Oregon’s Top Waterfall Wedding Locations: In Depth Guide of the Columbia River Gorge
Just outside of the Portland, Oregon, area is a stretch of stunning waterfalls and views of epic mountains a river views. The Columbia River Gorge is the epitome of Pacific Northwest vibes. The area is perfect for elopements since it’s easy to get from location to location and there are no permits. It’s a relatively easy place to elope with an amazing backdrop!
Table of Contents
- Wedding Checklist
- Where is the Columbia River Gorge
- Locations to get married in the Columbia River Gorge
- FAQ’s about getting married in the Columbia River Gorge
- The best time of year to get married in the Portland, OR area
- Sample elopement timeline
- Where to stay in the Columbia River Gorge
- How to legally get married in Oregon
- Photography elopement packages
- Columbia River Gorge elopement photographer
Oregon Waterfall Micro Wedding Checklist
- Marriage License
- Clear umbrellas
- Hiking boots
- Written vows
- Wedding Permit for over 75 people
Where is The Columbia River Gorge?
The Columbia River Gorge is located just East of Portland Oregon, about a 35min- 1 hour drive and is filled with stunning waterfalls, notably Multnomah Falls, plus small towns with cute restaurants and dramatic cliff-sides full of forests littered with all the moss and ferns of your PNW dreams! When it comes to “PNW vibes” The Gorge is definitely the place!
Nearest Airports
- Portland International Airport- 45min Drive
- Troutdale Airport- 15min Drive
Driving From
- Portland – 45min
- Seattle- 3 Hours
- Bosie- 7 hours
The Best Waterfall Wedding Locations Near Portland, OR
Latourell Falls
Latourell Falls is the first waterfall stop in the gorge when traveling from Portland! It’s a tall waterfall and it’s easy to play along the rocks right next to it!
Distance from Portland: 35min
Hike Length: .5 Miles
Hike Difficulty: Easy
Wahclella Falls
Wahclella falls is a perfect spot for your elopement! At the end of the trail, it opens into a small loop where you can enjoy the waterfall, the river, and the beautiful forest and canyon. When timed right, it’s a intimate location to get married!
Distance from Portland: 40min
Hike Length: 2.3 miles RT
Hike Difficulty: Moderate
Panther Creek Falls
While technically not an Oregon waterfall, Panther Creek Falls is still within the Gorge, just on the Washington side! It’s outside the touristy historic highway and has a more intimate experience for your wedding! It’s an easy hike, just a lot of elevation gain.
Distance from Portland: 1:15
Hike Length: .3 miles
Hike Difficulty: Easy
Bridal Veil Falls
Back on the Oregon side is Bridal Veil Falls (and let’s be real, how cute would it be to say you got married at Bridal Veil.) A pretty easy hike and the river area is cute! The waterfall is not the easiest when it comes to photographing you and the falls, but it can be done! In addition to the waterfall, it has a sweet overlook loop and a B&B just across the street!
Distance from Portland: 30min
Hike Length: .6 miles
Hike Difficulty: Moderate
Roster Rock State Park
Right on the Columbia River, Roster Rock has beautiful views of the Columbia River and the large cliffs that make up the gorge!
Distance from Portland: 25min
Hike Length: None
Hike Difficulty: None
Horsetail Falls
Horsetail falls is located just off the historic highway and has a sweet waterfall that is no hike! It’s a great spot if you have guests that aren’t as mobile. There’s a few stairs to get down to the waterfall, but it’s pretty accessible!
Distance from Portland: 40min
Hike Length: None
Hike Difficulty: None
Ponytail Falls
Ponytail falls is in the same spot as Horsetail, just the higher waterfall! It’s a fairly quick hike with a lot of elevation gain. You can go behind the falls, or wade into the pool of water!
Distance from Portland: 40min
Hike Length: .8 miles
Hike Difficulty: Moderate
Dog Creek Falls
This short and sweet hike on the Washington side of the gorge is perfect for a ceremony! As the name implies, you can bring your dogs!
Distance from Portland: 1 hour
Hike Length: .2 miles
Hike Difficulty: Easy
Thunder Island
Right next to Cascade Locks is Thunder Island, for Twilight fans, this has great views of The Bridge of the Gods that’s featured in the movie! There’s also great views of the Columbia River
Distance from Portland: 45min
Hike Length: None
Hike Difficulty: None
Hamilton Island
A big, grassy field with Becan Rock, the Columbia River, and the cliffs make up Hamilton Island! On the Washington side, this location is perfect if you’re looking for a wide open space with views! It’s a pretty steep walk up, but not long and so worth it for the views!
Distance from Portland: 50min
Hike Length: None
Hike Difficulty: Moderate
Government Cove
Located outside of Cascade Locks, Government Cove sits right by the Columbia River and offers views of the cliffs, river, and has some cool rock features. It’s a fairly popular photo location, and may not be that intimate depending on the time of day.
