look like, and his reaction to her simply elegant dress was super sweet! I had thought Jake + Sarah were fun to photograph during their engagement session, but man oh man, these two knocked it out of the park on their wedding day! So much laughter, so much emotion, and so much glamour from the two lovebirds.
One super fun challenge that day was that there were 16 attendants (plus 5 little people) in the wedding! Yup, as in 8 ladies and 8 gentlemen. I had never photographed a wedding party that large, but this group was a great one to get my feet wet in the so-many-people-you-gotta-stand-a-mile-away-to-get-them-all-in-one-shot department! We shot the traditional portraits, but then of course had to get some more lively photos which included my all time favorite “run up and hug the Bride + Groom”. That shot is always fun and always produces such great expressions, but with this number of people it was even better!! Wait…did shooting large bridal parties just become my favorite thing?
After finishing the bridal party photos and then running through family photos in record time (I love turning to the parents and being able to say “welp, we’re done 30 minutes early…any other shots you want?”) the Bride + Groom headed back to their house to relax a little before guests started arriving. My awesome second shooter for the day (thanks so much, Liz!!!) and I used that time to photograph all of the ceremony and reception décor (Sarah did a seriously incredible job with everything), and then before we knew it, it was time to take our places for the ceremony!
Just a few weeks back, I photographed another wedding at this same location so I was pretty excited for another ceremony to take place under that giant canopy of trees. Jake + Sarah’s ceremony was full of happy tears and the presence of Jesus, and featured the sweetest parent prayer right before the Bride + Groom exchanged their cry-worthy personal vows, and the best man singing “Love Never Fails” while the couple shared communion. They were pronounced husband + wife amidst cheers + applause, and then headed to sign their marriage license before being introduced at the reception.
Partway through the reception I grabbed the new Mr + Mrs for sunset photos (of course!) and then it was back for tear jerking speeches and first dances, followed by boisterous dancing before sending the newlyweds off into the night! I went home that evening exhausted but feeling so blessed for this incredible part I get to play in people’s lives, and so thankful for the opportunity to witness new marriages + families forming.
Jake + Sarah, you guys are one of a kind and I am so grateful you trusted me to capture your day. Witnessing the sweet love you two have for each other was inspirational, and I have no doubts that God will do great things through you as a couple!
