Hoyt Arboretum Elopement

It is pretty well known that Portland has great donuts, great beer, super cute neighborhoods, distinct personalities, and fun local bars; but it can be easy to forget that there is quite a bit of natural space tucked within the city limits.  Easy access to these spaces makes Portland a convenient and beautiful place to elope. Among these areas, Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park sets itself apart with accessibility and it’s beautiful range of options for ceremony spaces (Updated for 2022). 

From the outset getting to your elopement location at Hoyt Arboretum is a breeze.  You can choose to take public transportation as there is Washington Park MAX stop and a free shuttle that will take you the rest of the way through the Washington Park and its many attractions-Hoyt Arboretum being one of the main draws.  There is also quite a bit of street parking and a lot that accepts payment through your cell phone (so you don’t need to worry about tucking cash into your pockets). Some of the most popular ceremony sites, which include the Redwood Deck and the Wedding Meadow are only a 10-15 minute easy hike from the parking lot for your guests.  There is also easier access for set up via a gated road.

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Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum

Redwood Deck Wedding

The Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum is a beautiful wooden deck surrounded by tall redwood and sequoia trees. It’s a peaceful setting and the perfect place to exchange vows. The deck is available for a half day rental and can accommodate up to 40 people standing or 25 people seated.

Wedding Meadow at Hoyt Arboretum

Couples who prefer bright, open and airy spaces may want to opt to have their ceremony at the Wedding Meadow. The wedding meadow is available for a half day rental and can accommodate up to 100 people. You can reserve both the Redwood Deck and the Wedding Meadow for $404.

Stone Circle

The Stone Circle ceremony location is accessible via the Bristlecone Trail and is a small, quiet ceremony location tucked within the arboretum’s global tree collection. This ceremony spot has a capacity of 40 people. Accessing the site involves a 1/2 mile walk from the visitor center.

Reserving a date for your Hoyt Arboretum Wedding

To reserve a date and time for your wedding in Hoyt Arboretum, you’ll need to visit the Portland Parks and Recreation department. There is a wedding lottery every year in the fall, usually in November, when dates and locations are released for all Portland park locations that can be reserved. If you miss the lottery, open reservations begin in the new year.

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The benefit of these spaces, as well as Washington Park in general, is that you don’t need to venture far from downtown Portland to feel as if you are transported into a national forest. With this location you can be married under the redwoods and still make your celebratory dinner reservation at Departure and have a wedding night drink at the Woodlark Hotel.  

Choosing to get married at Hoyt Arboretum allows you to have a ceremony surrounded by the best elements of the great outdoors while still allowing you to later experience the best aspects of the great indoors.  If you’re thinking about an elopement in Portland, I would highly recommend this spot. Not convinced? Check out some of our other Oregon elopement locations.

Hoyt Arboretum Wedding Photos

Below are some wedding photos from a recent Redwood Deck wedding at Hoyt Arboretum.

Oaks Pioneer Church Wedding

I finally had the opportunity to photograph a wedding at Oaks Pioneer Church in the Sellwood neighborhood of Southeast Portland. Maybe it’s all the Little House on the Prairie that I watched as a kid but I’ve always wanted to photograph a wedding in a little white chapel.

This tiny white church was originally located in the town of Milwaukie, Oregon but was moved up river in 1961 to it’s current location in Sellwood. The church is available for small weddings and elopement rentals and can accommodate up to 75 people. The church has everything you think a historic chapel would have like rich wood paneling, stained glass windows, a working organ, and a pot belly wood stove. There’s also a small bridal suite and bathroom on the side of the church too.

These two got married on a weekday morning surrounded by their parents and siblings. Following their ceremony we took some photos around the neighborhood and hopped into a limo for some photos around Portland.

As a photographer, I think the best time of day for a wedding at Oaks Pioneer Church is in the late afternoon or early evening when the sun is positioned slightly behind the church. That way after your ceremony we can shoot portraits in front of the church without having to squint in direct sun. Following your ceremony you can visit the Sellwood Riverfront Park or Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge before heading off to your reception.

