15 Jaw Dropping Places for your Oregon Elopement

15 Jaw Dropping Places for your Oregon Elopement

Why eloping in Oregon is so incredible

Oregon really has it all. Western Oregon is covered with lush, mossy forests and cascading waterfalls. Head out to the coast and you’ll find what many would argue is the most breathtaking of the rugged PNW coastlines, with giant sea stacks, rocky coves, and sandy beaches that stretch uninterrupted for miles. The center of the state is defined by the Cascade mountain range. Here you can experience some of the best outdoor adventure in the state, exploring snowcapped volcanic mountain peaks, alpine lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, and rivers. On the east side of the mountains, the climate is much drier with a desert environment featuring rocky pillars, rich red sand dunes, and lots of sun. Whatever you’re looking for in your Oregon elopement, there are so many incredible places  🙂

Collage of oregon elopement couples

What the Oregon Elopement Guide covers:

Oregon Coast elopement

When is the best time to elope in Oregon?

April, May, June, September, and October, are our favorite times for eloping in Oregon. You can get those classic moody PNW days with fog rolling over the ocean shores in the early morning and dew drops on all the moss covered trees in the old growth forests. But you can get incredibly summery days too with bright blue skies and wildly vibrant sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. But what’s best about these months is you avoid the crazy summer crowds and prices. Mosts airbnbs double or triple their prices starting July 1st for tourist season, and are often booked a year in advanced, so eloping out there during the shoulder seasons gives you access to some of the best places to stay without the crazy prices!

How much does it cost to elope in oregon?

It’s important to consider how much it costs for an Oregon elopement and what your budget is. Because there are many elopement specific vendors in Oregon, Special Use fees are relatively low, and it’s an easy place to travel to, Oregon is one of the more affordable options for an elopement. The total cost of your elopement depends on how lavish you want to go with lodging and styling for your day-of, so it can vary from $7,000 up to $15,000+. Here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect.

Photographer $5,000-$10,000 | Hair & Makeup $600-$1,000 | Flowers $400-$800 | Officiant & License $600-$1,200 | Special Use Permit $0-$60 | Lodging $400-$1,200 | Flights & Car Rental $500-$800

photographers list of the best places to elope in oregon

We’re a team of dog loving, peak bagging, photography award winning, adventure junkies – working together to help plan and document incredible elopements in the best elopement destination around the world.

Together we’ve photographed 350+ elopements all over the world! Many of which were in Oregon state and we have thoroughly explored this beautiful area. This is our definitive list of the absolute best places for your Oregon elopement, so get ready to see some incredible options for your elopement day.

Where to elope in oregon?

The best thing about eloping in Oregon state is that Oregon literally has it all, from rugged coastlines and old growth forests to vast mountain ranges with glaciated peaks, and lots of geothermal activity with amazing natural hot springs to soak in. If you wanted a little bit of everything for an all day epic Oregon elopement, you could even get a mix of all of the above!

Here’s our list of the best places to elope in Oregon:

  1. The Oregon Coast
    1. Ecola State Park
    2. Neskowin
    3. Cape Kiwanda
    4. Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor
    5. Cannon Beach
  2. The Columbia River Gorge
    1. Oregon Waterfalls
  3. Central Cascade Mountains
    1. Crater Lake
    2. Sparks Lake
    3. Smith Rock State Park
  4. Eastern Oregon Desert
    1. Painted Hills
    2. Alvord Desert

Love coastal vibes but also want mountains and forests? Check out our guide for planning an elopement in Olympic National Park.

best locations for oregon coast elopements

The Oregon Coast

What we love about eloping on the Oregon Coast: The Northern Oregon coast is known for its rugged beaches, big haystack rocks, and laid back vibe. In Pacific City you can drive your car right on to the beach, pop open your trunk, and enjoy a beer while watching the surfers catch waves in front of the giant Cape Kiwanda. The temperature is a lot cooler than a tropical beach, but you can still bask in the sun on a warm summer day. The incredibly scenic Highway 101 hugs the coastline, offering up stunning vista after stunning vista and access to lots of hiking. After a day spent wandering up and down the dramatic coastline, you can end with a warm bonfire right on the beach.

The Columbia River Gorge

What we love about eloping in the Columbia River Gorge: Mt. Hood is one of Oregon’s most beloved mountain peaks. It’s the massive snowcapped dome you can see from almost anywhere in Portland. It’s a breathtaking mountain with plenty of scenic hikes all over and for any difficulty. The Columbia River borders Mt. Hood National Forest and is another place loved for its scenic beauty and recreational activities. The Columbia River Gorge, or “the Gorge” as locals say, has sweeping cliff views of the river and is also known for some of the most famous waterfalls in Oregon.

