Being out in nature is where I feel most at home, and the forest is my happy place. "Leave No Trace" principles are important to me to practice and educate my couples on (just ask and watch me light up). I love sharing that connection and appreciation for nature with my couples while documenting them in the landscapes they choose to explore on their elopement day.
On a more personal level - I’m a daily Chai latte drinker who secretly loves cloudy overcast days, cozy sweaters, and chasing waterfalls. In my free time you can catch me watching The Office, embroidering, cuddling my three cats, or rescuing butterflies throughout the Pacific Northwest!
Let's dream up something magical for your day
Hi, I'm Marissa!
Meet Your Wedding Photographer
to help people feel comfortable to be themselves in front of the camera.
To foster genuine connection.
To help couples have a meaningful experience for the day they say "I do".
I deeply care about my couples. This is my mission for everyone:
Meaningful moments create memories
AFTER THE DAY HAS PASSED, I WANT you TO HAVE PHOTOS That TRANSPORT you BACK TO HOW THOSE MOMENTS truly FELt
Why elopements & weddings are close to my heart
It was perfect...
I've been with my partner, Colin, for 13 years. He is one of my biggest supporters and my adventure buddy for life. He makes me laugh, is a great cook, and brings out the best in me. We got married in July 2019 and experienced the ups & downs of wedding planning firsthand.
We went from planning a big 100 person wedding (and even put the deposit down for our big venue) to realizing that wasn’t what truly felt like “us”, and instead switched gears to an intimate Oregon forest elopement with just 12 guests present.
We had a teary-eyed first look, a live butterfly release during our ceremony, and romantic portraits in front of a waterfall. I surprised him with a custom song by his favorite band about our love story. I ripped a hole in my dress on a tree root. We ate S’mores by the campfire.
It was perfect.
Want to peek at our elopement film? See it below!
WE FOLLOWeD OuR HEARTs FOR OUR BIG DAY AND I”M SO GLAD WE DID
Now I’m here to help you
follow your heart
FEATURED IN AND LOVED BY
That experience led to purpose
Supporting ALL Love
The values you and
I hold close to our hearts
The values you and I hold close to our hearts
As part of the LGBTQ+ community I support ALL love and identities because I believe everyone deserves to love & be loved for who they are. I believe all bodies are good bodies. I respect pronouns (mine are She/Her). I support the Black Lives Matter movement.
As part of the LGBTQ+ community I support ALL love and identities because I believe everyone deserves to love & be loved for who they are. I believe all bodies are good bodies. I respect pronouns (mine are She/Her). I support the Black Lives Matter movement and a Free Palestine.
We have so many distractions from the people and things that are
important in our lives. That’s why my approach is about
connection - real, honest connection. I strive to celebrate your
personalities and what’s meaningful to you and your love
story. I aim to create an environment where you can fall in love
with your partner all over again.
We have so many distractions from the people and things that are important in our lives. That’s why my approach is about connection - real, honest connection. I strive to celebrate your personalities and what’s meaningful to you two and your love story. I aim to create an environment where you can fall in love with your partner all over again.
5% of every booking is donated to a select group of nonprofits
that are serving vulnerable communities, people, environments,
and wildlife. You get to pick from the list when you book with me!
So not only can you feel good about hiring me to document your
day, but you also can feel good knowing that your investment is
also doing some good to help out local nonprofits.
5% of every booking is donated to a select group of nonprofits that are serving vulnerable communities, people, environments, and wildlife. You get to pick from the list when you book with me! So not only can you feel good about hiring me to document your day, but you also can feel good knowing that your investment is also doing some good to help out local nonprofits.
SEE THE NON-PROFITS I SUPPORt
Focusing on Connection
Giving Back
Aaron & Katanna
Marissa went above and beyond what we expected in a photographer. When she took our engagement photos we instantly knew we wanted to work with her again! She helped every step of the way by scouting locations that fit our special needs for our wedding party. Marissa took the time to do research and get to know a disability our MOH had been diagnosed with and found us the perfect location with accessibility and was very understanding with our needs and worked with us to overcome obstacles.
