Jason and Nora found me through a Google search when they were new to Colorado and wanted to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary with portraits. Even then, they understood that marriage deserves to be marked, remembered, and celebrated.
Since that first session, I’ve photographed their son as a newborn, their tenth anniversary, and countless family portraits in between. Somehow, we missed year fifteen, and suddenly, another decade had passed. So for their twentieth, Jason planned something unforgettable.
We traveled to Abeja, a winery in Walla Walla, Washington, where their love of fine wine first began to take root. Washington holds its own significance: Jason grew up near Seattle, and it’s where he and Nora met in college. Returning to a place woven so deeply into their story made this anniversary feel like both a homecoming and a glimpse of everything still ahead.
All around us, southeastern Washington was burning. The skies shifted from wild, smoky orange to dark and gray, while helicopters carrying enormous water buckets crossed overhead. It created a surreal and ever-changing backdrop, adding an unexpected intensity to the beauty and emotion of the weekend.
Jason wanted these photographs to capture more than the two of them. He wanted to remember the vineyards, the quiet corners of the winery, and the landscape that has become part of their shared history. More than anything, he wanted the images to reflect the kind of love that twenty years creates: deep confidence, unfiltered conversations, unwavering companionship, and the daily decision to keep choosing each other.
Watching their story unfold over the past fifteen years has been one of the great privileges of my work. To stand beside them again, camera in hand, and document this chapter was a gift I won’t soon forget.
Jason and Nora, here’s to twenty years of choosing each other, and to all the beautiful years still waiting to be poured.
With love, joy, and gratitude,
René
