2 min read

Christmas Time Winter Wedding at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church | Lake Oswego, Oregon

Shannon & Eric

A Christmas Winter Wedding Elopement

I was so happy to be the Portland wedding photographer that Shannon & Eric choose for their Christmas time winter wedding at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church. I am so glad Shannon found my wedding photographer profile on Instagram.

Shannon and Eric met when they were taking their kids to college. They both happened to be attending the same orientation for Oregon State University. Eric took a seat next to Shannon and said “Hi”. And four years later they found themselves happily in love and planning a wedding involving their blended family, including 4 kids.

Eric and Shannon choose to be married at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church because they are members of the church. According to the church’s website, their parish formally began on October 12, 1890, with the dedication of Sacred Heart Catholic Church at First and E Streets, a building that still stands today. Later in 1942, they moved to the present site in Lake Oswego, so much history inside 4 walls. The current church as it stands is beautiful in it’s traditional design. With straight lines, stain glass and a stunning interior.

The day of the wedding it felt like there was a little Christmas magic in the air. Luckily the weather held for us, as snow was on the horizon in the coming days. It was still cold outside but Shannon and Eric didn’t mind braving the cold for some wedding photos outside. Shannon had the smart idea to plan a matching faux fur shall to go with her wedding dress. It’s a smart way to add a little warmth and if you like, a pop of color.

The church was wedding ready and festively decorated for the holidays, with garland and Christmas trees. The wedding ceremony was a traditional catholic mass, though in light of the season they also included some Christmas carols. With it being a small intimate wedding, more like an elopement, each person attending was also able to be part of the ceremony. It truly felt like two families coming together as one.

I love when couples share about their experience after having worked with me as their wedding photographer. Shannon's 5- star review on The Knot, was straight to the point:

"We made the right choice to hire Cambrae."