Scott and Melanie: Yakima, WA

commentary by Melissa
Hey everybody! We've been super busy lately, but we're excited to show you what we've been up to. This is Scott and Melanie's wedding day post. They got married at Cascade Gardens in Yakima, WA at the beginning of this month. To start off, here's a 46 photo slide show with the highlights of the day:

[YouTube link here]

Because they didn't want to see each other before the wedding, we spent time photographing their individual stories before the wedding ceremony.
I photographed Melanie getting ready with her close family and bridesmaids in the bridal suite at Cascade Gardens. Then, we got some shots of her bridal party and some of her family.




Jeff and Ross hung out with Scott and his groomsmen and got some great pictures of the guys getting ready.




Melanie's arrived at the ceremony garden in a cute, classic car. The ceremony was fun, yet very emotional because Scott and Melanie's love for each other was evident to everyone in the crowd.




After some family pictures and a few portraits of Scott and Melanie in the road, everyone let loose and had a great time at the reception. Scott and Melanie: You guys rock and we wish you best of luck!

"Scott and I are just amazed at what we have seen so far. Its indescribable what I am feeling just by looking at the pictures. It really brings me back to the emotions I felt on that day! I can't wait to see the rest!!!
Thank you so much,
Melanie"

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The wedding of Christy & Levi

Commentary by Melissa
Here's the 40 photo slideshow to start with:

[YouTube link here]

We were honored to tell the wedding story of Christy & Levi. Christy and Levi met at WSU and now live in Loomis. Where is Loomis, you might ask? It is a quaint town about an hour north of Omak, WA and 15 miles south of Canada. The couple wanted to get married at Levi's family Ranch (Loomis Cattle Co. in conjunction with Double R Ranch Northwest Beef). The Ranch was an absolutely beautiful place for a wedding with open fields, horses, and wild flowers.

As soon as we got to the Ranch, we got to meet Christy's ADORABLE dog, Vaquera. She was so cute that we started with a little photo shoot of Vaquera and Christy.



From there, we followed Christy and her bridesmaids around as they were getting ready for the big day.





Next, it was finally time for Christy and Levi to meet. It was a special moment for everyone.











Shameless plug here: the top quality meat served for dinner came from none other than the family Ranch (Double R Ranch, that is). It was the best meat I have ever tasted. We were impressed!

Christy & Levi: Thank you so much for inviting us to tell your story! Your wedding was great and we wish you the best of luck in the future!!!

Article related links:
Agri Beef

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Kristin & Jared: Engagement Session

Since Kristin & Jared at getting married at the Cave B winery, they wanted their engagement pictures to take place at a Sandbar area directly across from the Gorge. And what better way to get there than their Sea Ray boat? Jared drove the boat right onto the shore and we got some amazing portraits on the sand, as well as on their boat. There was a concert going on at the Gorge, which we could hear over the water. :) Kristin & Jared also have an adorable dog named Trace, and she joined them for a few portraits as well.








Kristin & Jared's love for each other was evident throughout the whole session and we know they have many wonderful years together in their future.











On the way back, Jared decided to hop on his wake board. He's really good at it! And Kristin's a great driver. I held the orange flag and Ross shot some pictures.




Thanks for a great evening, guys! We had a lot of fun!

Article related links:
Sea Ray Sport boats
Cave B Weddings

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Sarah & Matt Engagement Session

Sarah & Matt are a fun couple from Tri-Cities who are getting married in September. It was so fun to get to know both of them before the wedding. They wanted some nature and some quirky shots for their Engagement Coffee Table book, so we decided to head over to Central Washington University, (which happens to be across the street from our studio). With the help of their creative genius, they took some hilariously cute photos of racing each other down a sidewalk and showing their affection with karate moves. (Matt- if your day job doesn't work out, you should be a stunt man or a comedian!) Matt & Sarah: It's going to be a blast photographing your wedding and best of luck with the wedding planning before then!

Article related links:
Central Washington University

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Lucia & Alfredo's wedding day- Pasco, WA

Lucia and Alfredo are such a cute couple! To start I want to say to the two of you that we feel honored that you chose to involve us in your wedding day and we wish you the best! :)



July 5 was a perfect day for a Pasco, WA wedding: breezy, sunshine, and most importantly, not too hot. (We’re well aware that Tri-Cities, my home town, can get very very warm in the summer. ) We started at the Hot Spot Salon then I (Melissa) went with Lucia to her house to get ready, and Ross and Jeff went to Alfredo’s house. After Lucia was ready, her mother gave an emotional blessing over Lucia and Alfredo’s marriage. We were all moved to tears.





