An absolutely gorgeous and moving Timberline Lodge wedding. Born in two different countries on two different continents, 9,000 miles apart, from Rwanda to Oregon, Taylor and Jackson found each other. Finding a needle in a haystack IS possible. A special alchemy of friendship in the most unusual combinations united these two. Only something outside of logic could write a story like this.
Who would know that in 2009 in Northern Rwanda, at a school Jackson wasn’t initially assigned to, he would find his best friends who would help shape the rest of his life? Who would know that Taylor working in Portland Oregon in 2014 for a non-profit with young leaders in East Africa would become fast friends with Jackson’s best friend who arbitrarily resettled to Portland from Rwanda? Fast forward 4 more years after friends telling friends about other friends Jackson and Taylor meet in person, on a snowy day in Portland. At the time Jackson was working in Boston, but after meeting Taylor his curiosity was piqued. A small voice in Jackson said, “Jackson, it’s time to move!” Without hesitation, he drove 3,000 miles across the snow-covered US to move to Portland Oregon to get to know Taylor more. It was a true leap of faith for Jackson moving forward with his inner compass. While their lives couldn’t have begun farther apart, it’s clear that even from their beginnings, Life was preparing them for a lifetime together.
Photographing Taylor and Jackson’s destination Timberline Lodge wedding was a feast of JOY! Rarely have we seen such endless BLISS pour out of everyone during every… single… given moment. When we arrived at Timberline Lodge all of us rode up in the snowcat up to Silcox Hut at 7 thousand feet for their welcome gathering. The sky was brilliantly lit with gold-pink-lavender. Profound stories, spontaneous dancing, group harmonizing songs and prayers will echo far into the future from this gorgeous gathering. The next day Taylor and Jackson were married in the Timberline Lodge Ravens Nest. Another Timberline Lodge wedding once again provided a legendary womb that continues to shape lives.
“The preview photos they have given us have BLOWN us away! I think you’d be hard-pressed to find another duo that will care this much about you and their photos of you.”
— Taylor G.
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🏔️ Timberline Lodge Wedding & Event Space Quick Reference TIPS
Iconic Mt. Hood Ceremony & Event Spaces
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Silcox Hut Welcome Gathering: Perched at 7,000 feet, this is the ultimate rustic, high-alpine experience. For Taylor and Jackson’s wedding, guests took an unforgettable snowcat ride up the mountain for an intimate, sunset welcome gathering. It’s perfect for a dramatic micro-wedding or kickstarting a multi-day celebration.
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The Ravens Nest Ceremony: Located inside the main historic lodge, this indoor sanctuary features stunning wooden architecture and a cozy atmosphere. It served as the perfect intimate backdrop for Taylor and Jackson’s ceremony when moving inside from the mountain elements.
Best Times of Year to Marry on Mt. Hood
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Winter Wonderland (November – April): This season offers guaranteed snow and unmatched, cozy fireside vibes inside the lodge. Tip: Remind your guests to pack sturdy winter layers and boots for outdoor portraits in the snow!
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Summer & Fall (July – September): Ideal if you are dreaming of clear, panoramic views of the summit and hiking through vibrant alpine wildflowers.
The Golden Photography Tip
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Catch the Alpine Glow: Work with your photographer to step away for 15 minutes during dinner. The alpine sunset yields breathtaking gold, pink, and lavender skies over the mountain that look absolutely magical in portraits.
🗺️ Planning your own mountain celebration?
- Explore our comprehensive Timberline Lodge & Silcox Hut Wedding Guide for more venue timelines, location breakdowns, and award-winning galleries.
🏆 Award-Winning Wedding Photography Accolades
Accolades:
We were SO inspired by this wedding! Taylor and Jackson and their entire group gave us the best of the best energy throughout the entire wedding. We are thrilled to say this one wedding was given SIX international awards and many other blog, social, and affiliate top popular recognitions.
Fearless Photographers gave our team 4 FEARLESS PHOTOGRAPHERS AWARDS for this wedding awarding us with 4 fearless awards and 1 finalist. Only 1% of 10-15k+ photos submitted to Fearless Awards are awarded.
The International Society of Portrait and Wedding Photographers awarded Tree’s photo of Taylor getting ready in their 2023 Summer contest. Look at image 33 in this blog post.
Magmod loved the first dance photo so much they featured it on their Instagram feed and it is one of the most liked photos in their feed. Fearless photographers loved two of the first dance photos so much they featured it on their blog and had judges do an on-line critique of one of them included in the top 12 best first dance photos. Taylor and Jackson’s creative bridal party portrait was also featured by Fearless Photographers listing their favorite “wedding group” portraits. Worlds Best Wedding Photos loved the “joy” in this wedding so much they included it in their “Ode To Joy” blog article.
And WOW… Business Insider nominated Tylor & Jackson’s dance photo in their pure joy reception photos.
Extraordinary thanks to all the amazing vendors who helped make this wedding so meaningful and beautiful.
Photographers: Jos & Tree | Venue and Catering: Timberline Lodge & Silcox Hut
Flowers: Sammy’s Flowers | Brides Dress: BHLDN, shoes: TOMS
Grooms tux: Men’s Warehouse | DJ: John Ross Studios (DJ Kelly)
Rings: Kassab Jewelers | Cake: JaCivas
Ambassadors & Affiliates: MagMod | Holdfast Gear | Visual Flow Lightroom Presets | SLR Lounge | Superfeel | Fundy Designer | DVLOP | Fearless Photographers | International Society of Wedding Photographers | Worlds Best Wedding Photos