Inspired Photo Blog

It doesn’t take much to notice the trend this year in laid back couples. Very informal, less traditional, it’s all about celebrating with their family and friends. Introduce Heidi and Shane, who set the stage for their wedding at the Adrianna Hill Grand Ballroom.

Located in the heart of downtown Portland, this old ballroom is a classic backdrop. To include a feel of the city, I asked Heidi and Shane to let me photograph their formals on the streets of downtown Portland. Given that the groom and groomsmen weren’t wearing any ties, this was not a stretch and I think everyone was happy to get out and enjoy the city before the wedding.

Heidi was beautiful and radiant. It may have been the heat, but I choose to think it was love that caused her cheeks to blush. The wedding party was large and you’ll notice that it must have been a requirement to have blond hair to be one of Heidi’s bridesmaids. At one point, all of us ran into the street, blocking traffic for the bridal party shot.

A few interesting facts I picked up from the wedding. Shane plays on a sports team and evidently, a competing team member arrived at a game in an ambulance. Shane thought this was fantastic and almost bought a used fire truck off EBay so his team could arrive in style. Heidi works at Moss Adams and is friends with another bride, Karra, who’s wedding you may remember from last summer. I’m not sure if they realize it, but this connects them to the circle of couples who are part of my 3 degrees of separation theme.

In the end, it was an awful lot like a wedding. Except this time, it was Heidi and Shanes turn. There were lots of smiles, even more sweat but very few tears. Congratulations to the newlyweds and their families. It was a pleasure meeting new friends and being a part of your day. I wish both of you a lifetime of happiness. Here are a few of my favorite moments from their wedding day.