I headed to St. Pat’s church with Lucia and her girls, and I met up with Ross back at the ceremony. It was a beautiful, reverent ceremony.

After the ceremony, we had a chance to take some portraits by the Columbia River.

Lucia and Alfredo had shown interest in displaying some Wall Portraits of their wedding

in their home, so we knew we had to capture some breathtaking moments! As we got to

know them better, we found out we had a lot in common. Just like Ross and I, Lucia and

Alfredo met when they were kids, and started dating their senior year of high school.

(And our high schools were only 6 miles apart!)

Back at the reception, we thought Lucia and Alfredo had a very cute and unexpected first dance.

Instead of the traditional slow song, they chose “The Way I Are” by Timbaland.

We found this silly marching band arrangement of "The Way I Are" for the slideshow (halfway through)... take a look :)

YouTube link

Article related links:
Ceremony: St. Pat's Catholic Church, Pasco WA
Reception: The Trac Center, Pasco WA
Salon: Hot Spot Salon, Pasco WA
Dress: Purple Parasol, Kennewick WA

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Jackie & Pontus engagement session

Jackie and Pontus came across our website and decided to include an engagement photo shoot into their trip to Ellensburg (her home town). The two live in New York now and met in Seattle. Pontus is originally from Sweden. :) We didn't have to look very hard to find a great location, because Jackie's mother has created a beautiful garden surrounding their Ellensburg home.











After we took some portraits at the house, Jackie mentioned she loved Chau and Shelly's "silhouette" picture at the Sculpture Park in Seattle that we did last April. So we walked up to Craig's Hill around sunset and worked on some silhouettes. They turned out great! You are a very cute couple, Jackie and Pontus and we had a GREAT time at your engagement session!

Article related links:
Craig's Hill, Ellensburg WA

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The Wedding of Mark & Caitlin

This last weekend Caitlin and Mark got married in Yakima Wa and the temperature went over 100 degrees Fahrenheit! But the heat didn't stop anyone from having a great time at this funky garden party. :) The wedding went perfect, without one little problem, largely in part because of Caitlin's outstanding wedding planners: Lisa Chambers & Michelle Engvall. In Caitlin's words, "I didn't have to worry about a thing! I just relaxed all day!"


YouTube link





Of course the bridesmaids worked hard to help Caitlin get ready while the guys got ready in about 5 minutes and just relaxed.



They were both super excited to finally see each other! We positioned Mark in the living room and he waited (alone) while Caitlin made her way down the stairs. It was a beautiful moment!

Wedding Planner: Lisa Chambers & Michelle Engvall
Catering: Gasperetti’s
Cake: Shirley’s Cakes
Floral: Gasperetti’s Floral
Dress: Ann Taylor
Groomsmen Attire: Banana Republic
Harpist: Rebecca Sauerwein
Band: Kennedy Brothers
Rentals: Party Palace
Officiant: Gavin Gaukroger (friend of the bride and groom)
Hair and Makeup: Capellos
A/V: Roy’s Audio

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Ryan & Darcy at the Tacoma Club

We just got back from photographing a beautiful wedding in Tacoma, Washington. Here's a slide show with almost 50 photos that highlight Ryan & Darcy's wedding day. Take a look:)


[Youtube link]

Ryan & Darcy got married at the Tacoma Club, inside the Wells Fargo Plaza located in Tacoma, WA. We couldn't have asked for better weather, and the Tacoma skyline was beautiful. With all of the natural window light, we couldn't resist this shot of Darcy's dress and her shoes.


Doesn't she look beautiful?


Once Darcy and Ryan were both ready, the big moment of seeing each other for the first time arrived. After a tearful embrace, they headed outside to take some portraits in downtown Tacoma.


We found some great sidewalks and alleys just outside the Wells Fargo Plaza.



Next, we headed back to the Plaza for some Bridal party portraits.



It was a beautiful ceremony full of emotion and joy, with a gorgeous reception catered by the Tacoma Club.