Bend Oregon Elopement Photo Collage

The Central Cascade Mountains

What we love about eloping in the Central Cascade Mountains:

Bend, OR is a fun little mountain town on the eastern side of the mountains known for its outdoorsy residents and craft breweries – over 20 of them and counting! Willamette National Forest is just to the west of Bend and provides classic PNW snowcapped mountains and forests. Smith Rock State Park, Oregon’s little version of Zion National Park, is just to the north of Bend and is known for its red desert cliffs and rock climbing. With snowcapped mountains, epic waterfalls, and red desert cliffs, it’s a one stop destination for all kinds of adventure.

Driving time from Portland: 3.5 hours

Best place to look for lodging: Bend, OR on Airbnb! Bend is a lively town filled with great restaurants, shops, and breweries. Being so close to Portland also makes it pretty busy on the weekends, so make sure to book your reservations as soon as you can.

Check our Bend Elopement 

Oregon Waterfalls

What we love about eloping at Oregon Waterfalls:

If there’s one thing that Oregon has every other state beat on, it’s waterfalls. According to Wikipedia, there are over 238 waterfalls sprinkled all over Oregon! Some are close to Portland, making it an easy getaway for those wanting to stay in the city, and some are farther out for those looking for a more remote experience. Some are almost roadside for many tourists to enjoy, and some require a bit of a hike to reach, giving you more privacy. But almost all of the waterfalls are surrounded by Oregon’s magical forests with big old trees, bright green ferns, and lots of hanging moss. If you want a waterfall elopement, Oregon is the perfect place, hands down!

Eloping in Oregon FAQ's

How can I legally elope in Oregon?

You need an officiant to marry you and 2 witnesses to sign your marriage license. You must apply for your marriage license at least 3 days before your elopement because some counties require a 3 day waiting period after the license is issued. The application is $60. You can apply in person or online.

How much does it cost to elope in Oregon?

Between a photographer, hair and makeup artist, travel, permitting fees, marriage license, you can expect to spend $7,000 - $10,000 on your elopement.

Where is the best place to elope in Oregon?

The best places to elope in Oregon are the Oregon Coast, Bend, the Columbia River Gorge, and Painted Hills.

What month is best to get married in Oregon?

The best months to get married in Oregon are April - June and October - November.

Still need help with Planning your oregon elopement?

Hope you found our tips helpful! As you can see, we LOVE talking about Oregon, the magical landscapes there, and planning elopements with our couples. We have so much more detailed information to help you plan your day. If you’d like to work with our team for your elopement, get in touch now!

The Foxes are Brandon and Gabi Fox, an adventurous husband and wife elopement photography team living and traveling in their DIY renovated 1972 Airstream. They are loosely based in the Pacific Northwest, but travel for work and play throughout the western states and beyond. Their elopement photography is award winning and is described as candid photography that captures couples as they are, where they are, blending images of love and natural beauty in the great outdoors. 

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CUSTOM PHOTO ALBUM AGREEMENT

THE FOXES PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC

These Terms and Conditions are a legally binding agreement is between you (“Client”) The Foxes Photography, LLC (“Photographer”) (collectively the “Parties”, or in the singular “Party”), for the purpose of Client purchasing a custom photography album from Photographer. This Agreement shall become effective upon the date you complete the checkout process.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. Fees & Retainer

Client shall commit to a custom album package by signing and returning this Agreement along with the initial payment for album service. Photographer will not begin its custom album services until the Agreement is signed and the album design fee is received. No final album will be printed until the full payment is made. In the event Client fails to remit payment as specified, Photographer shall have the right to immediately terminate this Agreement with no further obligation and retain any monies already paid as liquidated damages. Full payment must be completed by Client within 60 days of this Agreement’s date.

The fees in this Agreement are based on Photographer’s current album pricing at the time of booking. The price list is adjusted periodically, and any changes to custom albums will be charged at the prices in effect at the time.

  1. Album Design Procedure

The following outline indicates the general procedure of a custom album design. Client understands and agrees to this procedure.

  1. Photographer will use photos and album specifications to create their first custom album design.
  2. Photographer will send Client first draft of album design.
  3. Client will approve or send in revisions to album design.
  4. Photographer will make edits to album design. Only two rounds of edits are allowed.
  5. Client will approve final album design.
  6. Photographer will send in album for printing.
  7. Album is printed and shipped.
  8. Client receives final printed album.
  1. Album Spreads

Albums will include 35 spreads and no less. The definition of a “page” is one side of a spread in an album (for example, a 70-page album contains 35 spreads). If Client requests more than 35 spreads, additional spreads are $50.00 each. 

