Five Petal Blog

Justice | Newborn

I recently got to meet little Justice, who just turned two weeks old. A quick sneak peek for Mom:

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Mike & Meagen | Engagement

A quick favorite from Mike and Meagen’s recent engagement session…more on these two coming up in a few weeks!

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Aaron & Erin | Wedding

Aaron and Erin’s wedding day was one that will not soon be forgotten by anyone in attendance. The location was beautiful - set in Winghaven Park on Vashon Island outside of Seattle, guests hiked down into the park for the ceremony, which was set along the water of the Puget Sound and surrounded by forest. Attention had been paid to every detail: the guests all wore white, the handmade wedding alter was covered in berries and wildflowers that matched arrangements spread throughout the park, old family photos hung from the trees next to glass jars filled with candles. It was set up to be the perfect summer island celebration, all except for the one detail that can never be predicted…the weather.

And as luck would have it, as I walked down the beach with Erin and her bridesmaids on our way to the ceremony, it started sprinkling…then it started raining harder…then all of a sudden, the clouds opened up with a full force summer storm - complete with rain, wind, and even a little thunder. We scrambled to borrow umbrellas from neighbors along the way, but even with those by the time the bridal party arrived, they were completely drenched. Drenched, but smiling. And this is where the story gets good - the wedding went on as planned (well, with a few minor adjustments).

The funny thing was that the unexpected change in weather almost made the day more beautiful - as family and friends stood around huddled under the dinner tent watching Aaron and Erin say their vows under the makeshift umbrella altar, you could tell that nobody cared about anything except the fact that these two had found each other and were so happy to be spending their lives together. And as the day progressed, the rain finally cleared up and we were even treated to five (yes, five) rainbows. A good omen if I’ve ever seen one…

A & E - it was truly a pleasure to spend the day getting to know you and your families. Enjoy the images!

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My favorite shot of the day:
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I didn’t realize that Erin stepped into the shadow for this shot until later, but I thought it turned out kind of interesting this way:
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Ryan & Hannah | Wedding

Ah, Ryan and Hannah…what can I say about these two crazy kids? :)

Their wedding was held along the waterfront in Astoria, Oregon and was a sweet and laid back affair. Since Ryan and Hannah had booked me from afar, we didn’t have a chance to meet in person before the wedding (sometimes this can be challenging as there is less time to get to know each other amidst the details and energy of the wedding day) but within minutes of arriving, we instantly clicked and decided that we were destined to meet and hang out for the day.

Ryan and Hannah had set aside a lot of time for photos (always a good thing!) and so we were able to cruise around the waterfront for a while having some fun - we borrowed a couple vintage bicycles, hung out on the beach and checked out some old classic cars. For the reception, we took over the upstairs of The Loft at the Red Building, where Ryan and Hannah treated guests to a hip-hop dance routine for their first dance of the evening (see why I like these guys?). And I have to say - these two have some serious moves on the dance floor (there’s a little glimpse at the end of this post).

Ryan and Hannah - thanks to you both for a great day and for being such good sports…you’re awesome. Enjoy the preview:

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This was just a quick shot I grabbed in the elevator heading down to meet Ryan, but it turned out to be one of my favorites of the day:
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Hannah’s dad brought her into the ceremony on his Harley… :)
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At the end of the night, I asked Hannah and Ryan to get creative and do whatever they wanted for their last few images. This is what they came up with - like I said, they’ve got moves…

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Featured Vendor
Venue: The Loft at the Red Building

Topher & Cacye | Wedding

Sometimes you see two people together and you just get the feeling right off that they were made to be together…Topher and Cacye are like that. They have this kind of natural and gracious manner about them that translated through the entire weekend of their wedding celebration.

The festivities were held at the Portland White House in NE Portland - a beautiful old victorian house that has been restored to it’s original glory with artwork, antiques and intricate historic details everywhere. The house normally operates as a bed and breakfast and comes complete with rooms for guests and a fully staffed gourmet kitchen. In keeping with the old-fashioned vibe, a lot of the wedding details were vintage, including Cacye’s thrift shop wedding dress (cool, right?).

Topher and Cacye - I really enjoyed hanging out and getting to know you guys…best of luck in your new life together.

Here are some of my favorite images from the day:

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A couple snaps from the night before the wedding:
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Featured Vendors
Venue & Catering: Portland White House
Bakery: Sweetpea Baking Company

Jack & Charlie | Portrait

I met up with these two guys recently for a day in the park and they were little balls of energy! A quick preview:

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Terrence & Alix | Wedding

Terrence and Alix had a fun and laid back wedding at Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island. We had perfect summer weather and the entire day had a very home-grown feel - from the fresh picked farm flowers to the bluegrass band, you could tell that these two just wanted a nice day to hang out - to enjoy the sun, friends and family and each other.

It was great to spend the day getting to know you both! Enjoy the preview…

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Featured Vendor
Venue: Kruger’s Farm, Sauvie Island

Trevor & Jamie | Wedding

Trevor and Jamie were married on the hottest day in the history of Portland. Okay…maybe not, but it kinda felt like it. Jamie’s Dad had a theory why it was so hot - he says that Jamie was born on the coldest day of the year, so it all had to balance out. I like that theory.

In spite of the heat wave, it was so great to see Trevor and Jamie again. It was the third time that we’ve worked together this year - we met up last December for their engagement session and then again in January for Jamie’s bridal session.

The ceremony and reception were held at Garden Vineyards in Hillsboro, a beautiful family estate surrounded by vineyards and gardens, and as the sun went down it was the perfect setting for a summer’s night party.

Here are some of my favorites…

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Featured Vendors
Venue: Garden Vineyards
Wedding & Event Planning: Dazzling Affaire

Photograph of the Month

This is from Chris and Amy’s engagement session a while back (scroll down or click here to see images from their wedding). Things have been so busy lately that I haven’t had a chance to post this session, but I couldn’t resist putting up this one. Not your typical “engagement” shot, but I really like how it turned out…

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*Edited to add: One more favorite I just ran across from this session:
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Dylan | 6 months

Yesterday afternoon I got to hang out with little Dylan and his mommy again. I hadn’t seen them since our Newborn and Maternity sessions this last winter, and Dylan has grown so much (check out those cheeks!)…He’s turned into such a jolly little guy and it was fun to hang out and play for the afternoon. A few of my faves:

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Photoshoots can be such hard work…
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My favorite shot of the day:
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