For more information on the church including booking and availability, visit their website here.

If you’re in the neighborhood, pay it a visit. The surrounding area is super cute and if you visit in the fall you will be treated to some lovely fall color.

I love that this little gem is right in my neighborhood and I can’t wait to photograph another wedding or elopement at Oaks Pioneer Church.

Oregon Coast Beach House Wedding

On a beautiful day on the Oregon Coast, these two exchanged vows on the dunes above the beach, with the iconic Haystack Rock in the distance. The couple had originally planned to have their wedding in Southern California, but due to the pandemic, they decided to move their wedding to their family beach house in Cannon Beach.

The wedding ceremony was intimate and emotional, surrounded by the couple's closest family and friends. The love and support of those in attendance was really special and it was clear that this was a day that the couple would always remember.

After the ceremony, the party moved up to the house for a cocktail hour and reception catered by Sage Bleu Catering. The reception was cozy and intimate, with heartfelt toasts and plenty of opportunities for candid moments. The scenery was breathtaking, and I was able to capture some truly beautiful portraits of the couple against the stunning backdrop of the Oregon Coast.

Overall, it was a day filled with everything that makes a wedding so special – love, support, and beautiful surroundings. These two will no doubt always look back on their wedding day with fond memories and appreciation for the way that everything came together, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. It was a truly special occasion that they will always cherish and I’m so happy that I could be there.

Thinking about having a wedding or elopement on the Oregon Coast? My Cannon Beach Elopement Guide has you covered with everything you need to know about where, when, and how to get married on the beach in Oregon.

Wedding at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

This was my first wedding at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Southeast Portland and I'm so glad that I finally had the opportunity to photograph a wedding there. I've been visiting this beautiful park for years with my niece and nephews and I was so excited when these two reached out to me to document their wedding day.

Crystal Springs is a beautiful wedding venue and one of my favorites in Portland. Beyond hosting weddings, the garden is an amazing city park to visit. Its 9.5 acres are full of natural beauty and a unique collection of plants. Throughout the year over 90 different species of birds can be spotted there. I recommend visiting the garden in the Spring when the park's namesake plants are in full bloom.

This wedding had a small world feeling from the start. In our initial consultation we came to find out that we actually lived in the same apartment building and like me, the bride and groom both had spent time in Boise and Northern California. To top it off they were getting married about 5 minutes from our home.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is the perfect setting to celebrate and dance under the moonlight on a warm summer Portland evening. The garden has 3 different ceremony locations and it's easy to feel a sense of privacy and intimacy in each of them.

These two had their ceremony and reception on the large meadow site overlooking Crystal Springs Lake. Following toasts we took a walk and explored the meandering trails, stopping along the way to take photos and take in the nice evening light.

I can't wait to take the 5 minute drive and photograph more weddings here next summer! For more info about booking your wedding at Crystal Springs, you can visit their wedding website here.

If you're new here, you can view more of my Portland wedding photos here and learn more about me here. I'd love to learn more about your wedding plans!

Questions to ask a wedding photographer

Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the bigger decisions in your wedding planning process. Your wedding photos will be how you and your loved ones revisit and remember your wedding day so it's important to find someone you trust and whose portfolio you love. There are many important questions you can ask a wedding photographer but I think these are some interesting questions that create better conversation to help you decide whether or not the photographer is a good fit for your wedding day.

