Couple poses for dramatic wedding photos with blazing Oregon wildfires as backdrop before being forced to flee

• Michael Wolber and April Hartley had to relocate their wedding reception after a small Oregon brush fire grew into a massive wildfire on Saturday
• As their guests fled, the couple raced to take photographs with the smokey inferno as the stunning backdrop

By Joshua Gardner

Published: 11:23 EDT, 9 June 2014 | Updated: 13:49 EDT, 9 June 2014

A raging wildfire could have turned an Oregon couple's wedding into a nightmare on Saturday, but the adaptable bride and groom instead saw an opportunity to create stunningly unique wedding photos.

Michael Wolber and April Hartley were hosting their nuptials in the gorgeous outdoor scenery near Bend, Oregon when what started as a small brush fire quickly grew into a raging inferno.

Moments after Hartley began her walk down the aisle, fire trucks shattered the peaceful scene and firefighters regretfully told bride, groom and celebrants to find safer ground.

Striking: Michael Wolber and April Hartley were moments away from tying the knot in Bend, Oregon on Saturday when a small brush fire exploded into a massive wildfire

Stunning: Instead of running immediately, the couple decided to make the looming fire and smoke into a stunning backdrop to their wedding photos

'Incredibly, the fireman then told us we could have the ceremony and then had to leave,' wrote photographer Josh Newton on his Facebook.

The wedding was abbreviated to just fifteen minutes, according to Wildfiretoday.com.

Newton said the guests showed no sign of annoyance and were happy to help relocate the reception to a safer place as the fire raged just six miles away.

'While the guests, caterers, and DJ all moved to Drake Park and setup, we snuck away and got some of the most incredible wedding photos I've ever taken,' said the professional photographer, who used just his phone to snap some of the most striking photos.

Looming: Using just his phone's camera, photographer Josh Powell took this photo of the loving couple as the fire raged six miles away

Displaced: Firefighters allowed the couple to have an abbreviated ceremony before telling them they needed, wedding party and all, to find a safer spot for the reception

As inspired as the shots were, Newton said he was even more awed by the way everyone involved handled themselves in the face of what could have been disaster.

'Everyone moved the entire wedding to a park in Bend, all with smiles and good attitudes. It showed everyone at the wedding what really mattered - the people and the couple,' he wrote.

As the beautiful couple move on with their new life together, some residents of the Bend area were praying the Two Bulls fire would spare their homes as it raged, uncontained, through Sunday.

By Saturday night, 250 homes had been evacuated and some 6,200 acres were consumed by Sunday.

High winds that fueled the fires on Saturday lessened on Sunday but by late Monday and into Tuesday were expected to ramp back up and hinder fighters' efforts.

Positive experience: After their short ceremony, everyone helped happily to move the entire party to a safer place

Inspiring: Photographer Josh Powell said he was incredibly inspired by the way everyone pitched in to make the wedding a success