Raven’s Nest Timberline Lodge Winter Wedding | Naomi & Adam

A Midweek Celebration on Mount Hood

Winter weddings in the mountains carry a rhythm all their own. Snow softens the landscape, the air feels quieter, and time seems to move a little slower. Adam and Naomi’s Raven’s Nest Timberline Lodge winter wedding was a weekday celebration that turned their wedding into something more than a single day.  It became a relaxed mountain gathering that unfolded over several days with the people they love most. Their multi-day winter wedding approach let friends and family fully experience the lodge, snow, and mountain atmosphere.

Both emergency veterinarians, Adam and Naomi spend their lives caring for animals and the people who love them. Their relationship reflects that same spirit of compassion and curiosity. Silly, snuggly, and endlessly warm, Adam balances Naomi’s shy, independent, and quietly feisty nature. Together they share a love of snowboarding, camping, hiking with their dogs, and even what they jokingly call “parallel play,” where Adam might be gaming while Naomi reads beside him.

A winter wedding on Mount Hood felt less like a destination and more like an extension of the life they already share.

Turning a Wedding Into a Multi-Day Mountain Experience

Rather than compress everything into a single day, Adam and Naomi allowed their wedding to unfold slowly across the weekend. Guests arrived early, settling into the lodge and easing into the atmosphere of the mountain.

The celebration began the night before with a relaxed welcome pizza gathering at the Blue Ox, where laughter and stories flowed easily as friends and family reunited. It set the tone for the entire weekend: informal, joyful, and centered on connection.

Later that evening, Adam and Naomi settled into the Timberline’s outdoor hot tub, disappearing into a thick veil of rising steam. Snow surrounded them, the mountain was quiet, and the warmth of the water felt like the perfect pause before the celebration to come.

Originally they had imagined spending the morning of their wedding snowboarding, but as the weekend approached they chose to slow down instead, allowing space to simply experience the moment.

 

Getting Ready & Seeing Each Other

The morning of their wedding, Adam and Naomi embraced a slower pace, savoring quiet moments before the day officially began. Naomi curled up in a warm corner of her suite, surrounded by family and close friends, as hair and makeup artists added finishing touches, laughter and anticipation mingling in the air. Adam, meanwhile, spent the morning with his closest friends, enjoying casual conversations, coffee, and the calm of the mountain lodge as the snow fell outside.

Naomi and Adam had their first look in one of Timberline Lodge’s window lit spaces, creating a moment just for the two of them. As Naomi approached, Adam’s face lit up with a mix of surprise and joy, a raw, unscripted reaction that perfectly captured the connection they share. Quiet, intimate, and full of genuine emotion, this private moment allowed them to pause and truly see each other before stepping into the excitement of their ceremony, setting the tone for the rest of their wedding experience.

The Ceremony in the Raven’s Nest

Their ceremony took place at 5pm in the Raven’s Nest, one of Timberline’s most intimate spaces tucked high within the historic lodge. Large windows framed the snowy mountain landscape while warm light filled the room, creating a setting that felt both dramatic and deeply cozy.

With fewer than fifty guests present, the atmosphere felt personal and heartfelt. Every smile, every quiet glance, and every small reaction carried weight. Adam blew Naomi away when he read a poem by Joshua de Shutter that he had chosen for her. Lines like “8 billion people and I feel so alone. Without you…you are my one in infinity” opened his heart, and the room felt it all at once.

Naomi grew up surrounded by photography. Her father Paul Kitagaki and stepmother Renée C. Byer are a  Pulitzer Prize–winning duo working at The Sacremento Bee. They are photojournalists, which could easily feel intimidating for any wedding photographer. Instead, it was deeply meaningful to receive their encouragement and praise throughout the day. Their presence served as a reminder that great photography is ultimately about observation, patience, and truth.

The goal was simple: allow moments to unfold naturally and capture them honestly: laughter, hugs, and the subtle expressions that reveal what a day truly felt like.

Epic Moment in the Snow

Stepping outside after the ceremony, the mountain greeted Adam and Naomi with softly falling snow and the quiet calm that only winter on Mount Hood can offer. We stole just a few minutes with them outside Timberline Lodge, where one fleeting moment turned into something unforgettable.  A dramatic portrait of the two of them surrounded by swirling snow, the lodge glowing warmly behind them. It was the kind of scene you can’t plan, only recognize when it appears: a brief pause in the celebration where the mountain seemed to frame the beginning of their marriage.

