The Columbia River Gorge might just be the quintessential Oregon experience when people think of eloping in Oregon.

If you’re not from the Pacific Northwest, what do you picture when you think of Oregon? Mossy forests with gushing waterfalls and towering trees, perhaps.

While those things are great (seriously, we love them), Oregon is much more than that. A tour of the Columbia River Gorge can showcase some of the incredible diversity that Oregon has to offer.

I had the privilege of showing Lacey & Dylan through some of my favorite parts of Oregon during their elopement in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge.

Getting Elopement Ready in Hood River

I met Lacey & Dylan at their hotel in Hood River. Up on the hill, overlooking the river town, they sipped champagne as they leisurely did their makeup and got their hair done by the wonderful Braids By Emily Drew.

Lacey & Dylan’s personal style in undeniable in all the details they chose. My personal favorite story of their details is about Dylan’s hat. Apparently, sometime during their drive (from Wisconsin!), Dylan realized he’d packed the wrong stetson… which was not a fun realization. But instead of panicking or using the wrong hat, they took the opportunity to visit a special hat maker that Dylan had his eye on, slightly rerouting their drive. While a bit inconvenient, it afforded the opportunity to get a custom hat with their elopement date.

Kicking things off in earnest, Lacey and Dylan opted to do a first look at the garden by their hotel.

Waterfall Elopement Ceremony at Latourell Falls

From Hood River, we headed down the Columbia to Latourell Falls. There are many scenic waterfalls in Oregon, and Latourell is one of my favorites.

As a self-proclaimed nature nerd, I find the geology of the gorge super interesting. Latourell Falls showcases the volcanic past of Oregon.

A stream plunges almost 300 feet over a cliff made up of columnar basalt. Columnar basalt is that super cool rock that forms all those neat lines and designs… the combo with an epic waterfall really is a sight to behold. I love watching people see Latourell Falls for the first time.

Lacey and Dylan had their two best friends at their ceremony, with Lacey’s best friend performing the marriage.

She wrote a deep, meaningful ceremony discussing the concept of wedding rings… normally the symbolism is that a circle represents never ending love, but a ring has a beginning. First it must be mined, then refined, forged, etc. A lot of work goes into the creation of a wedding ring, and the same is true of a marriage. It was beautiful.

Exploring the Canyon and Crown Point

Many people stop to view the lower falls, but there’s an entire canyon to wander around. If you feel so inclined, the full 2.5 mile loop is a great hike. The upper falls are not as tall, but are very picturesque, and it is way less busy. It’s a great location for a more private ceremony if you don’t mind a bit of a steep walk…

Downstream from the lower falls, there’s a gorgeous wooded trail that goes under the beautiful bridge of historic highway 30.

Just a short drive from Latourell Falls is the Vista House at Crown Point. It is worth a short detour if you’ve got the time, so on our way out, we stopped for a few photos before heading to a cool pizza spot in Hood River for dinner.

Celebratory Sunset Elopement Hike at Rowena Crest

Lacey and Dylan chose an elopement date in May, so I HAD to recommend a sunset visit to Rowena Crest. It is THE wildflower hotspot in the gorge. While there are many places to see abundant wildflowers, this spot has amazing views and very accessible trails.

Though it is well trafficked, you can take a small jaunt down one of the trails and get away from most of the people.

You can go up into an oaky woodland, up the big hills to get some good views, but good views abound, and I like to go down towards the cliff edges. There are beautiful rolling grassy mounds, meandering streams and a couple of ponds. The wildlife viewing opportunities are great with birds, reptiles and amphibians.

The peak bloom of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot was likely just a few days before Lacey & Dylan’s elopement. But, that means the lupine blossoms were in full swing, creating a complementary patchwork of golden and purple blooms.

With the green grasses and pink skies of sunset, it was the perfect end to this gorgeous Oregon elopement.

Oregon Elopement Photographer

I am completely enamored with the landscapes of the PNW, particularly in my home state of Oregon. All the time I spend exploring offers endless inspiration for planning Oregon elopements. When time the time comes for you to hire an elopement photographer, I’d be honored to be considered.

My time as an outdoor educator and nature guide heavily informs my elopement planning process, and I’d be happy answer any questions at all you have about eloping in Oregon.

You can get in touch here if you want to reach out!