Central Oregon is one of my favorite places for weddings in the Pacific Northwest because of its desert landscapes and being more reliable for dry weather. Chris and Kristen booked their Aspen Lakes Golf Course wedding among the Ponderosa pines in Sisters, Oregon in early August. Although the forecast called for a sprinkle of rain (rare at this time of year), it worked out well by clearing the air of wildfire smoke in the morning and remaining dry for the rest of the day. As the smoke dissipated, the sky gave way to view of the Sisters mountains to serve as a faint background behind the ceremony.

Aspen Lakes Golf Course is closest to the town of Sisters and is among many resorts in Central Oregon. Guests can stay in Sisters, Bend, or in one of the resorts like Black Butte Ranch. If you or your guests are coming from the Portland area, it makes for a wonderful weekend trip that people would be happy to attend. As an Oregon wedding photographer, I love making the short trip to Bend (and all of Central Oregon) for the warm-toned landscape unique to the desert.

Having an Aspen Lakes Golf Course wedding means you’ll have space for both the bride and groom to get ready with their parties separately. Chris was located downstairs with easy access to take some photos outside, while Kristen was upstairs in a room with a balcony. I loved the photos of her looking over the golf course as she prepared for their first look. These two kept their wedding party small, with only a maid of honor and best man by their sides.

I started with detail photos on the ceremony lawn with the couple’s accessories laid out on boulders and Kristen’s dress hanging in an aspen tree. This gorgeous dress is from Bespoke Bride in Bend. They went with shades of blue in their accessories, the groom’s suit, and the family’s attire, which fit well into the landscape around us. Their florals were colorful and brought life to the ceremony and reception spaces.

The couple opted for a first look so that they could take all the photos they wanted before the ceremony and save as much time as possible to spend with the guests who traveled to be with them. The ceremony lawn made a lovely backdrop for their first set of portraits with the landscaping around the grass. It would not be a Central Oregon wedding without taking some photos in the pines, and these turned out to be my favorite set of portraits from the day!

As the ceremony grew closer, guests arrived and took their seats on the patio. Children came down the aisle with bubble blowers in lieu of throwing petals, which got many laughs from the audience. When the ceremony concluded, they made their way back down the aisle with all of the guests blowing bubbles. I highly recommend something similar to this at the end of all ceremonies because you get the same type of photo as a grand exit or send-off at the end of the night, and you don’t need to keep your photographer all night if you don’t need all of that coverage.

Aspen Lakes Golf Course has a wonderful reception space as well. All the dinner tables were located inside, with some downstairs and some upstairs where you could look down over the railing. Having the upstairs access allowed for a lot of unique reception photos and made it easy to get a photo of all the guests together on the dance floor. If you prefer an outdoor dance floor, the patio space is also an option to enjoy the fresh air in Sisters.

The sun began to set over this amazing wedding day and we got a gorgeous sunset with a little smoke still lingering in the distance. I highly recommend having an Aspen Lakes Golf Course wedding in Central Oregon. Their staff was great to work with and the views are incredible. The in-house catering was also some of my favorite! It checks a ton of boxes on my personal list when it comes to wedding venues. That list includes a bridal suite, many options for photo backdrops, and indoor and outdoor reception options.

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