Deschutes River Backyard Wedding - Bend, Oregon

This intimate wedding along the banks of the Deschutes River will forever be one of my favorites.  I grew up spending most of my free time right here, 100 yards from where this wedding took place.  My family has owned property here in central Oregon since the 1960s & we are literally across the street from this sweet couple.  I loved our own wedding but if I could do it all over again, I'd do a simple, central Oregon backyard wedding just like this one.  It was...perfect.

Karie and Joe are two of the sweetest and coolest people I've met in recent years.  I feel like if I looked up, "Northwest Lifestyle Couple" on Google, their faces would pop up.  Both are designers for outdoor apparel and equipment & Karie also designs custom dog tags from her cute log cabin studio on their property.  Check out Southpaw Dog when you have a minute.  Speaking of dogs...both of their adorable dogs were in their wedding and totally stole the show as Best Dogs as they walked down the aisle with Joe.  Each wore a custom made collar that matched the wedding decor.  Even the guests brought dogs!  Of course, life in central Oregon usually includes dogs so this was absolutely perfect! 

One of my favorite moments of the entire day was a happy accident.  I went upstairs where Karie was getting ready, just to say hello and see if she needed anything.  As I was getting ready to leave, her dad came upstairs and saw her for the first time, in her wedding dress.  I only snapped a handful of images from this moment & looking at them still makes me a bit emotional.  A truly candid, real moment to be treasured forever.  They are also the only images I decided to make black and white in this entire collection.  Timeless and perfect.

My husband officiated the wedding and also helped me second shoot afterwards. I was so thrilled when we were able to sneak Karie & Joe away up into the woods of LaPine State Park just 100 yards away to take intimate photos among the Ponderosa Pines. As we left their property, I commented on their cool wood fence.  Joe suggested we get photos of Karie chopping wood in her wedding dress, so that's what we did!  Too funny!  A first for me and so perfect for this outdoorsy, central Oregon couple.

After a short walk, we were in the woods.  These woods are where I've spent countless hours walking and thinking and I felt so happy taking wedding photos as the central Oregon sun started to set.  Joe was so fun and goofy and Karie's laugh was contagious as we strolled along the path next to the river, all with yummy cocktails in hand.

I usually rave about wedding cakes but I'm going to switch gears and rave about the food at their wedding reception.  Bangarang in Bend catered the wedding with their awesome food truck and the food was amaaaazing!  Wow!  I wish I could send some to all of you reading this blog post.  If you're in the Bend area, look them up.  Seriously.  Do it.  Mmmmmm.

I'm so happy Karie & Joe asked me and my husband to document their wedding day here in Bend.  I'm truly honored when couples come to me and ask me to photograph their weddings.  To also have this sweet couple as neighbors, in my most favorite place in the world, is truly icing on the cake.

Congratulations, Karie & Joe!  Here's to many more nights enjoying cocktails on the porch.

Cheers!
Lynn Marie