Top 11 Oregon and Washington Elopement Locations
Do you dream of getting to elope in the pacific northwest? If so, let me tell you that you couldn’t have chosen a more magical place to get married. From forests to oceans to mountains and everything in between, the PNW is one of the best places to elope in the world! The hardest part is narrowing your choices down to just one location. That’s what this blog is here for. I’m sharing a handful of my top locations to elope in the pacific northwest to help you decide which one is right for you.
Top Oregon Elopement Locations
Mt Hood
Not only is Mount Hood Oregon’s highest mountain peak, but it is also the second most climbed mountain in the world! Mt Hood can be viewed from all over Oregon, making it one of the state’s most iconic landmarks. I highly recommend lacing up your hiking boots and experiencing it up close for the best experience. Eloping at Mt Hood will allow you to explore Mount Hood National Forest plus all the surrounding lakes, streams, forests, mountain trails, and more!
Oregon Coast
If there is one place that I could visit over and over as a pacific northwest elopement photographer, it would be the Oregon Coast. I may be biased, but I think this area is the most beautiful stretch of ocean on the West Coast.
The Northern Oregon Coast is home to smooth beaches with haystack rocks and includes popular locations like Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, and Tillamook. A little further down the coast, the scenery changes and provides the most dramatic cliffside views ever. Near Southern Oregon you can also easily experience redwood forests and sand dunes, giving you multiple locations to explore during your elopement in the pacific northwest.
Columbia River Gorge
You don’t have to travel far from the city to get incredible nature views! Within a short distance from Portland sits some of the most beautiful nature views in Oregon. The Columbia River Gorge is a stunning river canyon located along the edge of the Cascade Mountain Range. It boasts views like Latourell Falls and Thunder Island and with over 80 miles of land, you will have plenty of places to choose from for your pacific northwest elopement.
Smith Rock State Park
While the PNW is best known for it’s lush forests and grand mountain peaks, it’s also home to some beautiful desert landscapes! Yup, that’s right, you can get the feeling of being in the southwest right here in Oregon. Smith Rock State Park has some of the most gorgeous red rock views and is a great place to hold a rock climbing elopement.
Crater Lake
Crater Lake is the crown jewel of Oregon’s only national park! With it’s sparkling blue water, gorgeous mountain views and forest trails, you could easily spend days exploring this national park for your pacific northwest elopement.
Top Washington Elopement Locations
Mt Rainier National Park
Arguably the most iconic peak in Washington State is Mt Rainier. Located just a short drive from Seattle, Mt Rainier National Park is one of the best places to elope in Washington. Not only is the park easy to access, but it has two distinct sides of the mountain giving you completely different (and equally stunning) views to experience for your elopement in the pacific northwest.
Olympic National Park
If you’re looking for a beach, mountain, and forest elopement in one, then you might want to consider eloping in Olympic National Park! This national park is made up of three different eco systems making this the only national park in Washington that is accessible year round! While getting to the park requires a few hours’ drive from the Seattle airport, it’s well worth it! With over a million acres, stunning old-growth forests like the Hoh Rainforest, and beautiful beaches along the coastline, there is so much to see and explore in Olympic National Park!
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park might be Washington’s least visited national park, but it is also the most underrated. Eloping in the North Cascades means you can explore some of the most beautiful mountain ranges and gorgeous alpine lakes in the whole country. The fact that it doesn’t have as many visitors just means you will have even more privacy when you elope in the pacific northwest.
Mt St Helens
Like some of the other mountains on this list, Mt St Helens is not actually a mountain, but rather a volcano. Whether you want to summit the peak, explore Gifford Pinchot National Forest, or check out a beautiful waterfall surrounded by volcanic scenery, eloping at Mt St Helens will give you an off-the-grid PNW elopement experience!
Top California Elopement Locations
Redwood National Park
Did you know that you can experience a beautiful forest elopement and a beach elopement all in one? Just a short distance from the Southern Oregon Coast (30 minutes to be exact) you can visit the California redwoods. For couples who can’t decide on one pacific northwest elopement location, this combination will give you the best of both worlds!
Mt Shasta
Located in California, you might not think of Mt Shasta when you think of pacific northwest elopement locations. As one of the most southern points of the North Cascades, this peak attracts visitors for a variety of reasons. Planning a winter elopement? Why not ski down the mountain slopes? If a spring or summer elopement is more your style, take in the beauty of the lush wildflower fields and surrounding mountain range views.
More Pacific Northwest Elopement Resources
These are just a few of my favorite places to elope in the pacific northwest! For more locations, or to start planning your own pacific northwest elopement, click on the button below to inquire!
