Every wedding is unique, despite the common elements of the ritual. There are some weddings that are grand affairs, glamorous and fantastical with every detail planned out and paid for. I have been to weddings that are pure anarchy, where nothing is planned and everything is improvised as the day goes on. Then there are the simple weddings, when I walk into the forest in Portland to sit down on a picnic blanket and watch two of my dearest friends get married.
Claire and Aaron’s wedding was the the simplest ceremony that I’ve ever witnessed, and one of the most moving. It was my first time photographing a hand-fasting, a ritual that I plan to do at my own wedding. Claire and Aaron honored nature and one another as they made their oaths in this beautiful sun-lit glade in the forest. I was honored to witness it, and to be able to capture these moments for them.
Below are some of my favorite images from Claire & Aaron’s wedding day at Mt. Tabor Park in Portland, Oregon. June 2019.
