a change of plans... my favorite elopement, and small wedding locations

With all the uncertainty that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, many couples are now having to postpone or rethink their wedding celebrations, and that's ok! Being able to roll with change is an essential part of your marriage, and this is just another opportunity to decide together what the most important and beautiful parts are to both of you.

I’ve documented and witnessed so many types of weddings: in backyards, at the end of the trail, a small corner of a park, with just a handful of guests, or no guests at all. Donuts and chai, a picnic basket, slow dancing to a song playing from a single iPhone.

You may find yourself with some extra time to consider other options, so grab a drink, snuggle up, and check out a few locations for keeping your small wedding or elopement simple, local, and lovely.

Backyards

The house where you grew up, or the home where you live. Put the money you'd spend at a big wedding party towards updating your landscaping, stocking the freezer in the garage with your favorite drinks, and having a small party with your friends and immediate family.

Portland

• Hoyt Arboretum

• Portland Memory Garden

• Cathedral Park

• Sauvie Island

• Elk Rock Island

Columbia Gorge

A magical stretch of Northwest Oregon, from the massive Columbia River, to torrents of waterfalls, to the wildflower-carpeted overlooks.

• Rowena Crest
• Latourell Falls
• Government Cove
• Panther Creek Falls

Oregon Coast

Salty air, sand in your toes, waves tumbling in front of the endless stretch of ocean, just the two of you.

• Arcadia State Park
• Ecola Beach SP
• Rockaway Beach
• Oregon Dunes

Mt Hood

The smell of fir trees, remote lakes, snow-y peaks, framing your vows.

• Pacific Crest Trail
• Trillium lake
• Tamawanas Falls
• Timberline Lodge

Extra Tips

The benefits of keeping your wedding ceremony small are obvious! Avoid large debt. Use the savings to splurge on important things, like pie, BBQ ribs, or a tasty dinner for you and your family. Find that beautiful spot just for you? Make a yearly trip there to revisit your vows, have a picnic, and camp nearby. Getting married in your backyard? Maybe add some extra shrubbery, fix the fence, or add a gas fireplace where you can roast s'mores together every Tuesday night for the rest of your life.

Even when social distancing keeps us a little farther apart, the romance of your wedding can be more gorgeous than ever.