When Jess and Pablo first told me about their wedding, I got butterflies. They wanted a day that was intentionally their taste. Non-traditional, a bit spooky, and very intimate. They didn't love the thought of hoarding attention or any of the expected frills. It was meant to be a party. In a (potentially) haunted castle, of course.
I was lucky enough to get to know them a bit before the wedding, coveting Pablo's foodie suggestions and getting to photograph the two of them around some of their most meaningful places in Portland. They gave me free reign with creative license, room to play and experiment - the ultimate gift for a day like this.
It was just before Halloween at Thornewood Castle, which lent itself so seamlessly to a haunted atmosphere. Pumpkins added pops of color. Their cake bled pomegranates. The tables were decked out with their favorite cult classic horror films for seating. Guests dressed in their finest dark attire. Jess was the image of gothic elegance, Pablo dapper in the finest suit. There was no wedding party and their ceremony was one of the shortest I've seen. It was a day about their connection, their friends, their people. For dinner, they had a Puerto Rican feast to honor Pablo's heritage. And to wrap, we took a final portrait of the group illuminated only by flashlights.
It was a day of dark opulence, and so very true to the both of them.
--
Venue: Thornewood Castle
Planner: Manette Gracie Events
Catering: Addo
Florist: Flora Blume
Hair and Makeup: Lux Salon
Invitations: Stasia Burrington Illustrations
Cake: Celebrity Cake Studio
Second Photographer: Vishal