After checking out some waterfalls up in Washington, we wanted to do a little waterfall elopement scouting in Oregon. Our hunt for the perfect waterfall took us to Abiqua Falls. The second we laid eyes on this waterfall, we knew it’d be perfect for an Oregon waterfall elopement. It’s beautiful, epic, and adventurous!
Oregon Waterfall Elopement Location Scouting
We spent three weeks in Portland this October shooting weddings and adventure sessions, but made sure to get out on our own little adventures as well. Oregon is well know for its epic waterfalls. Picking the waterfall is a tough task, but we gotta say, this one comes pretty close to perfect. We had a few qualifications the waterfall we scouted had to meet for it to be a good elopement location, and these falls hit all of them. We wanted to find a waterfall that you could walk right up to the base of, where you can feel the cool mist of the falling water. It also had to be close enough to Portland for a day trip, and an easy enough hike to do in a wedding dress. Finally, we wanted it to be off the beaten path enough to keep out too many tourists and give the whole experience a greater sense of adventure 😉
Want to see more elopement scouting? Check out this Artist Point Elopement Scouting Post
The road down to the waterfall was a bit muddy with some pot holes, but it was good enough to get to in our trusty Tahoe. The hike was pretty much straight down and muddy, but definitely easy enough to do in a wedding dress and hiking boots. There are also ropes to grab on to for stability during the steepest sections. Once you reach the bottom of the trail, you follow the riverside up a short walk to the base of the falls. Huge trees covered in beautiful bright green moss tower by the river banks, creating a mystical, magical environment. It’s classic PNW.
You hear the waterfall before you see it. When you turn the final corner and see the falls for the first time, it’s an incredible feeling. This is a picture perfect Oregon waterfall in every way. It falls over 100 feet into a serene pool, and the cliff wraps around you for a very secluded, intimate feeling. The second we first laid eyes on these falls, we knew it would be perfect for an elopement. There’s a flat patch of land directly in front of the falls that would make for the ideal ceremony spot. We imagine standing barefoot on the smooth river-polished rocks with the cool touch from the mist adding another sense to the incredible sight. It’s absolutely breathtaking, and ideal for anyone with their hearts set on an epic Oregon waterfall elopement.
Learn more about The Foxes Elopement Photography
↟↟↟
The Foxes are Brandon and Gabi Fox, an adventurous husband and wife elopement and wedding photography team living full-time in their DIY renovated 1972 Airstream. They are loosely based in the Pacific Northwest, but travel for work and play throughout the western states. Their work is best described as candid photography that captures couples as they are, where they are, blending images of love and natural beauty in the great outdoors.
↟↟↟