Hellen & Kelan

The Grotto Portland Wedding | Vietnamese Catholic Roots in a Cinematic Cliffside Setting

portland, oregon

Elevated view of The Grotto Portland's domed bell tower with a cross, surrounded by towering evergreens and overlooking a sweeping view of Northeast Portland
Bride and groom touching foreheads amid towering fir trees and lush ferns at The Grotto Portland, a white angel statue visible among the greenery behind them
Bride in a blush off-shoulder lace gown and groom in a white shirt and black tie walking hand-in-hand across a daisy-dotted lawn at The Grotto, the chapel visible in the background
Black and white photo of the bride and groom walking hand-in-hand across a daisy-scattered lawn beneath towering fir trees at The Grotto
Bride and groom running hand-in-hand through a sunlit garden at The Grotto, red rhododendrons blooming beside the stone chapel wall
Bride and groom walking hand-in-hand through a lush garden path at The Grotto, red rhododendrons and a stone building visible behind them
Bride resting her arm on the groom's shoulder as they pose on a sun-dappled path at The Grotto, red and pink rhododendrons in the background
Portrait of the bride in a blush off-shoulder lace gown smiling softly at the camera, pink rhododendrons softly blurred behind her
Wide shot of the bride and groom standing side by side on a sun-drenched path at The Grotto, towering evergreens and blooming rhododendrons behind them
Black and white double-exposure of The Grotto's stone building and a garden Mary statue, layered with the surrounding forest canopy
Profile portrait of the bride in a blush off-shoulder gown gazing to the side in soft dappled garden light, pearl earring and engagement ring visible
Close-up portrait of a smiling bride and groom in dappled forest light at The Grotto, her hand resting on his chest
Solo portrait of the groom in a white shirt and black tie smiling softly in dappled forest light at The Grotto
Close-up portrait of the groom laughing broadly in dappled forest light at The Grotto, white shirt and black tie
Overhead close-up of the bride and groom lying on a daisy-covered lawn at The Grotto, she gazing up at the camera, he with eyes closed
Bride in a blush gown and groom in a white shirt lying on a daisy-dotted lawn at The Grotto, both smiling with eyes closed in the sunlight
Black and white overhead shot of the bride and groom lying side-by-side on a daisy-covered lawn at The Grotto, laughing and looking up
Double-exposure close-up of the couple's hands clasped together amid a field of white daisies, the bride's engagement ring and the groom's watch visible
Black and white photo of bridesmaids in satin dresses fussing over the bride — fixing her hair and gown — inside The Grotto's reception hall
The cave grotto shrine at The Grotto Portland, featuring a Pietà sculpture, candles, and colorful floral offerings set into a mossy basalt rock face
Wedding guests including a young ring bearer, flower girl in a white dress, and a man carrying a toddler walk through The Grotto's outdoor amphitheater seating before the ceremony
Overhead shot looking straight down at the bride in a lace ball gown and veil ascending the curved stone staircase at The Grotto
Black and white photo of the bride in a full ball gown and veil carefully navigating a staircase at The Grotto, her skirt billowing around her
A bridesmaid in a forest green dress carries the bride's lace train through The Grotto gardens as the couple walks ahead, red rhododendrons blooming behind them
Wide ceremony shot of the bride and groom at the altar before The Grotto's massive basalt cave, the Pietà sculpture and candlelit shrine above, guests seated in wooden benches below
The groom places a ring on the bride's finger at The Grotto outdoor altar, a priest in white vestments officiating, the cave shrine and colorful flowers behind them
Wide shot of wedding guests seated on wooden benches in The Grotto's outdoor amphitheater, surrounded by towering fir trees, awaiting the ceremony
Groom with hand on his chest and a moved expression standing beside the smiling bride in her tiara and veil at The Grotto ceremony site, the lit grotto glowing behind them
The groom takes the bride's hands and smiles at her at the altar, a colorful floral arrangement at the foot of the steps and forest greenery behind them at The Grotto
Bride and groom seen from behind climbing the mossy stone steps toward The Grotto's cave altar, candles glowing inside the shrine
Wide shot of the bride and groom sitting together on the stone steps before The Grotto's dramatic basalt cave altar, lit candles and colorful flower offerings surrounding the Pietà sculpture above them
Bride and groom sharing their first kiss at The Grotto's cave altar, the Pietà sculpture and glowing candelabras visible in the rock grotto behind them
Bride and groom walking back up the outdoor aisle at The Grotto after the ceremony, both beaming, guests applauding on either side
Black and white photo of the groom kissing the bride's temple as they recess up the aisle at The Grotto, guests applauding and smiling on both sides
Close-up of the bride laughing joyfully beside a smiling man in a black suit as they walk back up the aisle at The Grotto, her white peony bouquet in hand
Black and white candid of two men crouching to tend to the ring bearer's shoe on a bench, one also holding a toddler flower girl, with wedding guests milling in the background at The Grotto
A woman in a floral dress drapes a green maile lei around the groom's neck as he smiles warmly, tall fir trees in the background at The Grotto
Two men in suits wearing green maile lei lean in close, one smelling the lei, with the bride and wedding party blurred in the background outside The Grotto chapel
A woman in a floral blouse adjusts the bride's veil and neckline under a stone archway at The Grotto, the bride holding a white bouquet
Close-up of a bridesmaid in green wearing a white floral lei laughing with hands clasped, the bride in her veil softly blurred in the background
Black and white close-up of the bride and groom nearly nose-to-nose under her veil, both wearing Hawaiian lei — his a green maile lei, hers a white pikake lei