Wedding Photographer Meeting Checklist

Below is a list of questions that can serve as a meeting checklist for your wedding photographer consultation. I’ve included explanations for each question below:

1. Are you available on our wedding date? Are you able to give us a soft hold on the date?

2. What do you enjoy most about photographing weddings?

3. How would you describe your working style and general presence on a wedding day?

4. Can you describe how you work with other wedding vendors on the day-of?

5. Have you worked at our venue before or at a venue that is similar in light, layout, etc.?

6. Is it possible to see a full wedding gallery from a past event you have photographed?

7. Can you help us with our wedding timeline?

8. Do you shoot from a shot list?

9. How do you approach posing for couple portraits?

10. How do you backup your photos?

11. How will you use our photos?

12. What happens if you have to miss our wedding?

13. Will you receive digital files of your photos? How and when will they be delivered?

14. How many wedding photos can we expect to receive?

15. What is your favorite part of a wedding day?

16. What gear or equipment do you shoot with?

17. What is the coolest or most fun thing you’ve seen done at a wedding?

18. Do you have everything you need from us in order to do your job?

19. Can we change our photography package? Can we add a second shooter?

20. How do we cancel or reschedule?

What to ask your wedding photographer

1. Are you available on our wedding date? Are you able to give us a soft hold on the date?

   Wedding planning is hard and there are a lot of moving parts for all parties involved. It’s a good idea to double check if the photographer is still available for your wedding date and to understand how competitive your date is. Some photographers will provide a short, soft hold for the date to allow you some time to make your decision while others will book first come first serve or in this case whoever puts a deposit in first.

2. What do you enjoy most about photographing weddings?

   Learning why the photographer shoots weddings can tell you a little more about them and why they chose wedding photography as a focus. Do they seem passionate about their work and excited about your wedding day?

3. How would you describe your working style and general presence on a wedding day?

   Your wedding photographer will be one of the vendors you work with most on the actual day so it's important that you get a sense of their personality and how they work on the day of. Do they have a large personality that fills a room or a calming, easy going presence. Are they hands off throughout the entire day or do they arrange and produce moments?

4. Can you describe how you work with other wedding vendors on the day-of?

   Your team of vendors work for you and should all have the goal of making your wedding day the best that it can be. It was a surprise to me when I first found out that occasionally there is drama between videographers and photographers. I'm not here for that and I don't think you should be either. Getting a sense of how your photographer works with other vendors is valuable insight to have. How do they go about working with videographers, wedding planners, etc.?

5. Have you worked at our venue before or at a venue that is similar in light, layout, etc.?

   Most wedding photographers with several years of experience will be well versed in working at new venues. There are so many wedding venues around and it's almost impossible to have worked at all of them. A professional, experienced photographer will know how to adapt to new surroundings but it's a good idea to understand if your photographer has experience working at venues that are similar to yours.

6. Is it possible to see a full wedding gallery from a past event you have photographed?

   Photographer websites and their social media profiles are often filled with the best moments and photos that perform well on those platforms. It’s a great idea to see how the photographer performs throughout the entire wedding day. Are their images thoughtfully composed, properly exposed, and sharp during real time, faster paced scenarios like the wedding ceremony and reception or just during more structured and posed moments like couple portraits? I’m always willing to share a past wedding gallery for prospective clients so that they can see the whole day and not just cherry picked moments. It’s also a great way for them to see the online gallery that I provide.

7. Can you help us with our wedding timeline?

   Determine whether or not your photographer will be available during the planning process to advise you on how long certain parts of the day will take and when the best time of day is for certain moments. Is that planning assistance included in your photography package or is that an extra fee? I include planning assistance in all of my wedding photography packages and I’m always happy to share timeline resources.

8. Do you shoot from a shot list?

   If you are looking for particular types of images that you are wanting to recreate or just have a particular vision, check with the wedding photographer to see if that is something they are comfortable with. Most experienced photographers are well versed in how a wedding day flows and they should know what the go-to moments are but there may be certain moments that are unique to you and your partner and it's important to communicate that.

9. How do you approach posing for couple portraits?

   Not everyone is excited to be in front of a camera so it's important to know what that experience will be like with your photographer. Is the photographer comfortable providing direction or are they more hands off? Are they comfortable providing poses that are gender neutral? For my clients, I try to find poses that feel natural and mimic how their bodies come together in real life. I work with folks by talking them through the process instead of just holding my camera in front of them waiting for them to do something cute. I want whatever "poses" we do to feel natural and not posy. I also always check in with the couple to make sure they are feeling good.

