Some venues you rent. Jodiee and Ethan borrowed theirs from family, a backyard rose garden right on the Clackamas River, and it fit their day perfectly. They married under the firs in late July with their favorite people filling the lawn, then everyone stayed out late while golden light poured across the water.
Where was Jodiee and Ethan’s wedding?
Jodiee and Ethan married at a family home on the Clackamas River in late July, with the ceremony on the back lawn and the river moving quietly past the rose garden. A backyard wedding trades a rented venue for a place that already means something, and you can feel that difference in every photo from this day.
What was the wedding day like?
Personal from the first frame. The gown, champagne colored with lace cap sleeves and layers of soft tulle, hung in the window light while everyone got ready at the house. The rings sat in a bed of blue hydrangeas, and the bouquet was handmade from wooden flowers in dusty blue and cream, the kind that never wilts. Ethan wore a gray shirt and black vest, the first look happened in the garden between the roses and the raised beds, and the ceremony arch was covered in delphinium and hydrangea in every shade of blue. After the vows the whole lawn cheered.
What is a backyard wedding reception like?
Relaxed in the best way. Dinner happened at round tables on the lawn beside the house, guests drifted between the garden and the deck, and the bride changed into a short white dress with her veil still on for the party. As the sun dropped, everyone took turns at a circle arch set up on the river boardwalk, and those golden hour frames with the Clackamas behind them are some of my favorites of the whole summer.
Should you plan a backyard wedding in Oregon?
Yes. If the guest list is full of people you love and the setting already means something to you, an Oregon backyard wedding is one of the best decisions you can make. Summer evenings along the Clackamas River are warm and golden well past eight, so you get an entire reception in the kind of light most couples only see for twenty minutes. You are not renting a venue by the hour, which means nobody rushes your toasts, your dances, or your goodbyes. Bring in string lights, long tables, and the food you actually want to eat, and let the river do the rest.
Looking for a Clackamas River wedding photographer?
If you are planning a wedding along the Clackamas River, or a backyard celebration anywhere from Estacada to Oregon City, I would love to hear your plans. I am Becky Chambers, the photographer behind Studio 623, and days like Jodiee and Ethan’s are exactly why I do this work. Take a look at my Oregon wedding photography to see more full days like this one, and when you are ready, reach out and tell me about your day.
