This Willamette Star wedding cruise started with a pretty great love story. It also required a little matchmaking across two different states.

Heidi’s boss lives in Portland, while her boss’s parents live in Minneapolis. Those parents also happened to be neighbors with the groom. Somewhere along the way, they realized these two might be perfect for each other.

They started getting to know each other over the phone before making any trips to meet in person. Once they finally did, the rest was history.

Even better, the groom officially made the move to Portland right before their wedding. Now they get to start married life together in the same city!

Starting the Day in Downtown Portland

We began the day at Hotel Zags in downtown Portland for getting ready photos. We also photographed family there in the courtyard before heading out for portraits.

Our next stop was the International Rose Test Garden. Of course, their pup needed to be part of the photos too.

Avery from Hounding Around PDX joined us to keep their dog happy and looking picture perfect. Having a dedicated dog handler makes including pets in wedding portraits so much easier.

After exploring the gardens, we headed downtown to board the Willamette Star.

A Willamette Star Wedding Cruise

The Willamette Star is part of the Portland Spirit fleet and provided such a fun setting for their celebration.

The couple held their ceremony on the upper deck while the boat was still docked. Everyone gathered closely around them for a cozy little squish of guests. I loved how intimate it felt.

After the ceremony, cocktail hour kicked off while everyone settled into the boat. Guests eventually made their way downstairs for dinner and the reception.

The dining area has such a cool look inside. I especially loved the golden ceiling with its Art Deco feel. It created a beautiful vibe for the evening.

After dinner came heartfelt toasts, the couple’s first dance, and plenty of dancing.

And there was definitely a lot of dancing.

Dancing Into the Sunset

As the sun began to disappear, the party moved back upstairs to the open deck. Everyone kept dancing as the Willamette Star cruised along the river.

There is something especially fun about photographing a wedding while Portland moves past you in the background. The changing scenery gives us completely different photo opportunities throughout the evening.

The party continued outside until it was finally time to return to the shore.

From matchmaking across state lines to finally living in the same city, these two had plenty to celebrate. Their Willamette Star wedding cruise was such a fun way to begin this next chapter together.

The Vendors

Venue: Portland Spirit Cruises, Willamette Star
Florals: Portland Florist Shop
Hair & Makeup: Heart and Soul Artistry
Cake: Helen Bernhard Bakery
DJ: PDX Mobile Music
Dog Handler: Hounding Around PDX
Photography: Crystal Genes Photography

See More From This Willamette Star Wedding Cruise

Scroll down to see more photos from this Willamette Star wedding cruise. You can also click [this link] to view the full gallery. Leave a comment below to help the couple earn some free prints!

See More Photos

Don’t forget to click [this link] to view the full gallery. And leave a comment below to help the couple earn some free prints!