Blog | Jessica Hill Photography

Wedding

Caroline & Scott
A Coopers Hall Wedding

Scott and Caroline planned an elegant, fun and colorful Coopers Hall Urban Winery wedding, which is one of my very favorite spots in Portland. From the hip industrial architecture and plants adorning the space to incredible food, wine and staff, this place is really quite amazing! I loved Caroline and Scott’s kind quiet love and we had a blast getting to know each other better at their Rhododendron garden engagements. Their wedding started with getting ready pics at the iconic Hotel Eastlund and we stopped along the way to the venue for fun and creative photos. Loved loved love Caroline’s bridal style with her tea-length dress from House of Mooshki Bridal and Jimmy Choos. The very fun & colorful florals were from Here Comes the Bloom. Epic entertainment from John Ross Music. Here’s what Caroline had to say about her wedding vision: “I really looked forward to walking down the stairs of Coopers Hall and down the aisle with my father to the song “Sweet Caroline”. The song was a surprise to our guests, but they all enjoyed joining in the chorus! Our first dance was also a wonderful moment, accompanied by John Ross playing acoustic guitar. It was nice to enjoy the moment together, and we both were excited that all the formal parts were over, and we could dance the rest of the night away with all of our guests! We also loved taking pictures with Jessica all around downtown Portland. Having complete strangers congratulate us and enjoy the day with us is something we won’t forget. Her wonderful advice for other couples planning their big day: Choose the things that are important to you, and let everything else go. Otherwise you’ll get stuck in the spiral that is wedding planning, and lose sight of the fact that the act of getting married is the only thing that really matters that day.” HECK YES! Thank you Caroline and Scott and happy one year anniversary! Also- this wedding was just featured over on Boho Weddings, a very cool European planning blog!

Wedding

Ellerey & Dan
A Waverley Country Club Wedding

Wowzah! What a stunner of a wedding! Ellerey & Dan are such a fun, laid-back, intelligent and gorgeous couple and their wedding was pretty much the same! Waverley Country Club is a historic, elegant and beautiful venue on the Willamette River. Ellerey & Dan planned a super fun celebration with so many unique and imaginative details. The Llamas were such a delight (RIP Rojo!) and brought smiles to everyone’s face and the neon light- champagne escort card wall was bonkers elegant and fun! With stunning florals by Blum, perfect coordination & styling from Bridal Bliss, entertainment by Event Team, and a gorgeous 5 tier cake from Dream Cakes, this was one amazing wedding for the books! Happy 1 year anniversary Ellerey & Dan! Cheers on a lifelong adventure of laughter, joy and love!

Events

Ellerey & Dan
A Coopers Hall Rehearsal Dinner

A rehearsal dinner full of joy and happiness delicious food and celebrated love! Ellery & Dan light up a room with their positive and fun energy and playful love. We all have a blast together and after their UofP & waterfall engagements, I knew it was going to be an incredibly fun, elegant yet chill weekend! Cooper’s Hall, an urban winery in Southeast Portland, hosts incredible weddings and rehearsal dinners. From the menu concept (printed on the paper bread bags!) to the fresh orange poppies & vines by Blum set against the industrial backdrop, this event was pure heaven! Hilarious toasts, great wine and lots of laughter, of course with Bridal Bliss on coordination & Blum on florals, it was a totally perfect & stylish dinner.

Wedding

Patience & Egan
A Sentinel Hotel Wedding

“Our vision was for a super elegant and formal wedding with a reggae and hip hop sound track. Everyone told us those would clash but we were determined. Frank ocean for my walk down the aisle, Popcaan for our entrance to the reception and Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, Sir, SZA, Nipsey Hussle and J Cole in between. It was romantic and elegant with a vibe full of soul and culture. Exactly what we wanted.” Patience and Egan’s wedding was elegant, chill and oh-so very fun! With a timeless and classy vibe that only the downtown Portland hotel, the Sentinel could provide, Patience wore a stunner of a dress from Ania Bridal and her gorgeous makeup and hair was by Olivia Hawthorne Makeup with detail-perfect coordination from the impeccable able Bridal Bliss family. Florals by the one and only Leah with Indigo Garden. As soon as Frank Ocean via Paradox Productions faded in as Patience walked in during the ceremony ; I was floored and knew that I was in for a new take on “formal”. Needless to say it was everything and more and I absolutely loved this couple, their style, their laughter and their sweet love and I am so very happy for these two on their one year anniversary. See their fun PDX engagements here.

Family

Portland Porch Portraits!

Announcing Portland porch portraits!

Your house is your home and it really does represent your family love especially during this trying time! Your 15-20 minute mini session will include your immediate family in a short and sweet photo session at your Portland home to celebrate your strength during Covid-19. Your porch, driveway, balcony, sidewalk or garage can act as a great backdrop for these portraits. This is a historic time and you will want to remember the beauty in the chaos!

Feel free to be casual in jeans and t-shirts with bare feet or make it funny with pajamas and wine! 15% of each session goes towards our charity partner at the Oregon Food Bank to support families in need.

I will maintain a 10 feet+ distance and will be wearing a mask. I will be using longer lenses to achieve the “close up” looks. I’m always happy to include your new baby, furry friends and maternity for the portraits. Your online gallery will be available for 48 hours for you to choose the two that came in your package and order additional prints, digitals or albums. Booking May sessions now at this site.

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!

Baby

Sara & Monica
A Mt Tabor Maternity Session

After photographing Sara and Monica’s wedding in 2016, I was so excited to hear that they were expecting! It was even more exciting to find out that they wanted to do a maternity shoot to celebrate this very special time. With views of Portland in the distance we captured beautiful photos at Mt. Tabor on the SE side of the city. Monica looked radiant in a floral blue dress against a backdrop of warm autumn colors. Sara and Monica are expecting a baby girl (yeah baby Irene- who I’ve since had the honor of photographing!) and decided to bring along their pup, Sasha, to complete their first family photoshoot. I absolutely loved the ultrasound photo and those teeny tiny baby booties! I couldn’t be happier for Sara and Monica and know that they are going to be two of the best moms to this little girl. Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of photographing another amazing time in both of your lives!

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!