RUSTIC WEDDING AT CHEMEKETA EOLA

Despite knowing beforehand that they were wanting to get married, Chandler didn't know when the ring would appear. After Sean proposed, Chandler asked, "How long have you had the ring!?!" Sean's response was, “about 6 hours!"

Capturing Sean and Chandler’s engagement photos and later photographing their wedding was such a delight. They are truly the easiest and most caring people to be around. Even with all the moving parts of a planning and executing a wedding day they were the epitome of calm and collective throughout the entire process. They spent their energy on being happy that they were getting married and stayed focused on the commitment they were making to one another. This made photographing their wedding such a joy. 

From their first date hiking at Cape Lookout (Oregon Coast) to their proposal seven months later at Hood River, Chandler and Sean have been taking on one adventure after another. With a great appreciation of nature and Chandler’s ties to her hometown in Salem, the couple chose Chemeketa Eola for their wedding venue. The beautiful panoramic view of the Northwest valley and vineyard made for a picturesque setting for their nuptials. 

Their early August, rustic wedding at Chemeketa Eola brought on the true warmth of the summer while ushering the colors of fall. Blue skies, bees buzzing, and lush gardens surrounded the ceremony. With wedding colors of sage, terracotta, and rust orange - all accentuated in their country chic decor and dried floral. Fauning Over Flora designed their gorgeous wedding party bouquets, boutonnieres, and floral arrangement over the hearth (Danner and Soli) ceremony backdrop.

The bride, Chandler, being a print-based artist and professor - was able to be very hands on and bring her talents and skills to the table. She incorporated her own print designs on her invitations and wedding signage and helped create some dried floral arrangements for the reception space and tables. She also had the idea of creating little jars of jam as wedding favors - all canned by herself, her aunt, and the mother the bride. These favors were such a unique touch and really spoke to the warm country feel of the day. Chandler said that much of what she chose reminds her of her grandmother. 

The couple chose the outdoor lawn at Chemeketa Eola for their ceremony setup and the tasting room and event spaces indoors for their reception. In the event that weather took a turn, the couple liked having the indoor space as a backup for the ceremony. They had close to 150 guests and the venue can accommodate slightly over 200. However, I would say 150 fit comfortably and getting close to 200 would probably be quite a squeeze for the event rooms.

For family formal photos, there was pretty harsh sunlight on the lawn, so we took them along the street across from the parking lot of the venue. This provided ample shade for the family and bridal party while still allowing sunlight to filter through the trees. This also allowed us to step away from where guests would be arriving and complete all the formal photos prior to the start of the ceremony. Which in turn meant the couple could enjoy cocktail hour with their guests.

During bride and groom portraits the couple hoped to be able to take some shots in the vineyard but there didn’t appear to be an entrance. Thankfully my second photographer, Joie scouted a bit further and found an opening so that we could take advantage of the beautiful view. It was a perfect way to conclude the day. I felt so honored to be able to serve as their wedding photographer!

Are you planning your own wedding and looking for the right wedding photographer? I would love the opportunity to get to know you, chat about your plans, and see how I can serve you in this most special season of your life!

Some kind words from the bride:

“My husband and I hired Christa to shoot our engagement photos in early 2023; we felt so heard and understood by her that we called upon her to shoot our wedding photography, too, and we couldn't be happier with the results! Christa is extremely accommodating, professional, and a JOY to work with! She understands that the wedding planning process can be stressful, and she offered clear and comprehensive guidance to us as we figured out what we were looking for photography-wise. I'd recommend her to anybody looking for a thoughtful, organized, and dedicated photographer! Thank you again so much, Christa!”

-Chandler Brutscher

Wedding Vendors

Venue: Chemeketa Eola-Northwest Wine Studies Center

DJ: NW Mobile DJ

Florist: Fauning Over Flora

Cupcakes: Sweetly Baked

Catering: Wild Pear Catering

Hearth/Ceremony Chairs/Light Curtain Decor: Danner + Soli

Lead Photographer: Christa Eans Photography

Second Photographer: Simple Joie Photography