Altura Studio is the creative home for John and Theresa Valls, award-winning photographers based in Portland, Oregon. Altura Studio is known for elegant, naturally beautiful wedding images.
Sweet. Simple. Charming. That’s pretty much how I would describe the details from this wedding. A family friend baked the delightfully lopsided chocolate cake, and the bride’s girlfriends decorated the tables with handpicked flowers in jam jars. When you have a setting this naturally beautiful, it needs very little embellishment.
Visit Mt Hood Bed and Breakfast’s website for more details.
The phone is beginning to ring and I am getting the feeling that people are starting to think about weddings again. And if you’re planning a wedding here in Portland, you might take inspiration from this summer wedding at the Town Club. Tropical flowers and vibrant warm colors played a role in the gorgeous wedding flowers and decor in a way that was both simple and dramatic.
Adrian’s bridal bouquet included white, pink and and acid green orchids in a classic round shape with a colllar of sturdy dark green foliage. The groom’s bout’ was a single shapely orchid backed by glossy straps of foliage and beargrass. Check out the sweet floral headdresses on those oh-so-cute flowergirls. I’ll bet you can imagine how hard it was to keep those little dudes inside their mini madras sportcoats.
The table flowers were especially handsome. While I didn’t picture the huge (5 or 6 feet) vases towering with curly willow branches and long stems of white orchids, I thought the smaller, companion table flowers were worth noting. Simple, sculptural and dramatic, each square vase contained a spray of hot pink orchids with a ruff of tangerine dahlias all anchored with beach pebbles.
Because orchids are widely cultivated as cut flowers, and because the companion greens are always available, this would be a great look for any time of year in Oregon. However, in this instance, the orange dahlias suggest later summer, so this particular combination would be more of an August or September option. But let’s say you’re getting married in June or July. You could substitute salmon colored roses for the dahlias for a similar look.
You can always call us for ideas and inspiration for your Northwest wedding. Over the years we’ve worked with all the best florists, caterers, bakers and stylists in the area. Drop us a line anytime and we’re happy to share our opinions with you.
Several years ago we photographed Adam and Sarah’s New Year’s Eve wedding at the Waverley Golf Club. I can say with no reservations, that I’ve never seen a wedding where the couple, family and friends had more fun than this night. Guests arrived around 8 pm for a sweet ceremony in the round. From there, the festivities gathered speed. Cocktails, a swing band, the biggest cake I’ve ever seen. And the evening’s surprises went on: a Sinatra impersonator, a trumpet player in a chicken suit, a fire dancer. When the clock struck 12, there were kisses and hugs for everyone.
Sarah and Adam’s wedding is a fun reminder that every wedding needn’t take place on a Saturday afternoon at 4pm. There are so many good ways to combine your wedding with an existing holiday. A fireside ceremony on Christmas Eve? Maybe post Easter Brunch? Putting together a wedding that incorporates a holiday might be just the way to make your wedding different and provide you with a whole set of new options.
Happy New Year from the both of us to all our clients and our friends.
And a warm shout-out to Adam and Sarah. Happy Anniversary!
On Saturday, we’re shooting up at Silcox Hut, and while we are there, we’ll be delivering some new display prints to our friends at Timberline. When we were putting these display prints together, we were struck by the variety of character of each different wedding. If you’re considering a wedding at Timberline Lodge, you might use these images for inspiration.
We learned this morning that one of our images was recognized in the Summer ISPWP competition. It’s always nice to be acknowledged by your peers. In this case, however, I think the venue deserves part of the award. Silcox Hut is the most romantic location halfway up the side of Mt. Hood. It’s a rustic jewelbox—and I definitely think this photo captures it’s beauty and intimacy.
What a terrific day this turned out to be. Certainly, it was not the day we expected, but as with so much in life, real joy happens when you can’t predict it.
I bonded with Jill over the phone, since she engaged us from her hometown in Indiana. Together we envisioned the ceremony at Skamania’s gorgeous outdoor amphitheater and cocktails in the garden. Who would have predicted that Oregon would have an excess of sunshine? Uncharacteristically, the outdoor venue was simply too hot for comfort.
Everything was seamlessly migrated indoors, where Jill and Tom’s ceremony took on a lush and enveloping feel. Low light, candles and the small group gathered close made for a meaningful wedding mass, conducted by Jill’s uncle.
Afterward, family and friends celebrated, dined and danced with the couple. Many of their good friends had traveled halfway across the country to share in the celebrations. My favorite part was the few minutes we had with Jill and Tom in the fading light after dinner. I love how happy they look and how the light seems to be surrounding them for this short time alone. Minutes later, they were on the dance floor, doing the steps for the first time as a married couple.
Congrats Jill and Tom! Here’s a little something set to music.
UPDATE 07-22-09. Here’s a link to all the photos from the day.
