Shannon + Cyrus’s Camp Seely California Mountain Wedding

I have a deep, enduring love for camping weddings. Mixing the fancy-pantsness of a formal event with the great outdoors is the exact recipe for magic in my book. Aside from pine needles and white dresses, camp weddings create a unique opportunity to really get to know friends and family of a couple. I don’t just get a glimpse of relationships but actually get be a part of the event in a way traditional venues and ending times could never hope to imitate. I also love that it affords the opportunity to keep my camera on me for after-hours action that usually goes undocumented when I leave a wedding after my time is up. There is such a wealth of honest and delightful moments once the booze has been flowing for a while and I love that I get to participate and capture a little of that… assuming the groom doesn’t force-feed me too much “Groom’s Milk” (which I’m pretty sure is just this but with a grosser name)  and all the photos henceforth end up out of focus.

Cyrus is a friend from our old Portland kickball days, part of the framily we built when we moved here nearly a decade ago. A creative genius and all around nicest guy you could ever hope to meet, the weekend proved that he’s also adept at surrounding himself with equally amazing people. Shannon is a creative badass in her own right, working with arts foundations and co-founding I Am a Healer, this babe is a loving and empowering force that I’m so grateful to know.

Ok, enough gushing about these two or we’ll be here all day. Let’s talk for a moment about the stunning florals and Sofreh that Cyrus’s family put together. The Sofreh is one of my most favorite wedding traditions. A sort of interactive display of items that stand as representations, symbols, and blessings for the new couple; Family and friends get to be an intimate part of the ceremony and I just love that. Continuing the symbolism throughout the day they created a merit badge earning scavenger hunt based on real-world moments from their relationship. Like the first time they met at Cochella and got really drunk on Peach Tea and Scotch that’d been sitting in the sun all day (it is EXACTLY as disgusting as it sounds). Or had a tarot reader point out that they were obviously meant to be together even before they realized it themselves. Enjoy!

This army of rad people and professionals helped make the day happen: