Best wedding photographer | Jessica Hill Photography

Wedding

Ellie & Nick
A Sunset Cove B&B Michigan Wedding

Ellie and I met while attending the School of Art at the University of Michigan during a “Art of the Nudes” summer class taught by the famous New York photographer Ernestine Ruben. It was a crazy amazing class where we photographed nude models in the woods around Ann Arbor (which later inspired me to start my boudoir brand Peekaboo Portland!) Needless to say Ellie and I hit it off right away that experience connected us ever since. We later worked together for years at both Cafe Zola and The Earle Restaurant (heyyy Earle crew!) in downtown Ann Arbor and even had a joint art show at a well known underground gallery bar together. I’m so lucky to know Ellie, (now an incredible pastry chef & baker) and I am so glad she found a fellow artist & soulmate in Nick. Nick is a musician in an amazing band called the Little Traps. He’s hilarious and they make a crazy magical couple. I am still smitten over their lakeside Michigan wedding one year ago today. The ceremony took place at Sunset Cove Bed & Breakfast, a stunner of a log cabin tucked between two lakes with sprawling views. Ellie wore a White by Vera Wang satin gown and couldn’t have looked more elegant and dazzling while walking down the aisle. She’s always been a total babe, but her bridal style was just perfect. (umm her nails though?) As you can probably guess from the photo, this was the moment Nick first saw Ellie and he was absolutely floored. #bestgroomreactionever The ceremony was coordinated by the talented Vows and Veils Wedding Crew and filled with special details like custom flasks for the groomsmen and hand-tied wildflower bouquets. After the ceremony, guests busted out on the dance floor to rock ‘n roll ballads, while enjoying food from Eat and a glorious custom Sweet Heather Anne black wedding cake with hand-applied sugar sequins. Wow! Rather than the traditional mother/son and father/daughter dances the couple chose to dance with their entire immediate families and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. (including my own! Also- can this be the new tradition forever? ) Cheers to Ellie and Nick, may the years to come be filled with endless happiness, creative genius and magic love. Love you guys!

Features

Worlds Best Wedding Photos
Artist Interview

Beyond honored and excited to have this great interview with Worlds Best Wedding Photos! I shared my inspirations and how I got started in the industry on this wonderful site and you should give it a quick read here! Thank you WBWP for the great interview and write up. Please check out my bio on Worlds Best Wedding Photos and subscribe to support if you LOVE swooning over stunning wedding photos alllll day!

Wedding

Kelsey & Tyler
A St. Patrick and Sentinel Hotel Wedding

Remember weddings? (Insert cry face emoji here!!!) This one was unforgettable and I’m so honored that it was just featured on the Oregon Bride Magazine Blog!!! Kelsey and Tyler’s day was a classic and extremely elegant wedding! They said their vows under the beautiful vaulted ceilings of St. Patrick Catholic Church, followed with a celebratory reception at The Sentinel Hotel. with traditional & timeless white florals by Amanda Karam Floral Company and an absolutely gorgeous Vera Wang gown paired with nude Louboutin pumps and a long veil. I loved the grandeur Kelsey and Tyler brought to the decor while sprinkling in reminders of their alma mater, OSU, where their relationship blossomed. The first night of her freshman year at Oregon State, Kelsey met Tyler, but it wasn’t until a month before graduation that they started dating! Fast forward three years and Tyler proposed at one of their favorite spots on the Deschutes River in Sunriver, Oregon. The entire day was expertly planned by Bridal Bliss, even down to a ride in a oh-so rad classic car that belongs to Kelsey’s dad on their way to the reception. Congratulations to the both of them and many happy memories to come!

Destination

Jackie & Jordan
A Napa Valley Wedding at the Estates in Yountville

Jackie and Jordan’s wedding in the heart of Napa Valley, California was a stunning & elegant garden party. I had the pleasure of first meeting Jackie and Jordan during their engagement session on a rooftop in downtown Portland Oregon and we had a total blast as they danced beneath the open sky and cheered with a delicious pinot gris. This sweet and stylish Portland couple decided on a more intimate destination wedding in Napa Valley at the elegant Estate in Yountville, California. Barbara Cohen with BLC Events & team was the trusty & creative event coordinator along with Julie Stevens on the elegant floral design and Melissa Coe, took perfect care as the ceremony officiant. Thanks to Daniel Stark for second-shooting. The al-fresco dining beneath the stars felt like an elegant garden party with thoughtful and personal details and delicious food. The after-party continued in the Barrel Room with live music, fun dancing and yummy desserts. Happy anniversary Jordan and Jackie! Your elegant Napa Valley garden party wedding was one for the books!

