Audrina and Japie were an absolute joy to photograph on their wedding day, so full of enthusiasm and excitement that is palpable in their photographs. Audrina had two beautiful dresses she picked out for the ceremony and the reception, and she wore a gorgeous crown of flowers. Japie, on the other hand, wore a handsome tweed vest, grey tie, and blue shirt. Both of their outfits complemented their personalities perfectly, as did their venue.
They were married at Hornings Hideout, a location that’s quickly becoming one of my favorites because of the lush outdoor greenery and hidden streams that are fun to explore and use as backdrops. The venue also offers the opportunity for guests to camp out after weddings, which is a fun, safe alternative to sending everyone home in cars after a night of revelry.
As it turns out, I knew Audrina from our colleges days at the University Of Oregon. While at the time our paths occasionally crossed by virtue of orbiting friend groups and the occasional party, we remained friends throughout the years on social media. As some who know me are aware, I lived in South Korea for a year teaching English and coincidentally Audrina had gotten in touch with me on Facebook around the time of my return to the states because she was similarly considering doing the same thing. She then ended up teaching English in South Korea over a couple stints for about 5 years, and during that time she met Japie, who came all the way from South Africa to teach at her school. Obviously, they hit it off and eventually got engaged.
Around that time Audrina, again, got in touch with me to ask if I’d photograph their wedding because she had seen my work online over the years. Of course I said yes, and had that not all happened, I wouldn’t have shared the experience with the bride and groom at the end of the night of throwing popcorn at each other, attempting to catch it in our mouths. It was just a little moment but it was the type that makes my job so awesome!
I just love the way connections in life come back around and bring people together. — Kyle
Kyle Carnes is a destination wedding photographer based in Portland, Oregon, who specializes in photographing outdoor weddings and adventuresome couples. If you dig the work and would like to inquire please click on Connect and share a little bit about your wedding or engagement plans.