  1. Revision Rounds

The first draft will include photos selected by the photographer and will be sent to Client for approval. Client may request modifications to be made. Photographer shall complete modifications and send the second draft of album design to Client. Client may then accept the design or request one more round of modifications. Photographer will complete this second modification request and send the final draft of album to Client. After these two rounds of revisions to the album design, no further revisions are allowed. Any additional revisions are invoiced at a rate of $75.00 per round. All additional revision rounds must be paid before the revision is made by the Photographer. Photographer requires up to 10 days to complete a revision request. Client has 50 days to send Photographer any and all revision requests. Any revisions requested by Client more than 50 days after this Agreement’s date will not be accepted by Photographer.

  1. Final Approval

Photographer will not place an album order with the album Manufacturer until Client approves the design draft, and the balance is paid on any upgrades or additional spreads. Client agrees to check the final album design very carefully before giving final approval. Once final approval is given, Photographer is not responsible for typos, image defects, duplicate images, or other errors that may have been missed. 

  1. Parent/Duplicate Albums

Parent/duplicate albums cannot be altered from the original designs. All parent/duplicate albums shall be ordered at the time of final approval of the original album design and will be invoiced and must be paid prior to Photographer sending in album for printing. No parent/duplicate albums are available after the original album ordering phase is complete.

  1. Album Delivery

Client understands and agrees that Photographer’s album manufacturer (“Manufacturer”) generally takes 6-8 weeks to print and manufacture the album. While every possible precaution is taken and Manufacturer has been selected by Photographer for its superb quality, Photographer assumes no liability for the loss or damage of album while in possession of Manufacturer. 

  1. Ordering Date

Client shall agree to final album design within 60 days of this Agreement’s date. Any delay by Client in approving final album design will result in termination of this Agreement and no further obligation by Photographer.

  1. Retouching and Edits

Photographer will use the final edited images delivered to Client to make the album design. Photographer will not re-edit or retouch any images.

  1. Returns

Client understands and agrees that once final approval of album design has been given to Photographer, no returns or refunds are allowed whatsoever. In the event Client receives the printed album and sees any manufacturer defects or dislikes the album quality, Photographer will work with Manufacturer to the best of their ability to remedy the situation. Client is responsible for any additional fees associated with returning or reprinting the album.

  1. Album Archiving

Photographer shall keep a copy of final approved album design for 90 days but does not permanently archive the final album design. Client understands that after 90 days the album design will not be available to order additional copies and a new agreement must be signed to start the process over.

  1. Photographer Copyright

The final album design by The Foxes Photography, LLC is their property, will remain their property, and are protected by United States Copyright Laws (USC Title 17). Client hereby waives any claims for ownership, income, editorial control, and use of the images and album design. Violations of this federal law will be subject to its civil and criminal penalties.

  1. Reproduction

Client and Client’s agents agree to acquire the album design and product directly from Photographer through their professional album company. Client and Client’s agents agree not to scan, copy or reproduce the album design in any manner without written permission, including using the custom album design to create other albums. Photographer may seek damages for any illegal reproduction. Client and Client’s agents further agree not to supply the album to any third-parties.

  1. Communication

Photographer’s office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm PST Monday through Friday. Photographer’s primary source of communication is through their email [email protected]. Photographer will respond to Client’s emails within those office hours.

  1. Indemnification

Client shall indemnify, release, discharge and hold harmless Photographer, its heirs, legal representatives, assigns, employees, contractors, or any persons or corporations acting under permission or authority of the Photographer from and against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses and costs, including reasonable legal expenses and attorneys’ fees, to which Photographer may become subject as a result of any claim, demand, action or other legal proceeding by any third-party to the extent such losses arise directly or indirectly out of activities performed by Photographer pursuant to this Agreement, except to the extent such losses result from the gross negligence, willful misconduct, or intentional acts of Photographer.

  1. Maximum Damages

The sole remedy for any actions or claims by Client shall be limited to a refund, the maximum amount not to exceed the total monies paid by Client under this Agreement.

  1. Limitation of Liability

If, during the production and/or before the album(s) are delivered to Client, the media has been lost, stolen, or is unusable because of defect, damage, equipment/platform malfunction, processing, or other technical error caused by Photographer or by forces outside the control of Photographer, Client agrees to relieve and hold Photographer harmless and will not impose any additional liability.

