Places to Elope in Oregon in 2023
Places to elope in Oregon
Looking around at places to elope in Oregon?? Look no further than this list of great options! These spots are all so lovely for a micro wedding or elopement, but if you need even more suggestions I can send you even more secret spots for ya! Just get in touch and tell me about the day you’re dreaming up. I love helping brides and grooms create their perfect elopement day and won’t hesitate to scour the earth for your perfect spot!!
1. How to Elope in Oregon
A great place to start your planning once you have found the best place to elope, make sure to checkout the requirements and permit information for your location.
Step One: Pick an Elopement spot that resonates with you and your partner. Here’s more elopement tips to make it extra special.
Step Two: Fill out a Marriage License via online at your County Clerk Office. “There is a three-day waiting period from the day the license is purchased until it can be used. Once the license is effective, it is valid for a 60-day period.” - A County Clerk Office Site
Step Three: Checkout Oregon State Parks website to find more information on where you want to elope. Contacting a park ranger first is usually the most effective and a sure fire way to make sure your elopement runs smoothly and you have all the paperwork needed.
Without further ado, here’s where to Elope in Oregon!
List of Epic Oregon
Elopement Spots
2. Places to Elope in Oregon: Oregon Coast Elopement Locations
Cape Kiwanda
Starting off strong with one of my favorite Oregon Coast elopement locations - Cape Kiwanda! This is a State Natural Area here in Oregon, open year-round for public use. It offers one of the absolute best viewpoints on the coast if you want to witness all that the Pacific Ocean has to offer! Cape Kiwanda is a sandstone headland that is constantly changing and evolving due to the fragile nature of the sandstone. So even if you’ve visited before, chances are it’ll look a little different the next time you see it! In addition, there are sand dunes that reach almost 250 feet in height for all the adventurous couples looking for a challenge. If you’re wondering where to elope in Oregon, this is a great place to start!
Samuel H. Boardman State Park
This 12-mile long, thickly forested Oregon State Park would be a breathtaking location to elope in Oregon. The steep and rugged coastline has a few small sand beaches if you still want photos near the water, but want a little more diversity. There are countless trailheads in Samuel H. Boardman State Park, and hiking is one of the best ways to experience the area! If you and your partner are up for it, we can choose a trailhead and do some exploring on your elopement day. There are countless viewpoints to choose from, but we’ll square away all the specifics when we’re planning your elopement together. You can be confident, though, that no matter where we end up, it’ll be a beautiful site!
Hug Point
Hug Point, the next Oregon Coast elopement location, is a wide-open sandy beach, located just south of the infamous Cannon Beach! This spot is a great, less crowded alternative to Cannon, which is still a fantastic spot to elope. Hug Point does still get busy during certain seasons, so a weekday or sunrise elopement would be the way to go in order to avoid crowds. Who doesn't want a little privacy for their elopement? It’s important to note that if you want to tie the knot here, be sure not to do so during high tide, when the beach is mostly underwater. That would certainly put a damper on your day! During rainy season, one of the creeks actually turns into a waterfall, which makes fro a stunning photo location. And if we have a little extra time to explore, we can visit one of the sea caves that are nearby!
Cannon Beach
Although Cannon Beach can get busy, that’s certainly not reason enough to leave it out of the list of places to elope on the Oregon Coast. If you search “Oregon Coast” on Google or Pinterest, you’ve probably seen photos of Haystack Rock, an iconic landmark at Cannon. Lots of couple choose to take their engagement photos or elope at this beautiful beach, and for good reason. Cannon Beach is technically a small coastal city in northwest Oregon, known for its expansive, sandy shore. There are tons of fun things to do in this little city if you and your partner want to extend your stay by a few days! It has been named one of America’s best art towns, and one of the world’s most beautiful places. If that doesn’t give you the nudge to elope here, I’m not sure what will.
Sand Dunes in Florence
For most people, Oregon usually isn’t the first place that comes to mind when thinking of sand dunes. But don’t be mistaken; the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is North America’s largest coastal dunes! The sandy hills can ready up to 500 ft. in height, spanning over a stretch of 40 miles. There are so many things to do here at the sand dunes, especially if you and your partner are up for a little adventure. You can go horseback riding up and over the dunes with Oregon Horseback Riding, or enjoy a nighttime hike where you can see trillions of stars reflecting off the countless grains of sand. It’ll be an Oregon Coast elopement experience that you’ll never forget!
Tillamook + Stay at The River Cabaan
Everyone has heard of the dairy brand and snagged a few pints of their ice cream (oh, was that just me?), but did you know that Tillamook is also one of the best places to elope in Oregon? You heard that right! The city of Tillamook is on the northern coast of Oregon, about 75 miles west of Portland. With tourism on the rise, the city is refurbishing many of the downtown buildings and amenities in the upcoming years. One of the best features, though, is River Cabaan, a chic mid-century cabin sitting right on the Wilson River. If you choose to elope in Tillamook, you absolutely have to stay here! You’ll enjoy 300 feet of private river frontage, along with a private waterfront pebbled beach. River Cabaan is also available for small events such as elopements, so the site itself could be an Oregon elopement location on its own!
3. Places to Elope in Oregon: Mt. Hood & Portland Elopement Locations
Columbia River Gorge Spots
It’s no secret that the Columbia River Gorge is one of my favorite spots to elope in Oregon. In fact, I have an entire blog post entitled Where & How to Elope in the Columbia River Gorge! If you visit that blog, you can learn all about my favorite, specific spots for couples to elope.