Article related links:
www.RossJamesPhotography.com
Wedding Location & Catering: http://www.thetacomaclub.com
Wedding Dress & Bridesmaids' dresses: http://www.davidsbridal.com
Flowers & Cake: "Wedding Wishes by Paulette"
Wedding city: http://www.cityoftacoma.org
DJ Services: "Jimmy G"

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A Wyoming Proposal

To do something for the first time is always an adventure. And this photo shoot was definitely just that. It was the first time we did a photo shoot in the state of Wyoming and it was also the first time we ever photographed an actual marriage proposal!
Colt and Jessica both live in Orlando, FL but they had a trip planned to Northwest Wyoming to visit family and Yellowstone National Park. Well, Colt gave us a call and included us in on his secret plans :)
The mountains and rock formations surrounding the location that Colt chose for the proposal were incredible. And we saw so many wildlife creatures I couldn't even keep count.
This is the moment it happened-

She said Yes!

The next day we had a session to create their engagement portraits in the town of Cody, WY. We started in a coffee shop, Grizzly Creek Coffee Company, and then found various spots around the town.















Melissa is always making fun of me for how I look when I'm going for a different angle and I caught Melissa laying down this time so I had to include that :)

Article related links:
Pahaska Tepee Restaurant
Wyoming's Rib & Chop House
Experience Cody/Yellowstone Country
River Runners rafting
Yellowstone National Park - Yellowstone.net

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A Cowboy Wedding

We had a great time documenting Rick and Venesa’s wedding day this past weekend. It was a romantic, relaxed day with a western theme all the way from the cowboy boot flower pots to the bridal grand entry on a vis-à-vis, horse drawn carriage. And what two better Belgian horses to pull the carriage than Sonny and Fred from their engagement session [see here]! As we photographed Venesa getting ready, and the moment when she and Rick first saw each other, we were swept away in their exciting day full of cowboy boots and Wranglers.

First, we'll start off with a quick slideshow of the day

[Youtube link]

And a few of the photos:













Wedding ceremony entrance:









Venesa and Rick, we wish you guys a lifetime of happiness and thanks for allowing us to share your big day!

Article related links:
www.RossJamesPhotography.com
Springwood Ranch - venue
Happy Trails - horse carriage
David's Bridal - dress

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Caitlin & Mark's engagement session: Yakima, WA

Caitlin and Mark's wedding is coming up next month so we just barely squeezed in an Engagement session. We believe that doing an engagement session always sets us way ahead when it comes to the wedding day. Besides creating the best engagement photos we can, we get to know the couple and become familiar with photographing them. Almost like practicing for the big day. With Mark and Caitlin we found out they like casual looking photos but also don't mind taking some direction to different ideas. Our end result was creating genuine moments of fun and romance!



We started at the residential property of their soon to be wedding in June. Next, we headed to downtown Yakima to add an "urban flair" to the session. ("Urban" only meaning side streets, colorful grafetti, and old trains. That's about as urban as Yakima was going to get. :)







We finished the night at outside of the First Presbyterian church



Overall, we got some fun portraits that really showcased their obvious love for each other. Congrats on the engagement, Mark and Caitlin and we can't wait to capture your wedding day next month!


And Melissa made me add this last one... She likes to make fun of how I lay on the ground...

Article related links:
www.RossJamesPhotography.com
First Presbyterian Church of Yakima
The Depot Restaurant and Lounge - They have a good plate of Nachos!

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Monica & Brian's Engagement Session: Spokane, WA

For Monica and Brian's engagement session we met them downtown Spokane and relived the day Brian proposed by walking to all the places they went together that day. Brian first surprised Monica by standing in a mall display window next to some mannequins with a SURPRISE! sign. Monica worked there and he knew she would be walking by... I can't think of a better way to surprise her!

So we thought we could get away with taking some photos in the mall where this went down but we pretty much immediately got kicked out by a security guard. So we made our way to the restaurant RAW sushi & island grill [website] where the couple ate dinner the evening of his proposal.


Then we made our way to Riverfront Park [website]





I took this below while Melissa was photographing Monica and Brian. That's Melissa with the camera, she shoots primarily black and white (like the 2 above). This bridge is where the proposal actually happened.


Monica and Brian - we are really looking forward to your wedding day!

