Madeline + Sam
An Intimate Afternoon Wedding at
Cathedral Park in Saint John’s, OR
Madeline and Sam’s intimate wedding at Cathedral Park has so many elements that chased after my own heart. From the pendants made from pages of Lord of the Rings that fluttered in the wind setting off the big cathedral-like bridge trusses, to the blankets set on the grassy hillside for their guests to relax on through the ceremony, to the Nurf guns provided, encouraging playfulness during the reception, the whole day was just exactly and only for the two of them, and I loved it.
When I first chatted with Madeline and Sam, they told me about how they’d been together for 7 years and never were in a big hurry to have a wedding. Their focus was on purchasing a home together, and enjoying raising their two gorgeous Samoyed dogs, taking the time to create a life together before throwing a party to celebrate it.
Sam and Madeline first met while working in the same lab together. Madeline’s boss at the time, Charlie was eager to tell me about how it was obvious that these two were meant for each other and reminisced how he felt the sparks fly from day one and was fully in support of the two of them getting together.
7 years later these two have still never had any big fights and Madeline feels he is good at reading her mind and just always seem to know what she wants. Sam is Madeline’s calming influence when she gets anxious and Sam in turn feels Madeline has been his supportive rock in anything he’s endeavored to do.
Their wedding day started out quiet, Madeline having her hair and makeup done in the kitchen of the Air B+B they’d rented, her beloved pups sitting at her feet. Sam and Markus, Madeline’s brother had gone to Cathedral Park to get everything set up. I got to spend a bit of time photographing the details of Madeline and Sam’s outfits, including Madeline’s gorgeous midnight-blue wedding dress!
Sam and Madeline had also had their invitations custom designed by an artist on ETSY which were printed on a transparent and luminescent metal, replete with swirls of deep blues and purples.
Heading over to Cathedral Park myself, I caught the tail end of a group of Madeline and Sam’s friends finishing setting up the decor of the ceremony space and I enjoyed watching Madeline’s mini-bridesmaids running around in their matching shoes and being just the sweetest little girls.
After the guests arrived and spent some time chatting and catching up, a groomsman who’d been posted at the top of the long stairway gave the signal that Madeline and Markus had arrived and the ceremony began.
Madeline was escorted down to where Sam waited by her brother, and then was joined by her grandfather who was beaming with pride at being the one chosen to give her away.
The ceremony was short and sweet, and soon Madeline and Sam had exchanged their unique and custom wedding rings and sealed their union with a kiss.
They exited to bubbles blown by cheering guests and made their way over to the spot they’d picked out for lunch and lawn games.
It was important to Madeline and Sam that their wedding day be filled with their closest family and friends enjoying themselves, playing games, drinking champaign and just hanging out and this is exactly the feel their wedding day had.
The guests enjoyed a delicious Hawaiian lunch followed by scrumptious macaroons on every flavor imaginable. Toasts were made by even the littlest of bridesmaids and at the end of the afternoon Sam brought their dogs over to the park for a few portraits and some fuzzy snuggles beneath the Cathedral Park arches.
Madeline and Sam are looking forward to a little stay-cation for their honeymoon week with Madeline taking her first significant vacation since starting Grad School.
Enjoy the small selection of images from their beautiful wedding below and drop some love for this wonderful couple!