When the Dance Floor Came Alive

If the ceremony carried quiet emotion, the reception was pure release. As the evening unfolded inside the lodge, the dance floor quickly transformed into a joyful storm of movement and laughter. Friends and family who had traveled to the mountain together for several days let loose in the way only close communities can, singing loudly, spinning wildly, and celebrating Adam and Naomi with the kind of unfiltered enthusiasm that fills a room with energy.

At one point the celebration took an unforgettable turn when their friends surprised them with a spontaneous chair dance, lifting Adam and Naomi high above the dance floor while everyone cheered and surrounded them in a circle of pure celebration. In the middle of that moment, laughter, motion, and emotion all colliding, we captured a photograph (1st photo at the top of this post) that was recognized by Fearless Photographers with a 2026 Fearless Award – collection 96. With more than 10,000 photographs submitted and roughly one percent selected, the image stood out for the same reason the entire weekend did: it captured people fully present, completely themselves, and celebrating with everything they had.

It was the perfect reflection of Adam and Naomi’s wedding weekend: heartfelt, a little wild, and filled with the kind of joy that can’t be staged.

Why Naomi & Adam’s Winter Wedding in the Raven’s Nest Was So Special

Naomi & Adam’s winter wedding in the Raven’s Nest showed exactly why this space is magical for a mountain celebration. The snow outside framed the lodge like a natural wonder, while the warm light and historic architecture inside made every moment feel cozy and intimate. Choosing a midweek, multi-day wedding allowed them to slow down, truly savor the weekend, and spend quality time with their closest friends and family. From quiet first moments to a lively, award-winning dance party, their celebration captured the kind of connection and joy that makes winter weddings in the Raven’s Nest unforgettable.

Planning a Raven’s Nest Timberline Lodge winter wedding

Adam and Naomi’s celebration offers a glimpse into what makes winter weddings at Timberline Lodge so special. Embracing the slower rhythm of the season allows couples and guests to truly experience the mountain rather than rush through the day.

Smaller guest lists naturally create intimacy, while the snowy alpine environment provides atmosphere that needs very little decoration. Simple gatherings: a welcome dinner, quiet time outdoors, or soaking in an epic hot tub, often become the moments people remember most.

Adam and Naomi’s Raven’s Nest Timberline Lodge winter wedding was a reminder that the magic of a winter celebration doesn’t come from elaborate plans or perfect conditions. It comes from embracing the environment, slowing down enough to experience it, and sharing the mountain with the people who matter most.

If you are a planning a celebration here, checkout our comprehensive guide to Timberline Lodge & Silcox Hut weddings to see why it’s one of our favorite places to photograph for more planning insight and venue details. We will help you make the most meaningful experience possible.

Looking for your photographers?

As Portland Wedding Photographers, we are a quick drive to Mt Hood and are happy to help and support you with the most meaningful experience possible.

We are filled with joy by the kind Google Review Naomi shared with us about their experience.

Accolades:

The chair dance photo (first image) recently won a Fearless Photographers award in the latest Winter 2026 contest. Over 10k photos are submitted and this moment was one of the top 1% selected. This same photo was also awarded by ISPWP in their latest Spring 2026 contest. Huge thanks to our trusted lighting assistant Angela Watts w/ Tekorose Photography for joining our team to help light up the moments! Teamwork makes the light work!

Naomi’s getting ready photo was also selected by Worlds Best Wedding Photos as one of their top 10 “Editors Pics” for 2026.

For more inspiration see a full collection of our award winning wedding photography.

Hats off to all the talented vendors:

Wedding Planners: Jessica Herrick w/ JH Events & Gabby Skolfield w/ Weddings by Gabrielle
Venue: Timberline Lodge Resort – IG: @timberlinelodge
Wedding Dress Tailor: Lucky Lady Bend – IG: @luckyladybend
Floral: Heights Floral – IG: @heightsfloral
Hair & Makeup: Edge Hair Makeup – IG: @edgehairmakeup
Bridal: Bella Brides Bend – IG: @bellabridesbend
DJ: DJ Royal PDX – IG: @RoyalePDX
Cake: Lux Sucre Desserts – IG: @luxsucredesserts

See other winter weddings we’ve captured at Timberline Lodge:

 

For Photographers:

If you are a photographer looking to up your winter wedding game. Check out: