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Sam & Elizabeth // An Oregon Mountain Vow Renewal

by Rebekah · Leave a Comment

“I vow to stand by you and support you as you lead our family for the rest of our lives.
I vow to forgive just as we are forgiven by our Savior.
I will always point to you as the example for our sons to follow.
I promise to continue kissing, laughing with, working with, and trusting you as long as I live as God as my witness.
I am fully devoted to you, honey.”

The dark clouds overhead threatened snow, but Sam & Liz didn’t seem to notice as they read their newly written vows to each other. These two have been married for almost four years, and have two little boys together. But one of the things that they regret from their wedding day is that they didn’t write personal vows.

So earlier this month, I partnered with several other vendors to put together an epic vow renewal in the wintry rolling hills and mountains of Oregon. From the moment Sam first saw Liz during the first look, to the moment when they read their vows to each other for the first time against the backdrop of moody, blue mountains, to every tender glance and loving touch, this vow renewal had me feeling alllll the feels.

A huge thank you goes out to the creative team who made this vision come to life:

Photographer: Rebekah Leona Photography
My sweet friend Jamie Peterson Images was photographing that day as well, so make sure to check out her Instagram to see what she captured from the day!
Hair and Makeup: Epic Day Spa
Florals: Lilacs and Lilies
Stationary: Freedom Letters
Models: Sam & Elizabeth Stone

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One of the things I encourage all my brides to do, One of the things I encourage all my brides to do, is to have allll their details gathered in a box for me when I arrive the morning of their wedding! 

That way, I can grab the box & the dress and jump straight into shooting the details, instead of having to spend time gathering everything spread around the getting ready area.

If you need a checklist of what to have gathered, I’ve got you covered! (And make sure to save this post for future reference!)

- dress
- veil / hair pieces
- rings (all three)
- shoes
- bouquet / boutonniere
- jewelry (earrings, bracelet, necklace)
- perfume
- invitation suite
- borrowed & blue
- groom details (shoes, tie, watch, etc.)
Sam & Katie met in high school, but didn’t reall Sam & Katie met in high school, but didn’t really connect until college.

They went on a few dates, and then one October day, Sam asked Katie to be his girlfriend.

Two and a half years later, they were on a road trip to see family in Arizona. Katie had just found out she failed a chemistry class and was feeling sick from too many brownies & snacks in the car…in her own words, she was in a horrible mood.

But Sam parked the car overlooking Hoover Dam anyway, and pulled a reluctant Katie out to watch the sunset.

He started telling her about their life together and how much he loved her. But it didn’t dawn on Katie that he was actually proposing till he got down on one knee! She was so happy and excited she basically jumped on him.

In that moment, nothing else mattered.

I met Sam & Katie when they inquired & booked me as their wedding photographer. They got married January 2019, and since then, Katie has become one of my very closest and dearest of friends.

Being able to capture these sweet & silly & romantic photos for them last weekend was so special. Watching them interact now vs. remembering how they were on their wedding day four plus years ago, it’s obvious how their love has grown and strengthened over time.

Sam & Katie, thank you for allowing me to tell your love story through photographs over the years. I love you guys and I love your marriage and I’m just so gosh darn thankful for you both. 🫶🏻
3 TIPS FOR YOUR GETTING READY AREA 💍💄 (Make 3 TIPS FOR YOUR GETTING READY AREA 💍💄

(Make sure to save this post for the future!!)

1️⃣ The more windows, the better! By having windows in the bridal prep area, I am able to create beautiful portraits with soft light. (And this applies to your groom’s getting ready area as well. If his getting ready area is dark & dingy, it will be hard to capture beautiful images that match yours.)

2️⃣ Do everything you can to avoid crazy colors and patterns! Orange walls or wildly patterned carpets will be a huge distraction in your photos. Not to mention, they can throw color casts and negatively affect your skin tone on photos!

3️⃣ Encourage your bridesmaids to tidy up as they go along. This will help the getting ready photos to look clean and classic!

Tap that “follow” button if you want to see more tips like this one! 🫶🏻
Here’s what you’ll get if you hire me…

➡️ someone who will give you instruction & help you pose so that you’re not left standing there awkwardly wondering what to do with your hands. 
➡️ someone who will laugh with you and squeal a little when the light gets ✨really✨ good.
➡️ someone who will make sure your dress is perfectly fluffed and readjust your veil whenever it’s needed. 
➡️ someone who will keep your bridal party in line (you know the boys sometimes need a metaphorical slap to the back of the head) but will also make jokes and laugh with them!
➡️ someone who will show up and make magic, no matter the weather.
➡️ someone who will be genuinely herself while taking incredible photos of your real life love story. 

If that sounds like someone you’d want to work with, follow that link in my bio & fill out my inquiry form! 🫶🏻

#pdxweddingphotographer #pdxweddings #vancouverweddingphotographer #salemweddingphotographer #salemwedding #eugeneweddingphotographer
Creating timeless & romantic images for my clients Creating timeless & romantic images for my clients is something that I will never get tired of. ✨

But setting up the shot and telling my camera what to do is only part of it… the photos then need to be edited. 📸 

Which is where my incredible private editor comes in! 👩🏼‍💻

Alisa has been with me for over 3.5 years now, and knows *exactly* what I want my final images to look like. 🥹

The goal is to create images that are classic and timeless, while leaning slightly into the light & airy style. We prioritize beautiful and accurate skin tones, and embrace color a little more than a lot of light & airy photographers do. 🫶🏻

The result?

Dreamy & romantic & timeless images like the one in this reel. 😍

Tap the 🤍 if you want to see more before & afters!

#mountrainiernationalpark #nationalparkengagement #seattleengagementphotographer #spokaneengagementphotographer #washingtonelopementphotographer #washingtonwedding
Currently dreaming of glowy sunsets, wildflowers, Currently dreaming of glowy sunsets, wildflowers, and beautiful people in front of my camera. ✨

Which is why I’m offering $100 off any sessions booked & scheduled for before June 1st!! 🥳

I know it’s raining right now, but we’ll have plenty of beautiful days over the next couple of months, so let’s make the most of it! 🌤️

Fill out the inquiry form on my website (link in bio) and be sure to mention this spring deal. 💐
Here’s the deal. If your HMUA runs behind sched Here’s the deal.

If your HMUA runs behind schedule, it will throw off your ENTIRE day.

I’m not saying that to scare you, but rather to prepare you!

If you’ve taken my past advice and created a wedding day timeline (scroll a few reels back for a FREE template!) then you know exactly what needs to be happening at what time. And you’ve also added in a little bit of buffer time for things like bathroom breaks, snack breaks, and lipstick re-application breaks.

BUT.

If your HMUA runs over by 15, 20, 30…45 minutes? This will severally impact the rest of your day.

Don’t get me wrong, I can still make magic happen in a short amount of time.

But there will be less magic made, which means less photos in your final gallery. And because we will be moving very quickly & efficiently, there won’t be time to be as creative as any of us might want to be.

My advice?

Time your hair & makeup trial runs. Then add some time on. So, maybe your trail runs each took 45 minutes. Plan for at LEAST an hour on the timeline for each one, and then throw in some extra buffer time just to be even safer!

This will help ensure that everything runs smoothly on your wedding day.

Make sure to save this reel for future reference, and share with anyone you know who is planning a wedding!

#salemweddingphotographer #pdxweddingphotographer #portlandweddingphotographer #bendweddingphotographer #spokaneweddingphotographer
One of the things I LOVE doing is location scoutin One of the things I LOVE doing is location scouting. 🏔️

Which is honestly no surprise to those of you who know me. 😉

Going for an adventure and searching out new & unusually beautiful locations to bring my clients? 📸 

Um, YES PLEASE. 👏🏻 

But sometimes I don’t have the time to go for an adventure, so I “adventure” virtually. 👩🏻‍💻

A LOT of the locations I have on my top-secret location guide (that I share with my clients after they book me) were found via Google Maps while I sat at a desk job in the early years of my business. 🗺️ 

And honestly? That’s why I don’t geotag or share most of the locations I shoot at. 📍

Because I believe in putting in the work it takes to find epic locations like this one. 🌊

Controversial? Probably. But I’m okay with that. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I guarantee you will value these locations more if you have to put in the work to find them vs. if someone just hands them to you. 🙃

So, if you’re looking for more locations to shoot at, but don’t have the time to go gallivanting all over the countryside, simply open up your Google Maps and go for a virtual adventure. 🚵🏻‍♀️

You might just be surprised at how easy it is to find new & beautiful locations. 🏞️

#oregoncoastphotographer #oregoncoast #oregonexplored

Rebekah Leona Photography

Timeless and romantic wedding photography for the couple who wants photos as stunning as their love story. Located in Oregon and serving the whole Pacific Northwest.

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