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Hi, I'm Taylor.

Taylor is a wedding and elopement photographer traveling worldwide. Documenting one-of-a-kind love stories through a tailored experience.

@taylordenton

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Modern Asian Wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes

Tarim and James’ Asian wedding took place at one of Oregon’s most beautiful wedding venues. The couple included special traditions and embraced everything that came their way! Keep reading to see some of my favorite moments from this one-of-a-kind wedding day!

How Tarim + James Planned Their Modern Asian Wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes

Planning a wedding is a very exciting time! One of the things that make wedding planning so special is being able to include meaningful traditions into your day. Tarim and James both come from Korean families, so when planning their wedding, they were really excited to be able to plan a modern Asian wedding that reflected their personal style, while also including a few Korean wedding traditions that were important to them.

The couple chose to get married at Bridal Veil Lakes, a garden-style wedding venue in Oregon with a serene environment. Overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, the venue is filled with rolling hills and lush gardens giving off fairytale wedding vibes.

Tarim and James’ Bridal Veil Lakes Wedding

Tarim and James’ wedding day kicked off with Tarim getting ready with her girls at her home. After everyone had finished getting ready, they headed over to Bridal Veil Lakes. There Tarim and James shared their first look and we were able to spend a few quiet minutes together walking the trail around the venue’s beautiful lake. Tarim was pregnant at the time, so we also took the opportunity to get a few bump photos in her wedding dress.

The weather forecast showed on-and-off rain all day, but the stars aligned, and Tarim and James were able to hold their outdoor wedding ceremony rain-free! As if that wasn’t enough, just as Tarim and James were completing their vows, the sun broke through the clouds celebrating their union with them. Everyone took a long moment to enjoy the warmth and soak in the sun’s beautiful rays.

As we were wrapping up wedding party photos after the ceremony, we were all quickly encouraged to head to the reception by a sudden blast of cold and windy rain. Everyone had a good spirit about it and thankfully, we had lots of cute umbrellas to shield us from the downpour.

A Fun-Filled Reception with a Traditional Korean Wedding Ceremony

At their dinner reception, Tarim and James, and their guests all enjoyed the usual dinner, cake cutting, and speeches. Afterward, the couple changed into their traditional Korean wedding outfits for their Paebaek ceremony. This traditional Korean wedding ceremony is a fun unification typically performed after the main wedding ceremony. It usually includes “formal bowing, a tea ceremony, and the couple catching chestnuts and dates.” Tarim and James drank tea with their parents and and one of their grandparents after which the parents threw chestnuts and dates into Tarim’s apron. The number of chestnuts/dates she caught symbolized the number of children they would have. They wrapped up the ceremony with a piggyback ride around the table and a gender reveal with a mini cake.

When I later asked Tarim and James if they had any advice for future couples planning a wedding they told me, “Accept that nature will take its course and just have a good time, but be prepared!” Your wedding day might not always go as planned, but if you do your best to prepare and accept what comes your way instead of trying to change it, you’ll be much better off!

For more Oregon wedding inspiration, check out Shannon and Ryan’s fall Thunder Island wedding.