A McMenamins Edgefield Wedding in Portland Under the St. Johns Bridge & the Power Station Lights | A Portland Wedding
There is a photograph from this wedding that I think about often. Monika, alone, in her gown, leaning against a piece of driftwood by the water in the last light of the day. She is looking away from the camera. She is quiet and still and completely, undeniably herself. She looks like someone who knows her own strength — because she does.
Years after this wedding day, Monika was diagnosed with cancer. She went through sixteen rounds of chemotherapy and two surgeries. And as of the week I'm writing this, she is officially cancer free.
That photograph has always been one of my favorites. Now it means something different entirely. Keep it, Monika. Frame it. That is the face of someone who was always going to make it through.
The day started in Cathedral Park — one of Portland's most beloved and quietly spectacular spaces, nestled beneath the gothic arches of the St. Johns Bridge on the banks of the Willamette River. Jake and Monika and their people gathered in the sunshine, a community of friends and family celebrating two people who had already built something real together — including their daughter, who served as flower girl, wreath of flowers in her hair, utterly serious about her duties and completely adorable in every frame.
Monika is of Navajo and Hualapai descent, and the presence of her heritage wove through the day — visible in the family portrait beneath the bridge, her mother in traditional dress alongside them, the whole scene grounded in something deeper than the day itself. It was one of those moments that reminds you a wedding is never just about two people. It's about where they come from and what they carry forward.
The ceremony was outdoor and sun-drenched, the gold circular arch framing the two of them as Jake wiped tears from Monika's cheek with his thumb while reading his vows — one of those instinctive, unscripted gestures that a photographer lives for. They walked back up the aisle hand in hand, baby son on Jake's hip, daughter holding Monika's hand, the whole small family moving through the cheering crowd together. That recessional frame is perfect. It always will be.
After the ceremony we wandered — Cathedral Park, the waterfront, murals along the streets of St. Johns with the bridge visible in the distance, the light going golden and generous. Monika against the water. Monika against the driftwood. Monika laughing with Jake on the street. She is one of those subjects who doesn't need direction. She just is.
For the reception, they chose McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale — one of my absolute favorite venues in the entire Portland area and a place I will photograph weddings at for as long as I'm doing this work. Edgefield is a former poor farm turned sprawling destination resort, with gardens, vineyards, a soaking pool, multiple bars and restaurants, murals around every corner, and an atmosphere that is impossible to manufacture because it has been genuinely lived in for over a century.
They chose the Power Station — a cozy, intimate space with warm wood beams, exposed brick, and a ceiling covered in string lights that turns every frame into something warm and glowing and completely alive. Their first dance happened under those lights, their friends forming a circle around them, everyone watching with the kind of quiet attention that only happens when a room really loves the two people in the center of it. The dance floor opened up after and didn't stop.
McMenamins Edgefield is one of those venues that rewards photographers enormously — every room has character, every hallway has a story, every wall has art. If you're looking for a McMenamins wedding photographer who knows the property and loves it — I'm your person. I have photographed at multiple McMenamins locations and I would happily spend the rest of my career there.
Ceremony: Cathedral Park | Portland, Oregon | Reception: McMenamins Edgefield — Power Station | Troutdale, Oregon
Real Review:
Choose Leah for your wedding day! She’s friendly, makes the process easy, and has a wonderful eye! Leah saw a stump washed up on the shore next to our ceremony site and reccomended we take some photos with it. I had to climb down a small slope in my huge dress and heels to get to it and it was SO worth it. Those photos are my favorite from that day. I would hike anywhere for a photo if she recommended it! She is a true artist. She made our day feel like art and I am so grateful. She also took the photos for a couple of my friends’ weddings and I can confidently say she doesn’t miss! 10/10!
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