In no event shall Photographer be liable under this Agreement to Client or any other third-party for consequential, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or enhanced damages, arising out of, relating to, or in connection with any breach of this Agreement, regardless of (a) whether such damages were foreseeable, (b) whether or not Client was advised of such damages, and (c) the legal or equitable theory (contract, tort, or otherwise) upon which the claim is based.

  1. Force Majeure 

No Party shall be liable or responsible to the other Party, nor be deemed to have defaulted under or breached this Agreement, for any failure or delay in fulfilling or performing any term of this Agreement (except for any obligations to make payments to the other Party hereunder), when and to the extent such failure or delay is caused by or results from acts beyond the impacted party’s (“Impacted Party”) control that are unforeseen and unpredictable at the time of contracting, including, but not limited to, the following force majeure 

events (“Force Majeure Events”): (a) acts of God; (b) a natural disaster (fires, explosions, earthquakes, hurricane, flooding, storms, explosions, infestations), epidemic, or pandemic; (c) war, invasion, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), terrorist threats or acts, riot or other civil unrest; (d) government order or law; (e) actions, embargoes or blockades in effect on or after the date of this Agreement; (f) action by any governmental authority; (g) national or regional emergency; (h) strikes, labor stoppages or slowdowns or other industrial disturbances; and (i) shortage of adequate power or transportation facilities. The Impacted Party shall give Notice (as defined in Section 27) within 10 days of the Force Majeure Event to the other Party, stating the period of time the occurrence is expected to continue. The Impacted Party shall use diligent efforts to end the failure or delay and ensure the effects of such Force Majeure Event are minimized. The Impacted Party shall resume the performance of its obligations as soon as reasonably practicable after the removal of the cause. In the event that the Impacted Party’s failure or delay remains uncured for a period of 15 days following Notice given by it, the other Party may thereafter terminate this Agreement upon Notice. The Retainer and all other payments made by Client up to the date of Notice of a Force Majeure Event are non-refundable.

  1. Cancellation of Album Services by Photographer

In the event Photographer determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot or will not perform its obligations under this Agreement due to circumstances including, but not limited to, injury, illness, death of family member, pregnancy, military orders, religious obligations, other personal emergencies, or total breakdown of communication with Client, it will:

  1. Immediately give notice to Client;
  2. Issue a refund or credit based on a reasonably accurate percentage of custom album services rendered; and
  3. Excuse Client of any further performance and/or payment obligations under this Agreement.
  1. Sales Tax

Should any sale and/or use tax be imposed on any part of this Agreement, such tax shall be collected from Client and remitted by Photographer. All sales tax will be included on invoices.

  1. Entire Agreement

This is a binding Agreement that incorporates the entire understanding of the Parties, supersedes any other written or oral agreements between the Parties, and any modifications must be in writing, signed by all Parties, and physically attached to the original agreement.


22. Venue and Jurisdiction

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington including all matters of construction, validity, performance, and enforcement and without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws. The Parties agree that any dispute or lawsuit arising out of, or concerning, this Agreement that is not first resolved by arbitration shall be resolved exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Whatcom County, Washington. The Parties assume responsibility for their own collection costs and legal fees incurred should enforcement of this Agreement become necessary.

  1. Arbitration

Any and all disputes or disagreements rising between the Parties out of this Agreement upon which an amicable understanding cannot be reached, shall be decided by arbitration in accordance with the procedural rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Parties agree to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator(s). The arbitration proceeding shall take place in Whatcom County, Washington, unless another location is mutually agreed to by the Parties. The cost and expenses of the arbitrators shall be shared equally by the Parties. Each Party shall be responsible for its own costs and expenses in presenting the dispute for arbitration.

  1. Severability & No Waiver

In the event that any part of this Agreement is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement shall remain valid and enforceable. Any failure by one or both Parties to enforce a provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any other portion or provision of this Agreement.

  1. Transfer

This Agreement cannot be transferred or assigned to any third-party by either the Photographer or Client without written consent of all Parties. 

  1. Headings

Headings and titles are provided in this Agreement for convenience only and will not be construed as part of this Agreement.

  1. Notice

Parties shall provide effective notice (“Notice”) to each other via email at the date and time which the Notice is sent: Photographer’s Email: [email protected]

  1. Counterparts; Facsimile Signatures 

The Parties agree that a facsimile copy (electronic copy) of this Agreement, which contains the Parties’ signatures, may be used as the original.

Signatures

By checking the box on this order form and upon completion of purchase, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.