Black and white close-up of the bride's face partially obscured by her veil, her tiara and pearl earring visible through the tulle
Profile portrait of the bride in an off-shoulder lace ball gown and tiara holding a white and green bouquet, The Grotto's stone wall behind her
Full-length portrait of the bride in an off-shoulder lace ball gown with a long cathedral train and tiara, standing in profile before The Grotto's ornate gold doors
Close detail shot of the bride's lace cathedral train and sheer veil layered over the stone threshold at The Grotto's gold chapel doors
Black and white portrait of the bride framed between the gold doors of The Grotto's chapel, looking down at her white rose and greenery bouquet
Close profile of the bride looking down, her white pikake lei and tiara visible beneath her sheer veil against a dark background
Close-up detail of the bride's white pikake lei draped over her bare shoulder, her engagement ring and french-tipped nails visible as she adjusts it
Solo portrait of the groom in a black suit wearing a green maile lei, smiling in front of The Grotto's ornate gold chapel doors
Bride and groom laughing with two friends outside The Grotto's gold doors — a bridesmaid in a sage green dress and a groomsman in a light suit
Full-length portrait of the bride smiling over her shoulder in the white colonnaded corridor of The Grotto, her lace ball gown and cathedral train pooling around her
Wide shot of the bride and groom sharing a kiss on the colonnaded upper terrace of The Grotto's stone building, her white bouquet and ball gown train visible below the railing
Close portrait of the groom with his hand on the bride's chin as she smiles with eyes closed on the colonnaded terrace at The Grotto, her white bouquet in the foreground
Black and white candid of a tiny flower girl in a white tulle dress standing beside a man in a tan suit in The Grotto's courtyard, the bride blurred in the foreground
Bride in a lace ball gown and veil kneeling on the ground at The Grotto, smiling down at the ring bearer who has fallen asleep across the skirt of her gown
Candid shot of the bride and groom seated together backstage in their red Vietnamese áo dài, both smiling, traditional artwork and framed photos on the wall behind them
Bride and groom laughing together at the reception in red embroidered Vietnamese áo dài, she wearing a red nón lá, a sequined backdrop behind them
Black and white wide shot of the couple making their grand entrance in red Vietnamese áo dài at Mekong Bistro, guests seated at white-draped tables applauding on either side
Bride and groom in red Vietnamese áo dài cutting their white tiered wedding cake together at Mekong Bistro, stage lights glowing above them
Bride and groom in matching red Vietnamese áo dài feeding each other wedding cake at Mekong Bistro, a Yamaha drum kit visible on stage behind them
Two men laughing together at a wedding reception table, one wearing a green maile lei and holding a beer bottle, string lights glowing overhead
Black and white candid of a smiling older woman being handed a plate of cake at the Mekong Bistro reception, the bride visible laughing in the foreground
Two-tiered white wedding cake decorated with white roses and baby's breath, cut open to reveal green matcha layers with strawberry filling, at the Mekong Bistro reception
Two young flower girls and a toddler girl on the dance floor with a woman kneeling to tend to them, the Mekong Bistro reception hall glowing behind them
A male singer in a white suit performing on the Mekong Bistro stage flanked by the saxophonist and guitarist, gold star balloons on either side
Black and white photo of an older saxophonist with a white beard performing on the Mekong Bistro stage, a Yamaha drum kit behind him
Energetic table toast at the wedding reception, guests reaching in with shot glasses over a spread of shared dishes, a baby held by one of the guests
A female vocalist in a pink-red gown performing with arms outstretched on the Mekong Bistro stage, backed by a full live band including a saxophonist and keyboardist
Close-up of a keyboardist's hands playing a Yamaha keyboard on stage at the Mekong Bistro reception, stage lights glowing behind him
Four young children — including a girl in a red áo dài and a toddler in a sparkly dress — playing with party favors on the dance floor at the Mekong Bistro reception
A woman in a blue floral áo dài singing with eyes closed on the Mekong Bistro stage under warm stage lighting
Candid of a child in his red áo dài leaning on the sweetheart table at the Mekong Bistro reception, a guitarist visible on stage above him
A guest wearing a pink bow on his head dancing enthusiastically with a woman on the Mekong Bistro dance floor, the live band performing behind them
Guests of all ages dancing on the Mekong Bistro dance floor while the live band performs on stage, including a flower girl in a white dress and the saxophonist in the background
Close portrait of the bride and groom embracing and smiling at the camera at The Grotto overlook, the cloudy Portland skyline stretching out behind them
Black and white creative close-up of the couple nearly kissing, with the sweeping Portland cityscape and Columbia River visible through the negative space between their faces
Double-exposure film image of the bride and groom at The Grotto overlook, their figures layered twice against a moody overcast sky and the Portland cityscape below
Black and white photo of the bride and groom walking hand-in-hand down stone stairs at The Grotto's upper overlook, a stone lamp post above them
Soft-focus shot of the bride and groom seen from behind, looking out over a pink sunset sky and the Columbia River from The Grotto's upper overlook
Bride and groom in wedding attire posing against a stone balustrade at The Grotto's upper overlook at sunset, the Columbia River valley and pink-orange sky stretching behind them
Black and white photo of the bride and groom seated together on the stone steps at The Grotto's upper overlook, her white slit gown pooling around her as he wraps his arm around her shoulder
Black and white photo of the bride and groom navigating the stone steps at The Grotto's upper overlook, the massive basalt pillar and lamp post behind them, both looking down and smiling