Courtney and Greg’s journey together began long before they realized it. Though they met officially in middle school, their paths may have crossed earlier—Courtney visiting her grandparents behind the park where he grew up. As high school sophomores, after years of shared social events and school activities, they began dating, a relationship that quickly blossomed despite the challenges of being two young people figuring out their futures.
When college came, they braced for the inevitable breakup due to distance but, despite their best intentions, never quite pulled the plug. Instead, they navigated the complexities of long-distance love with handwritten letters and frequent visits, learning the importance of patience and perseverance. Their bond deepened through personal growth, routine moments, and a shared understanding of what they were building together. From moving to San Francisco and settling into a life, they discovered that their stability was rooted in each other—and the people around them.
The couple grew up in Oregon and knew they wanted to return there to celebrate their wedding. Captured by BRITT RENE PHOTO, they chose BLACK BUTTE RANCH in Sisters, Oregon, a special place for both families. Nestled in the Cascade Mountain Range, the ranch’s 8-square-mile property features 500 cabins, two golf courses, and stunning views surrounded by ponderosa pines. They had both spent long weekends there as kids, making it the perfect setting to share their marriage celebration with family and friends.
With a “garden party in the mountains” theme, they aimed to highlight the natural beauty of Central Oregon. Many of their guests had never visited Oregon before, and they were excited to show them the area’s charm. Wanting a ceremony that reflected their laid-back personalities, they opted for a non-religious service officiated by a close friend, Preston, who had been part of their lives since middle school. Katy from BRIDAL BLISS worked closely with the couple to pull all the elements together.
For the florals, HIGH DESERT FLORALS created arrangements with bright dahlias in reds, pinks, and yellows—seasonal and personal, as dahlias are the couple’s favorite flower and also their mother’s. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed passed appetizers and croquet on the lodge’s lawn before the reception. Instead of a traditional sit-down dinner, they chose open seating and food stations to encourage mingling. One of the highlights was seeing people dance together who otherwise would never have met.
The reception was lively, thanks to a well-curated mix of music by their DJ, Shawn. The night ended with an old-school house party at a cabin, reflecting how the couple started their relationship back in high school. It was the perfect way to round out their unforgettable day.



The couple grew up in Oregon and knew they wanted to return there to celebrate their wedding.



THE PROPOSAL
We live on the north side of San Francisco near the part of the bay that looks from Alcatraz to the Golden Gate bridge and walk along the water when the weather permits, which is almost every day. On one Monday evening in August, when the sunset allowed us to start the walk at 8:30pm, Greg and I set off on our typical loop. About a third of the way through the walk we stopped on the jetty to watch the sunset as it was just passing behind the bridge. Greg started talking about how much fun we have together and how we should do that forever, I (still clueless to what is going on) went in for a kiss which then left him in a half lunge until he could break away and get down on one knee. Seeing I was thoroughly surprised, I didn’t have my phone on me to memorialize the moment with a picture. Luckily, my best friend, Brenna, was hiding in plain sight wearing exclusively her roommates clothing, down to the baseball cap and sneakers, with a camera to catch the moment.
My two asks for a proposal was that I needed there to be photos I can look back on forever and it needed to be a surprise, seeing we’d been together for 12 years at that point, the surprise was harder of the two asks but he was immensely successful. Turns out that Greg had the ring hidden in a shoe for nine months, taking it out on a weekend adventure a handful of times waiting for the perfect moment.

GETTING READY & THE FIRST LOOK
My bridesmaids and the ladies of our families got ready at the cabin we were staying in at The Ranch. It was wonderful to be surrounded by the women close to me. Everything was wonderful until I remembered I hadn’t written down my vows in the booklet yet (I know, I know, ridiculous). I had to lock myself into a room and scribble as fast as possible to stay on schedule. Luckily, the delay in timing meant my dad and brother arrived with the trolley of groomsmen to pick up the bridesmaid before I left, allowing us to have a first look.
Greg and I shared a private moment at Homestead Pond, an isolated landmark that’s far removed from the The Lodge where the ceremony was conducted, during which we exchanged vows. This turned out to be our only extended moment alone together the entire day! It was a beautiful scene for our first look with Mt. Washington, which was vivid on the horizon, adding to the breath taking backdrop. We both think it was one of, if not the, favorite moment of the day that we will cherish forever.



With a “garden party in the mountains” theme, they aimed to highlight the natural beauty of Central Oregon. Many of their guests had never visited Oregon before, and they were excited to show them the area’s charm.





THE FASHION
I was the girl who watched Say Yes to the Dress when I was a kid so always knew I loved the romantic shape of the A-line skirt, but didn’t love having to navigate with that large of a skirt all night. So the perfect solution was a slim cut dress with an overskirt that could be easily removed. After hunting at a handful of different stores, I fell in love with a dress by NEWHITE with a slim silhouette and organza across the sweetheart neckline. My vision was timeless, elegant, clean, structured, and a little fun and this dress is that all. The brand also carried an organza overskirt in that collection that matched the fabric of the top of the dress. After customization to the skirt, by doubling the fabric, and to the top, by tripling the fabric, the dress was perfect. Greg wanted to do something “fun” for his suit so picked a powder blue suit from SUIT SUPPLY with a pop of pattern in the lining.



THE HONEYMOON
We stayed at The Ranch until Tuesday, allowing us to soak in the calm of the property after the wedding had ended and the guests had left. After that, we flew down to Oaxaca, Mexico to do what we do best: walk, eat, and drink. Oaxaca is the cultural and culinary capital of Mexico and we had so much fun soaking in married life exploring a new town.





