In this post we are going to walk through the steps needed to plan your dream Oregon Coast elopement, and a few of my favorite locations pacific northwest coastal locations. The Oregon coast is an iconic elopement destination and for good reason. The epic coastline features stunning rocky beaches, cliffs with beautiful views, and forests that crash into the sand. Even in the summer you often are greeted with a moody, foggy landscape which adds to its Oregon charms. It’s one of my favorite places to be and to work, and I love capturing elopements there!
The step by step plan for your dream Oregon Coast elopement:
- Decide what time of year you want to elope.
- Choose your elopement date.
- Choose your exact location.
- Book your vendors and travel accomodations.
- Get your marriage license.
- Have the elopement of your dreams!
1. Decide what time of year you want for your Oregon Coast elopement.
The time of year you decide to elope is super important, especially on the Oregon Coast. Be prepared that no matter what time of year you choose, you may still experience rain and fog. Even in summer it’s likely because of the cooler temperatures of the air and ocean here! But with that in mind, let’s go over the best times of the year/seasons for your Oregon Coast elopement.
- For “summery” weather – there’s no guarantees, but in general if you’re hoping for sunshine, July and August would be the best months!
- For “moody” weather but not rain – May, September, and October are your best bets for getting foggy realness without too much of the rain/storms that sometimes come with that!
- For romantic rainy weather – Pretty much any month other than the ones I mentioned above! Especially mid winter and spring, so January – April. Crowds will also usually be at their lowest during these months except spring break.
Whatever time of year you end up choosing, you’re guaranteed for it to still be magical! The photo above this section and the photos below were taken in the same week in June at the same location. Both stunning elopements despite the weather difference! Click here for a fun little guide on what do in any weather at the Oregon Coast.
2. Choose your elopement date.
Steps 2 and 4 can be swapped if your date is flexible because then you could choose your date based on my availability. But you can also just pick your favorite date within the season you’ve chosen. For elopements, weekdays will always be better and less crowded, and try to stay away from any holidays.
- If you can, avoid choosing dates close to spring break and holidays like; mother’s day, father’s day, and the fourth of july. These will be very busy times for the coast.
- Choosing a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday will generally mean less crowds on the beach, and more privacy for your elopement. If you’d prefer a weekend, Sunday is always less crowded than Saturday as long as it’s not a 3 day weekend.
3. Choose your Oregon Coast elopement location.
So this is where is starts to get tough, because there are just SO many beautiful locations to choose from on the Oregon coast. A good place to start is with my top favorite Oregon coast elopement locations blog post. The post is a bit outdated as since then I’ve discovered so many more amazing places. But it helps outline the general areas; the southern coast, the mid coast, and the northern coast. Each area has its own special activities and landscape, so it will come down to personal preference and your vision. When you book with me, you’ll get a custom location guide filled with photos and suggestions for all the places I think will fit your vibe which makes it so much easier to narrow down your location!
4. Book your vendors and travel accommodations for your elopement.
Once your date and location are set, it’s time to choose and book your vendors, and plan your travel accommodations. If you already live in Oregon, booking a cute place to stay near your location is still a good idea. That way there’s no stress of having to travel on your wedding day.
If you’re from out of state, the great news is that I will help you with pretty much everything!! You’ll receive a location guide from me letting you know which airport to fly into, the best area to stay in, and a list of local vendors amazing at what they do. My more local couples will also get access to those resources, just maybe not the airport info. 😉 Check out details on how to book with me HERE.
5. Get your marriage license!
In the state of Oregon, you have to get your marriage license a minimum of 3 days before your wedding day. You can get your license at any county courthouse and then get married in any Oregon city. For locals, make sure you have all your necessary documents and get an appointment to get your marriage license at your local courthouse. I recommend at least 3-6 weeks before the big day so you don’t have to stress.
For out of staters, it’s usually easiest to get your license at the closest county courthouse to where you’re getting married OR in the city you’re flying into. Most county clerks are used to people flying in from out of state to get married, and will help you apply for your marriage license online. Make sure to plan enough time before and after your wedding date to pick up and drop off your marriage license at whatever courthouse you choose! (Or plan for your officiant to do it for you.) After that they can usually mail your completed license to you in your home state.
Another bonus to booking with me is that I will do all this research for you and send you all the necessary links and info I can find to help make it easy for you!
Now it’s time for the absolute best step, step 6!
6. Have your DREAM elopement on the Oregon Coast!
This is the best part, when all of your dreams and planning come together and you get to have your perfect wedding day! After your dream day is over, you get to relive those memories over and over with the printed polaroid keepsake photo book included in your package. Then you’ll get a sneak peak gallery of between 50-100 of your wedding photos within 48 hours of your elopement day! After that, within 8-12 weeks you’ll get your complete gallery back along with any film scans. You can then order your heirloom album and print your photos, and you’ll have those memories to share and cherish forever!
Ready to plan your own dream oregon coast elopement? Click here to reach out and get started!