Wedding

Merrin & Jay
The Evergreen Portland

Merrin and Jay had a wedding for the books. Merrin and Jay and I first connected at Timberline Lodge for their engagements and we had a total blast in the snow at sunset and over a post-shoot beer at the Skyway, one of their favorite places to stop on the way to the Mt. Hood. This smart and kind couple love the outdoors, hiking and each other and felt like immediate friends. They chose the Hi-Lo as their hotel of choice for their getting ready (with the talented Kiss & Makeup on the job!) and first look location and I immediately fell in love with the historic architecture mixed with the hip styling of this new downtown Portland hotel. Their wedding ceremony and reception took place at one of my favorite SE Portland venues, The Evergreen. CK Events coordinated perfectly, along with Arranged for You Florals, who created the beautiful florals. I especially loved their chartreuse velvet napkins and Spring garden vibes. Event Team Entertainment always makes the party pop and kept a rocking dance floor all night. What a fun and memorable wedding and I’m so honored that I was there to document the memories!

Features

Redd on Salmon
Featured Wedding Inspiration

The Redd on Salmon St. in Portland Oregon is one of my new favorite wedding venues with urban elegance and industrial elements, tall ceilings, natural light and an ideal location in SE Portland. I hope to photograph here a lot more in the coming year! This styled inspirational wedding shoot was for the Art of Weddings Venue Crawl. Bringing luxe texture, clean modern lines and unique colors (gotta love a blue wedding dress!) to this styled shoot we took a newly renovated industrial space and turned it into an elegant wedding with elevated design and edgy romance. Honored to have it recently featured on the Tacari wedding blog. Credit to the talented vendors that helped make this event & shoot happen: Venue – The Redd on Salmon Street | Styling & Event Planner – Gather Events | Floral Design – Swoon Floral Design | Gown Designer – Elizabeth Dye | Makeup Artist – Kirstie Wight Makeup | Rentals – The Party Plac e & Vintage Meets Modern | Cake Designer – Dream Cakes | Rings – Chinchar Maloney | Cocktails – Silver Julep | Lighting – Greenlight Creative | Paper Goods – Paper Jam Press | Photo Booth – Snap Bar

Details

Billy & Griffin
A San Francisco Engagement

After photographing Griffin’s high school senior photos back in 2009 (omg) we’ve stayed Facebook friends since and I was overjoyed to see the notification that he and Billy were engaged! I met up with them in Sausalito for delish oysters and white wine and great convos before heading into the Marin Headlands to photograph their epic Golden Gate sunset portraits. I loved capturing their stylish and elegant yet laid-back styles and seeing them interact, laugh and love each other. I’m so happy these two found each other from Thailand and Oregon respectively in the Golden City.

Hood River Wedding Photographers

Monica and Sara
A Gorge Crest Vineyard Wedding

Monica and Sara have a great love and threw a huge celebration to honor it! Monica and Sara’s wedding was a joyous party at the most beautiful location at Gorge Crest Vineyard in Washington on the Columbia River. They rented a gorgeous Airbnb in Hood River, Oregon for getting ready photos and then we traveled to the venue for the ceremony and party. With Mount Hood in the distance, family and friends dancing under the stars and a momentous love that moves mountains, this wedding was unforgettable in every way. Monica and Sara are a great couple as they compliment each other and have a way of making everyone around them feel welcome and joyous. They found their gorgeous dresses at Lena Medoyeff in the Pearl and their florals were created by the talented Leah at Indigo Gardens. Their wedding day coordination and rentals from the amazing Debbie at Hitched in the Hood and makeup and hair from Kassandra Sommerville. What an unforgettable wedding!

Features

Top 13 of ’13

Per tradition, here are my top wedding and engagement images from 2013. WOW… It was so hard choosing from the thousands of tiny precious moments from your engagement and wedding stories. I was so happy to have such kind, gorgeous couples who have shared a little bit of their love story for me to capture. From the whimsical woods to the elegant city of Portland we call home, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Thank YOU all for the moments and for the incredible award of Best Independent Wedding Photographer 2013! Now booking select 2014 and 2015 dates.