Washington DC Wedding Photographer | Jessie Mary Photography » portland wedding photography

Aquariva Wedding Favorites

Jessica — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:22:49 +0000

I have a few more favorite photos from Sirius & Chris’s Aquariva wedding to share. The Avalon Hotel is incredible, with suites with balconies overlooking trees along the water. I was stunned when I first walked into the AquaRiva to meet the couple for the first time. It’s chic, like New York style (or maybe LA chic, since that is where Sirius is from), yet it’s got this little bit of Portland twisted in with it’s view of nature. The walls are two story all glass, plasma tvs, red plush counches for lounging, and shiny square cocktail tables are spread throughout the bar.

Sirius & Chris… your gallery will be ready by the end of the weekend!

Behind the photographer

Jessica — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:35:38 +0000

In an earlier post I said that who I am is very much a part of my business. This got me to thinking that maybe I should share a little bit more of me with my readers, and clients. I think ten years ago, people wanted to know that the photographer they were hiring would take excellent photos, and that’s it. I may be wrong since I have not been in this business ten years but it seems to me that our culture has shifted a bit, and one of the main reasons we go to a small business is the person behind it.

A while back, after a haircut, I told my hubby that I needed to find a new hair stylist. He looked a bit confused since I seemed happy enough with the haircut. I explained that I did not enjoy the experience. The cut could be the best ever but if sitting in the chair and chatting with my stylist is not enjoyable then I am not happy. It’s not just about the product, but the experience, and the relationship.

I want my clients to be excited about their photos and have enjoyed all their interactions with me. I get to be a part of very intimate and cherished moments so a connection is important. I think a little personal series of posts is a good way to give clients and potential ones a way to get to know me. Check back soon for the start of my Behind the Photographer series, with a personal post each week.

I’ll start with a personal photo. This was taken along a coastal trail in Yachats, Oregon, just a few minutes walk away from Overleaf Lodge, an incredible hotel.

Lakewood Arts Center {Portland Wedding Photographer}

Jessica — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:27:58 +0000

Katy and Aaron’s wedding continued at the Lakewood Arts Center, in Lake Oswego. It’s a beautiful brick building, and the trees were all changing colors outside. Inside the couple had an intimate wedding reception. Here’s a few favorites from their first dance.

Katy & Aaron {Oregon Wedding Photography}

Jessica — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:31 +0000

Katy & Aaron just got in the vintage car when I shot this, to head over to the wedding reception. The bride’s expression, the guest taking a photo from behind, and of course the incredible lines of the car, make this photo one of my favs from their wedding.

Shelby & Tim {Portland Oregon Wedding Photography}

Jessica — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:27:02 +0000

Here are some ceremony highlights from Shelby & Tim’s wedding at The Aerie.

Candid Photos {Portland Wedding Photography}

Jessica — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:56:43 +0000

As the sun set, the dancing started. It began with the children just having so much fun on the dance floor, and then the adults joined in. The last photo of this post is a couple that just really knew how to dance. Watching them made me want to whisk my hubby off to ballroom dance lessons!

Wedding Details {Oregon Wedding Photography}

Jessica — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:17:04 +0000

Jennifer and Chris had a lot of exceptionally arranged flowers. The brides bouquet was amazingly complex and yet still held a delicate beauty. It was heavy to lift! Jennifer kept talking about the twirling things that hung down from it, with a smile on her face. The wedding favors were in these neat little brown and green boxes.

The floral designer is a dear friend of the bride, Julie Baldino. If you are looking for wedding flowers, she can be reached at Julie@juliebaldino.com.

Jennifer & Chris {Portland Wedding Photography}

Jessica — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:02:58 +0000

When I photograph a wedding, I spend a lot of time observing, looking for the little moments. I try to take candid portraits of a lot of the guests throughout the day. This series is from Jennifer and Chris’s Portland wedding.

Eco-friendly Wedding Album, and a Toddler

Jessica — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:00:55 +0000

Yesterday I delivered my first eco-friendly wedding album, to Christine, the wedding coordinator at the Portland Ecotrust building, an amazing wedding venue. The building has tall industrial style ceilings, lots of brick, and a rooftop terrace with a view of downtown Portland.

Ecotrust is across from Jamison Square, which made for an interesting morning. I did something I don’t normally do when I have a business meeting. I brought my toddler along. I don’t know how some moms do it, having a business discussion and having the little one there. I’ve seen moms make it look easy, and thought I could pull it off. My energetic darling sitting on my lap lasted about a whole three minutes!

So we left Ecotrust and I think let’s go see the fountain at Jamison. My little one, Mackenzie, runs in. I can barely get her leggings and shoes off quick enough. I roll up my jeans, take off my blazer, and look around. At least I’m not the only one whose toddler is swimming in a diaper.

Thirty minutes of fun later, I realize the parking meter has definitely expired, so I grab my protesting daughter out of the water, walk down the street barefoot, with my baby (she now seems like a baby again) on my hip in a soaking wet diaper. I get to the car to find that I don’t even have the diaper bag with me! Luckily, there is a spare dipe in the Ergo and a towel loose in the trunk. I manage to change Mackenzie into a dry diaper in the trunk, and get her buckled back in her carseat for the trip home.

Business and Mama time – lesson learned. Keep them separate, as I have usually done. Considering, the meeting went fine and we had a blast playing in the Pearl. I am usually very prepared and give whoever I am with 100% of me, which certainly was not the case yesterday morning.

Back to the wedding album…

This green wedding album is from Wild Magnolia Design, in Santa Monica, California. It is handmade by a small sustainable company. The cover I choose for Ecotrust is a peace silk, accompanied by a handmade end orange/brown end paper. These albums come with different endpaper options, and a variety of covers, including hemp. The pages are made of thick recycled paper, and are archival.

Sweet Cakes {Portland Oregon Weddings}

Jessica — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:23:11 +0000

As you can imagine I get to sample lots of wedding cakes, and while I seem to appreciate each and every one, I was utterly impressed by Jennifer’s cake from Sweet Cakes by Melissa. As any of my regular readers know, I prefer chocolate over all other sweets, whether it be cupcakes, cake, or ice cream. This banana creme wedding cake was just so incredibly indulgent and delicious, that I didn’t even think about chocolate!

The bride also raved to me about Melissa, and how great it was to work with her. Sweet Cakes is a family run business, in NE Portland, that offers cakes for all occasions.

The moments during the cake cutting are always so special. It seems to be a time the bride and groom are both really relaxed, and just into each other. Everyone is watching and they just don’t seem to care. This is my favorite photo of Jennifer and Chris, for the way their eyes meet.