What a way to start the wedding season! First off: I’m crazy about these two. Craig and Yohanna are just about the nicest people I’ve met. Their wedding was last Saturday at Silcox Hut, which is halfway up the summit of Mt. Hood. There’s lots to tell, so let me get right to it.
Yohanna is from Venezuela, and the current political situation between the US and her home country means that her family members could not get the visas required in order to travel to her wedding. Being tech savvy though, she and Craig created two-way web cams on laptops so that, in a manner of speaking, her family abroad could join in the festivities. About 30 other family members and friends took the crazy ride in the snow cat to join them for their ceremony at about 4.30 in the afternoon.
If you haven’t seen it before, Silcox Hut will amaze you. It’s a wonderful, hand-hewn stone building amazingly perched on the side of Mt. Hood. The front door of the hut is about 200 yards from the top of the main ski lift from Timberline Lodge. The Lodge staff ferries guests, flowers, food, photographers and even wedding cakes in huge snow cats, which are like little school buses with snow tracks instead of wheels. I always love the bumpy, exciting trip up the hill.
With all the food and logisitics handled for them, Craig and Yohanna were free to enjoy the blazing fire, while all the wedding preps were taking place. We had a few minutes to go outside for some photos, but frankly, it was way to cold and windy to stay out for more than a few minutes. When the second snow cat arrived with the rest of the guests, the wedding was soon underway.
UPDATE 4/29/09: Here’s a link to a slideshow of our favorites. And click here to see all the photos from the day.
This week, another post on the subject of simple weddings. If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’m a big advocate of simple, meaningful wedding celebrations. It was fun to go back through the files and recall this sweet wedding that John and I photographed at Breitenbush during the winter.
The celebration was as much a retreat and reunion for Jennifer and Brian who met up with about 50 family members and friends over a winter holiday weekend. Breitenbush is a special place for the couple, since they and many of their friends are holistic health practitioners. The day before the wedding you could find the couple and their friends soaking in the natural hot springs, hiking in the snow, or hanging out in the main lodge. It was a great way for everyone to meet and to get acquainted.
Mid-day on the second day, the group gathered round the stone fireplace for the wedding. Jennifer’s father officiated the touching ceremony. At the conclusion, the couple walked through what they called an “angel wash”. Think of a military recessional but in lieu of crossed sabers, the couple walk though a passageway of good will, kisses and hugs from all the gathered guests. Even though I was prepared to think it was silly, I found myself getting swept up and a bit teary just watching.
It’s easy to think of a wedding as something you invite your friends and family to attend. My impression after observing this wedding, is that the guests co-created the ceremony.
One of our favorite spots to shoot is the cute-as-a-button Oaks Pioneer Church which is located right on the edge of Sellwood park in Portland. This teeny tiny church is a great place to get married for several good reasons. First of all, it’s small, so if you’re planning a small wedding, your guests won’t feel marooned inside a vast and cavernous space. It’s perfect for about 50, jammed for 70 and not at all lonely for 25-30 guests. The second reason is that it’s gorgeous. The grounds around the church are super pretty and there are plent of of pathways, nooks and cute spots for photos. And the interior is wonderful-I don’t know what kind of wood it’s built from, but it simply glows day or night. And the third reason Oaks Pioneer Church is a great place to get hitched is that it’s not too expensive. It’s overseen by Portland Parks and Recreation so the site fee is quite reasonable.
Here’s a few photos of our last two weddings we’ve shot there. The first was an evening wedding in November and the second one took place during the daytime on Valentines Day. If you want more information about Oaks Pioneer Church, you can call Lorraine Fyre at 503.233.1497 or email her at oakspioneerchurch(at)yahoo.com
If I was getting married this summer (and didn’t have an unlimited budget) I would have a wedding just like the one pictured here. What I appreciated about this wedding was that it was both simple and elegant. It downplayed the formalities and instead emphasized the conviviality of the celebration.
Jennifer’s dress and flowers were clean-lined without being stark or spare. Her bouquet was a simple construction of lilies, gathered with smooth satin ribbon. The flowing ends of her halter-style gown ties created the feeling of a train. At the last minute, she decided to tuck two simple orchids into her loose updo, which I think was the perfect touch. The groom wore a yummy blue chalk striped suit. I think his suit /tie combo said “stylish” as much as it said “getting married”.
Shortly after arriving, the guests gathered in a lower meadow for a short ceremony. Since nature’s decor is pretty darn spectacular, the only set-up required for the ceremony was about 50 white chairs for the guests. As the sun was setting, the wedding party and guests strolled up to the larger meadow for wine under the trees, followed by a wonderful family style meal beside the lake. The caterer set up the meal on one long table, making the evening friendly and conversational.
Perhaps you’d like a simple lakeside dinner as your wedding celebration?
