cameron & jon’s courthouse wedding // seattle, wa

Cameron & Jon… along with a sister, a friend, a judge, and me.

Cameron & Jon called me two days before their wedding asking me to be their photographer.  I was thrilled to hear that I had come up at the top of his google search, but then realized it was because we lived just a few blocks from each other… so that wouldn’t necessarily be considered “serendipity,” but it did feel like pure luck when I met them & came to the conclusion that keeping it very very local worked wondrously in our favor.

I loved the simplicity of their ceremony.  Yes, I suppose that most courthouse ceremonies are simple, but their wedding consisted of a visit downtown on a sunny day, the two closest people in their lives (one of whom was surprised with the wedding, thinking he was just here for a friendly visit!), a very silly & giddy judge, quiet vows, and hugs all around.  And photos.  I was an outsider observer & documentarian to something very special, but left feeling like an old friend who would share this fun day by way of stories around the table with our grandchildren.

Oddly enough, I haven’t seen Jon & Cameron since we parted ways that day; however, one cold day just a few weeks ago, I left the grocery store in my car & drove by two people walking on the road.  I had a feeling it was them, so I looked in my mirror to see the two of them slowly walking, each holding a grocery bag, and she reached into his bag for a bite of a loaf of fresh bread they were sharing.  They were walking along in this thing called marriage, where nobody was there to document it but it was real & beautiful all the same.  I took a picture with my mind, and filed it away into an album I guess I’ll call “Marriage,” where I hold images of people in love—myself included—living life together, simple, quiet & without the whole world having to know about it.

So, I love these photos from their wedding… but that memory of their marriage will stick with me for all time.

{originally posted at CALIMA Portraits}