Article relate links:
www.RossJamesPhotography.com
Brian Wilkins - Swiftpage CSR
RAW sushi & island grill
Spokane Riverfront Park

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Chris & Tana's wedding day

Here's for all of you who are just waiting to see some of Chris and Tana's photos on May 3rd at the Party Barn (Springwood Ranch). We're still working on editing all of them, but for now here's a short video slideshow (24 photos).


[youtube link]

Chris and Tana- we really enjoyed working with you and hope you are having a blast on your honeymoon in Florida!

Our Website- www.rossjamesphotography.com

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Nick and Jessica at "Northwest Photographer GTG"

As members of our favorite Wedding & Portrait online forum, we were privileged to attend a "Northwest Get Together" event at Gasworks Park in Seattle, WA. Basically, a bunch of photographers got together and hung out all day. The group provided models and makeup artists and we each got to photograph different models all day. Nick and Jessica were married in October 2007 and were a lot of fun to work with. Congratulations on your wedding!

Our Website- www.rossjamesphotography.com

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Erin & Andy

Erin and Andy's wedding was in December in Kennewick, WA. The reception was at the Three Rivers Convention Center. As you can see from their choice of shoes, Erin and Andy are a very creative couple and we are honored they chose us to photograph their big day!

You'll see some of their storybook album pages below, but you can also see the whole album in video format by clicking here.

You can trust us with your memories.
Ross James Photography
Introducing the "10 Step Portrait Planning System".
www.rossjamesphotography.com

Tory & Mandee

Commentary by: Ross
What a fun wedding! This one was right here in our home town of Ellensburg. And since Tory and Mandee were unable to have the wedding outdoors, they brought an outdoor-like surrounding inside the Kittitas Valley Event Center! There were trees and plants everywhere, which created a beautiful setting for a wedding.

We started early in the morning at Visante Spa & Salon where Mandee had her hair done.
















Congratulations Tory and Mandee! We had a lot of fun and you two made great models :)
Click here for Tory and Mandee's engagement session at Lake Chelan

You can trust us with your memories.
Ross James Photography
Introducing the "10 Step Portrait Planning System".
www.rossjamesphotography.com

Rick & Venesa: Engagement Session Part 2

Commentary by Melissa
Our next attempt at a romantic engagement session went much smoother. This time they brought two of their beautiful Belgian horses. These horses are HUGE so I hesitated when Venesa asked me if I wanted to sit on one of them. Let me warn you: a 5’2 person with little horse experience shouldn’t attempt to sit on a horse in front of a lot of people. Once I actually got on, it was awesome! (see the last set of pictures)










Here's Jeff and I on their horses after we finished the session:

You can trust us with your memories.
Ross James Photography
Introducing the "10 Step Portrait Planning System".
www.rossjamesphotography.com

Tory & Mandee: Engagement Session Part 2

Since Riley (their dog) and Daphne (their pet pig) couldn’t make it to Chelan last week, we came to them a week later. Daphne didn’t really understand the art of posing, but we got some sweet pictures anyway!





You can trust us with your memories.
Ross James Photography
Introducing the "10 Step Portrait Planning System".
www.rossjamesphotography.com

Tory & Mandee: Engagement Session Part 1

Commentary by Melissa
We’ve had such a great time getting to know Tory and Mandee, who are getting married on October 20. They chose Lake Chelan as the site of their engagement pictures. Not only is Chelan a great portrait location, it was also where they got engaged.






If you look closely, you’ll see their initials carved in the branch. It took Ross hours to whittle those letters….(on photoshop of course!)

You can trust us with your memories.
Ross James Photography
Introducing the "10 Step Portrait Planning System".
www.rossjamesphotography.com

Rick & Venesa: Engagement Session Part 1

Commentary by Melissa
This happy couple is getting married in May, so we’ve got plenty of time to create a memorable Engagement Artbook. Their first engagement session took place at an obscure water fall at the top of Snoqualmie pass. They wanted their new puppy, Keiko, to be in the pictures. Of course, it started raining as soon as we got there, but they kept on smiling while we all got (soaking) wet. Keiko had no idea what the flash was, and barked every time it went off, but what’s a photo session without some howling?

You can trust us with your memories.
Ross James Photography
Introducing the "10 Step Portrait Planning System".
www.rossjamesphotography.com