Trillium Lake
Trillium Lake sits about 7.5 miles south of Mount Hood, and believe me when I say that it’s truly one of the most beautiful lakes around. Between this one and Little Crater, I could never choose a favorite! The Trillium Lake Loop Trail offers views of Mount Hood almost the entire way there, not to mention the hike itself is a fairly easy one. Trust me, you’ll enjoy every second of it!
Little Crater Lake
Little Crater Lake is one of the most scenic spots in Mt. Hood National Forest. The cold, crystal clear turquoise pond is truly a wonder to see. The surrounding meadow also adds to the stunning scenery, which gives us even more nearby options to explore for post-elopement photos.
Timberline Lodge
For those of you wanting to elope at a venue on Mt. Hood, Timberline Lodge is perfect! They have tons of indoor and outdoor options for your ceremony, and even spaces for a little reception if you plan on having guests. Since this venue is quite literally on Mt. Hood, tons of couples decide to take advantage of the skiing opportunities in the wintertime! A winter elopement isn’t always the first choice, but the PNW was made for winter elopements. Even if you don’t partake in winter sports, having a cozy, snowy elopement with your love sounds like a dream come true to me.
Cathedral Park in Portland
If you’re looking for a place to elope in Portland, Oregon, I have the perfect suggestion for you. Cathedral Park is an exceptionally unique outdoor area that sits right on the banks of the Willamette River. The towering footings of the St. John’s Bridge are what you see in these photos, giving you a built-in structure for your elopement ceremony! You don’t need tons of decor and styling to make this location beautiful - it accomplishes that all on its own.
4. Places to Elope in Oregon: Central Oregon Elopement Locations
Smith Rock
Now onto the next category: best places to elope in Central Oregon! The Coast has some beautiful elopement locations, but the central area is just as picturesque. For example, the first location on our list is Smith Rock State Park, situated right in Oregon's High Desert. If you and your partner are climbers, this is definitely the park for you! There are several thousand climbs to choose from, along with hiking and mountain biking trails. Smith Rock is open year-round, but summers can get pretty toasty. I recommend eloping here during cooler months, such as spring or fall! There are also multiple vacation rentals available if you’d like to stay nearby!
Painted Hills
Considered one of the seven wonders of Oregon, Painted Hills reveals millions of years of history through the layers of mountains. The hues of yellow, gold, red, and black blend together to create a site you’ve likely never seen before. The appearance of the hills can differ depending on the time of the day, but they are best seen in the late afternoon when the sun is the warmest and brightest! The wildflowers are in bloom in the late spring and early summer, so those would be the perfect times to get married at this breathtaking Oregon elopement location. There are several hikes to explore, but the Painted Hills Overlook is one that you have to do. I promise it’ll be worth it!
Proxy Falls
Of all the places to elope in Oregon, of course I had to include a waterfall location. Proxy Falls is a cascade and plunge waterfall in Willamette National Forest, which is a stunning location in itself. Have I mentioned how much I love the diversity in landscape that Oregon has to offer? The hike to the waterfall is pretty easy, totalling only 1.5 miles through open lave fields and dense forest. Keep in mind that Proxy Falls is only accessible in the summer season before the roads close for snow season. So if you’re planning a summer Oregon elopement, definitely check out this location!
Sparks Lake
Not only is Sparks Lake, well, a beautful lake to elope at, but it also offers views of South Sisters, Broken Top, and Mount Bachelor! These are all either straovaolcanos that are typically snow-capped, giving you a two-in-one scenery experience for your elopement. You are more than welcome to kayak, canoe, or even take a little dip into this hidden Oregon gem! The depth does not exceed 10 feet, so it’s perfectly safe to explore if you’re feeling up to it. Sparks Lake is a aprt of the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byways, which closes in October and doesn’t reopen again until late spring.
The Badlands
The Oregon Badlands Wilderness covers over 29,000 acres of land with a variety of exciting landforms and geologic features. There are tons of super cool trails for us to explore (if that’s your thing!) and we could easily spend hours here. The Wilderness Area is managed by BLM, so like with all locations, it’s very important to me mindful of and closely follow the Leave No Trace principles. We want all of these Oregon elopement locations to stay beautiful forever!
Paulina Lookout
Paulina Lookout is actually located within Deschutes National Forest, just like Sparks Lake! The summit of this lookout has an elevation go 7,984 feet, which is the highest point on the Newberry Volcano. On a clear day, you can see the Cascade Range in all of its entirety, extending all the way to California and Washington! Imagine seeing both Mt. Shasta and Mt. Adams on your elopement day. The road to Paulina Lookout is closed from late October/early November to early July due to snow. So if you’d like to plan your elopement here, you can do so in the summertime!
Black Butte Trailhead
Last but not least, we have Black Butte Trailhead, which is coincidentally also in Deschutes National Forest. The open season starts in mid-April, so this would be the perfect spot for a spring elopement. It does get pretty busy in the summer, so I would opt for a sunrise or sunset ceremony.
SECRET OREGON ELOPEMENT SPOTS
In addition to all the amazing state parks Oregon has, pretty much everywhere is amazing to elope which is why I love suggesting renting and Airbnb and elope on the property! I have a list of gorgeous airbnb locations all over Oregon, so get in touch with me and I’ll help you plan your dream elopement! There are also tons of rentable fire lookouts located all throughout the state that would make for an incredible elopement. I can’t wait to brainstorm with you and start the planning process!