During the wedding day Marissa was a dream to work with. Every moment felt natural with her and she felt like part of the group. She captured every bit of love shared that day and all of the funny, candid moments as well. She even managed to perfectly photograph two wild pups who just wanted to be with mom and dad! Her attention to detail is unmatched. I will forever recommend Marissa if you are looking to elope and need some help along the way!
Amanda & Meghan
We cannot say enough good things about Marissa. As a queer couple, it was not only important, but necessary, for us to find vendors who are inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community. We instantly clicked with Marissa and could tell that she was not only inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community, but a clear activist for many marginalized communities.
Her help in our planning was immeasurable. Planning even a very small, outdoor elopement proved difficult, but Marissa was with us every step of the way. Two date changes, location closures, in-person meetings cancelled, so much anxiety, last minute decisions, etc. etc., and Marissa never even flinched. She was so easy going and helpful. Not to mention, she's also FUN. My wife and I both consider ourselves camera shy, but Marissa made the process easy. Our photos turned out so beautifully. Looking through them feels like reliving the day and we're filled with love all over again.
Cherie & Lee
Marissa was wonderful to work with for our elopement. We decided to do a hike through a forest and a ceremony on the beach. Unfortunately, portions of the trail for our hike were closed due to downed trees. Marissa helped us adjust our plans, and was so supportive throughout the planning process.
On the day of our elopement, Marissa provided an absolutely fantastic balance of planned and impromptu photos that captured so many important moments from our special day. We decided to jump in the ocean and we expected Marissa to take photos of us from the beach. We turned around and she was there with us, capturing images that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Her care and devotion was apparent from our first meeting. We strongly suggest talking with her and you will find a giving person who listens, provides feedback, and, in turn, will create poignant photos.
Ragan & Max
From the start of communications, Marissa was clearly focused on making the wedding day perfect and comfortable for us. This was first evident when she asked us our Love Languages in order to better understand and prompt us on the wedding day.
The final photographs make our wedding feel very cohesive and Marissa captured our personalities and emotions so well. She managed to find a great balance with her directions, having us just be in the moment and focus on one another. You can see the love and connectedness in the photos and we never felt pushed beyond our comfort level.
We are beyond happy with all the photos we received, and cannot imagine another photographer doing as great of a job! Hire her!
Sophie & Keven
Marissa’s photography is absolutely incredible. Not only is she extremely talented, but she’s wonderful to work with; she made us so comfortable. She wanted my husband and I to have the best possible experience, and we did! Our elopement was everything we dreamt of and more. Marissa helped us plan the whole thing and make the day stress-free as it could be. You can tell how passionate Marissa is about what she does, and you can feel how much she cares about her couples.
She even went the extra mile to scout locations for us, and visit our selected locations with us prior to our elopement day. She’s also prepared for everything. She brought us our favorite snacks, blankets, and even hand warmers since the day ended up being a little bit chilly. Her goal is to make sure you’re having the best day of your life, and she really goes the extra mile. Literally the best day ever and we have the most gorgeous photos to prove it. We’re so grateful that Marissa was a part of our elopement. We wouldn’t have done it any other way.
Katie & Alex
Having Marissa as our photographer makes me want to recommend eloping to EVERYONE. When we had to cancel our wedding due to COVID, my partner and I didn’t know what to do next — we knew we still wanted to get married, but where? when? what would it look like?
I’m not exaggerating when I say that Marissa saved our day. Not only did she roll with the punches of having to rethink what photography would look like on the day — she also helped us plan and coordinate the entire day’s events. From scouting elopement locations to hiking with us to find the perfect photo spots, she really went above and beyond to help us feel special. She made what could have been a stressful, and possibly sad, day into one of the best days of the entire year.
On top of all that, the photos she took are gorgeous! Really, there’s no downside. She’s such a blast to work with, and we really couldn’t imagine having a better day with any other photographer.