10. How do you backup your photos?

    It's important to know what happens to the photos your wedding photographer shoots following your wedding day and before they are delivered. A good backup plan has multiple levels of redundancy and at least two different physical locations. When I photograph a wedding the first thing I do is import the photos to at least three different hard drives. I then begin uploading the images to an online storage platform. Lastly, I make sure to copy the photos to a flash drive that I can bring with me whenever I leave the house.

11. How will you use our photos?

    As is industry standard, most wedding photographers retain the copyright to their photos unless otherwise agreed upon. Knowing how your wedding photographer plans to use your wedding photos is important. As photographers, being able to share our work is a necessary part of growing a photography business and vital to attracting new clients. When I share my photos I always do so in a way that is respectful and I make sure to never post names or identifying information about my clients. I only ever use the photos on my website or social media and I never sell my images.

12. What happens if you have to miss our wedding?

    This can be a tricky question to answer as a wedding photographer but seeing how the photographer communicates that answer is important. Most photographers will try everything in their power to be there at your wedding. I've never once missed a wedding in over 15 years. The mere thought of being late fills me with late night anxiety. Emergencies happen though and our backup plans can often only be hypothetical unless you're willing to pay for a backup photographer to sit on standby. For my clients, I promise to do everything in my power to be there or to find a qualified professional colleague who can be there in my stead if I’m physically unable to make it.

13. Will you receive digital files of your photos? How and when will they be delivered?

    It's commonplace these days to receive some amount of high resolution digital images from your wedding day but it's good to double check with the photographer what their photography packages include. Some photographers may only offer prints or a certain amount of digital images with additional downloads as an extra fee. It's also important to know what the deliverable is and when you will receive it. I deliver all of the final edited high resolution images available for download access via an online client gallery that is connected to a professional print lab.

14. How many wedding photos can we expect to receive?

    Every wedding is different and this amount can vary depending on your timeline, individual events on your wedding day, and how long your photography coverage is for. Your wedding photographer may have packages that dictate how many photos you will receive. I deliver roughly 100 edited images per hour that I shoot but again that number can vary depending on the day and how the timeline is structured. My goal is to deliver as many edited photos as I can without overwhelming clients with duplicates.

Fun questions to ask a photographer

1. What is your favorite part of a wedding day?

   This is a great way to get to know what parts of a wedding day your photographer enjoys and might give you some ideas about your wedding day.

2. What gear or equipment do you shoot with?

   This questions is by no means necessary and makes no difference how good a professional photographer is but if you’re into photography and camera gear you might have fun connecting with a photographer about this.

3. What is the coolest or most fun thing you’ve seen done at a wedding?

   As wedding photographers we get to see a lot of different celebrations and it’s not uncommon to see something new or out of the box at a wedding. Your photographer might end up giving you an idea that your guests will love.

Last-minute questions for your wedding photographer

Before your wedding day you might have some questions for your photographer regarding last minutes changes. You might find some of the answers to these questions in your photographer’s contract.

1. Do you have everything you need from us in order to do your job?

   Make sure that you provide your wedding photographer with a timeline of your day, necessary contact info and addresses, information on parking, a shot list or list of family portraits if applicable. Ask your photographer if there are any details they need from you prior to your wedding.

2. Can we change our photography package? Can we add a second shooter?

   As your wedding planning moves along you might decide you want more or less photography coverage than your initial package includes. You might also decide you want a second shooter. Check your contract or ask your wedding photographer if and when you can make these changes.

3. How do we cancel or reschedule?

   Life happens and unfortunately even the best wedding plans can hit road blocks. Communicate with your photographer as early as possible regarding your plans to cancel or reschedule your wedding and see what options you have. Revisit your photographer’s contract to see what steps are laid out.

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This is just the start of some of the questions you can ask a wedding photographer to work out whether or not you want to work with them on your wedding day. As a photographer myself, I find these questions open up conversation a little more than others and help paint a picture of who the photographer is and how they do business. Ultimately the questions you ask will likely be unique to you and your wedding.