Distance from Portland: 1 hour
Hike Length: .5
Hike Difficulty: Easy
Mosier
Past Hood River is a beautiful grass field overlooking the Columbia River. In April/May wildflowers bloom to make it extra stunning! This part of the Gorge often isn’t rainy and I recommend going here during shoulder seasons if you don’t want rainy photos. My favorite time to be at this location is at sunrise when no one else is around and the sun rises over the river!
Distance from Portland: 1:15
Hike Length: .5
Hike Difficulty: Easy
FAQ’s About Weddings in the Columbia River Gorge
Can you get married at Multnomah Falls?
Yes, but there’s so many other, more intimate waterfalls to tie the knot at close to this iconic waterfall!
Do you need a permit to get married in the Columbia River Gorge?
Nope! Wedding permits are not required, but check to make sure you can drive down the old highway depending on what time of year you’re going.
Where can I get married in the Columbia River Gorge?
There’s so many waterfalls and overlooks to get married at! Latourell falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and more!
Are there all inclusive elopement packages?
All of my Oregon elopement packages include timeline planning, location guides, elopement guides, photos, travel, and more!
How much time should I spend eloping?
4-8 hours is an average elopement day depending on drive and hike times.
Where should we elope in Oregon?
The Columbia River Gorge is full of waterfalls and is close to Portland, OR! The Oregon Coast, Mt. Hood, and Central Oregon are all stunning places to elope as well!
The Best Time of Year to Get Married in Portland OR?
Summer
For the best weather, summer is your best bet! The only drawback is the crowds in the gorge during this time. The Gorge also recently implemented a timed entry system during certain months and times of the year you may need to navigate if you want to elope along the old highway in the summer.
Fall
Fall is my favorite time to get married in the gorge! It’s usually not as crowded and has decent weather or you get the foggy, rainy, vibes Oregon is known for!
Winter
Winter weather can sometimes be brutal in the gorge. Certain months are full of ice storms and wind to be mindful of. I’ve done elopements by waterfalls in the winter where it’s not as windy, but if ice hits, we may need to find a different location for safety.
Spring
Spring is the month where some wildflowers bloom! Typically rainy, but still great for the typical PNW weather vibes! Expect some rain, but you can also get a really beautiful day!
Elopement Timeline for a Waterfall Elopement
8 hour timeline:
11:00am- Meet at the airbnb and make brunch together
11:45am- Clean up and write vows
12:15pm- Getting ready photos, photos by the airbnb
1:00pm- Start the drive to the waterfall
1:30pm- Get on the trail!
2:15pm- Make it to the waterfall, drink some coffee
2:30pm- Vows
3:00pm- Waterfall portraits
3:45pm- Start the hike back
4:30pm- Drive to overlook location
5:00pm- Eat dinner at the overlook with a picnic set up and cake
5:45pm- Photos at overlook location
6:30pm- Drive to an ice-cream shop
6:15pm- Order ice cream!
7:00pm- End the day with sharing ice cream and blue hour photos surrounded by the cliffs of the gorge!
The Best Places to Stay near Portland Waterfalls?
Airbnbs Near Portland Waterfalls
A Cute Cabin in White Salmon, WA:
Cabin in White Salmon · ★4.97 · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 bath
Yurt:
Yurt in White Salmon · ★4.86 · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 bath
Treehouse:
Treehouse in Stevenson · ★4.94 · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 bath
Cabin:
Cabin in Stevenson · ★4.94 · 1 bedroom · 4 beds · 1 bath
Entire Home:
Home in Carson · ★4.86 · 3 bedrooms · 5 beds · 2 baths
Hotels by Oregon Waterfalls
Best Western in Cascade Locks:
https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-rooms.38130.html?iata=00171880&ssob=BLBWI0004G&cid=BLBWI0004G:google:gmb:38130
Skamania Lodge:
Skamania Lodge – Super.com Hotel Deals
Wilder and Pine Cabins:
Adventure Accommodations | Wilder & Pine Riverside Cabins | Stevenson
How to legally get married in Oregon
- Obtain your marriage license
- Hire an officiant who is ordained in Oregon
- Make sure you have two witnesses
Portland, OR Waterfall Elopement Packages
Full Day Elopement Photo Package includes:
Up to 8 hours of photo coverage 1400 high res, edited photos 700 color photos, 700 black and white My 60+ page elopement guide, full of ideas for your day with a workbook! Vendor recommendations for your location Custom Location Guide with places to stay, activities, and my favorite photo locations Permit application assistance a collaborative Pinterest Board to share ideas A Coffee planning Date to get all the fine details sorted Polaroid Album BTS Phone Video of your day 48 hour sneak gallery (around 100 photos) Instagram carousels to share your photos in a beautiful way Unlimited Calls Travel included.
Columbia River Gorge (Portland, Oregon) Photographer
Hey! I’m Meghan, an Oregon born photographer that loves to help people get married! I used to have my birthday parties in the gorge, so it’s safe to say I know this place like the back of my hand!
During our time together, I’ll do everything I can to make this a seamless process and be there to answer all your questions about eloping! I can’t wait to show you around this epic place!
