I am so excited to share this intimate forest wedding ceremony in Portland! This wedding day for Ben and Cheyenne was nothing short of perfect. It was beautiful, intimate, intentional – and you can really feel the love through the images.
Ben and Cheyenne always wanted a smaller more intimate day. When they first reached out to me they had already talked about wanting to have a private forest ceremony between the two of them followed by a more casual and small reception. About a month before the wedding they reached out letting me know that they had scaled it down even further as a precaution to make sure they’d be healthy for their honeymoon to Iceland. They ended up having their reception at their family friend’s backyard, which is the same spot they have celebrated other relationship milestones, including Cheyenne’s bridal shower!
The entire day was perfect. From meeting up for a first look on the trailhead, to an intimate forest wedding ceremony surrounded by their close friends, to a cozy dinner party while the sun set, it was beautiful. You could feel the love all around and I honestly was so grateful to get a chance to document it!
If you look through the images in this gallery you may stumble across a few that make you question what you’re seeing. Yep, you’re right – there was a sasquatch that crashed their wedding reception. I shot a wedding in September last year where the bride surprised their reception with a sasquatch coming through – a true homage to the PNW, and Cheyenne messaged me immediately. Early on in their relationship they had some sort of bet or running joke going where Ben didn’t think Sasquatch was real. Laughter erupted when Sasquatch first showed up followed by Cheyenne saying “I win.” It was hilarious!
One of my favorite parts of Ben and Cheyenne’s reception was just how cozy the entire dinner portion felt. Their setup was gorgeous – with a beautiful fall color pallet. One of their friends Sarah even designed all the stationary and signage that decorated the area and fit the theme. The sun set and everybody enjoyed a candlelit dinner followed by toasts and a first dance performed by their friends Sarah and Nate to “Simply the Best”. I may have been crying a little in between photos because it was so perfect.
While I photograph a lot of big weddings, these small and more intimate wedding days always tug on my heartstrings a little. Every couple seems so happy and gets to spend so much uninterrupted quality time with all their favorite people. I will never forget Ben and Cheyenne’s wedding and will forever be in love with these photos.
Get in touch with me today about your own wedding HERE 🙂
Hair & Makeup by Marina Haynes Artistry
