Oregon Waterfall Wedding at Rowena Crest with Family and Friends | Stephanie & Francis

Intimate Wedding at Oregon Crest Overlook | Oregon Wedding Photographers

The Couple and Their Decision to Elope at Rowena Crest

There are some people you meet and you just feel connected instantly and that’s how it was when I first met Stephanie and Francis. In their initial inquiry, the couple shared how they first met and I saw so many similarities in their story and in my own life.

Stephanie and Francis met at a bagel shop while living in San Francisco and many of their first dates consisted of doing different activities together around the city. After spending 12 hours together on date #4, they knew they shared something special together.

When it came to their wedding, Francis and Stephanie’s day looked very similar to the initial ideas they shared with me when they first reached out. When it comes to elopement planning, sometimes couples know exactly what they want and other times, we work together to create a day that they never even dreamed about. As elopement photographers, that’s one of our favorite parts about working with couples; helping them create their dream day!

Though Francis and Stephanie didn’t have an exact location in mind, they loved the landscape in the PNW (specifically Portland and the Columbia River Gorge.) They wanted to plan an autumn elopement with dark hues and with the help of Rain and Pines and all the other Portland elopement vendors, we brought their vision to life!

Bride and groom couple portraits at Oregon elopement

From an Intimate Wedding at Rowena Crest To Moody Oregon Waterfall Wedding Photos, this Is How To Elope In Portland Adventurously

The thing about planning an elopement in the PNW in November is that you never know what kind of weather you might get. Fall tends to be a bit moodier but if you’ve been following us for a while, you know that mood is our specialty! We often photograph elopements in the rain and photos come out magical.

For Stephanie and Francis’ wedding day, Portland brought out all the mood and it made for the most magical autumn elopement vibes! We embraced the unpredictable PNW weather and just went all out with all our hearts.

The couple’s ceremony took place at Rowena Crest on the Columbia River Gorge. Surrounded by their closest family and friends (and their adorable Corgi fur baby), they exchanged vows overlooking the gorge.

After their ceremony, the couple and I explored the gorge and some of Oregon’s waterfalls and, of course, we photographed ‘til dark. Before leaving the waterfall, Stephanie and Francis shared a private first dance before heading back to their reception at Hunt and Gather.

They partied it up with loved ones the rest of the evening and ended the night eating on the dance floor and taking tequila shots!

Stephanie and Francis’ elopement was a testament that you truly can have it all: an elopement and a celebration. An intentional wedding day doesn't always mean an elopement. It's a day you get to do what you truly care for.

Stephanie and Francis, thank you so much for trusting me with all your hearts and for allowing me to document your day and create art. You guys truly don’t know how much your support means to my heart.

Kind words from the couple:

Our experience working with Henry was absolutely fantastic, from the first message we exchanged to the final delivery of our gorgeous photos. We were so lucky to work with him over the course of several months for both our adventure engagement and wedding photos. Despite his busy schedule, he was very good at following up with us through the entire journey and never made us feel like an afterthought.
A quick look at Henry’s portfolio reveals unmistakable artistry, and an expressive ability to capture a couple’s most poignant moments on their special day. While his work speaks for itself, we need to underscore how wonderful the artist behind the portfolio is. Henry is a kind-hearted, empathetic person with an amazing sense of humor who we’re lucky to call a friend. For those unfamiliar with being in front of a lens, Henry so earnestly tries to hype you up for “your day,” making frolicking on a cliff side feel like the only natural option. During our times with him, he would lend us gentle suggestions that were easy to follow and wouldn’t disrupt the connection between the two of us. His presence and patient encouragement made us feel so comfortable and natural during our time together, and those beautiful, authentically candid moments he captured were a result of his nurturing direction. Photographing in the Pacific Northwest comes with the challenge of working with unpredictable weather. It takes a skilled photographer to handle this, and Henry absolutely stepped up to the occasion on our wedding day in mid-November, when wind and rain (unsurprisingly) impacted our plans. Henry closely tracked the weather radar maps as the day unfolded, and he had alternate settings ready to suggest as a contingency plan when we inevitably needed to change course, while staying mindful of the limitations of remaining daylight. These originally unplanned settings that Henry recommended resulted in the most beautiful photos which immediately became our favorites. Lastly, in this day and age, it needs to be mentioned how nice it was to work with someone who embraces diversity and actively showcases it in his portfolio, which provides insight into his admirably welcoming character. We’re uniquely fortunate and lucky to have met someone who is not only supremely talented, but also a wonderful person on the inside. It was a gift to work with Henry, and we the images he captured of our day will be treasured for generations. Thank you Henry!!!