Favorite Outdoor, Garden and Natural Portland Wedding Venues

If you’re familiar at all with the Pacific Northwest, you know there’s nothing quite like a sunny summer day in Portland, Oregon. It’s so green and beautiful here, and Portland brides and grooms have a hard time resisting a sunny summer Saturday for their wedding date. In my previous post, I showed some of my favorite indoor/outdoor Portland venues, so today I’m going to stay in Portland, but show off some of the beautiful outdoor spaces right here in the city.

Without further ado…

Lan Su Chinese Garden

This beautiful garden is a city block right in the heart of downtown Portland, in China Town. The water feature, gorgeous landscaping, and unique architecture make it a beautiful wedding venue, whether you’re having a small elopement in the morning before the park opens to the public or having a bigger ceremony and reception later in the day. There are so many gorgeous spots for photos here that I had one couple rent it out solely for wedding photos with the family. It’s a lovely, quiet oasis right in the middle of the city, so for Portland brides and grooms, you can’t beat it for beauty and convenience.

See more from these weddings here and here.

Leach Botanical Garden

This beautiful garden deep in Southeast Portland is a public space devoted to education and preservation, with a lovely, quiet patio for a wedding ceremony and/or reception. The surrounding area has lovely wild and landscaped areas for stunning wedding portraits for couples who want beautiful green surroundings. I also love the stonework and mossy textures. It really feels like a special, secluded place while still being really conveniently located to town. All in all, it’s a gorgeous spot for a small or medium sized wedding.

See more from this lovely wedding here.

Cathedral Park

Cathedral Park under the St. John’s Bridge in North Portland is one of my favorite spots in all of Portland. The jaw dropping arches of the underside of the bridge are the main architectural feature here, and give the park its name - it really does feel like you’re simultaneously in a beautiful outdoor park and a lovely towering cathedral. There’s a spot beneath the bridge on a cement clearing with a view of the bridge and park and river that make this a gorgeous spot for a wedding ceremony or simply just wedding day portraits. I love it here.

Hoyt Arboretum in Portland’s Forest Park

Stevens Pavilion and picnic shelter and the redwood grove in Forest Park are a stunning natural backdrop for a sunny Portland wedding. The triangular architecture of the shelter makes a beautiful anchor for wedding photos, creating a sort of outdoor cathedral. And the sheer scope of the giant redwoods are an awe-inspiring backdrop for wedding portraits. Plus, as it’s part of Forest Park, you can feel really good about supporting an amazing Portland non-profit with your wedding plans! it’s a total win-win.

Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island

My sister got married at Kruger’s Farm some years ago, and later we heard a rumor that they weren’t holding weddings there anymore. Now they have several “farm dinners” each summer, and you can claim one for your wedding if you’re lucky enough to get there early enough. It’s a beautiful spot, with amazing colors, big skies, lovely flowers, and fantastic food. There’s an amazing big old oak tree you can get married under. And it’s just past St. John’s, so still really convenient to town.

Mt. Tabor in SE Portland

Mt. Tabor is rightfully many a Portlander’s favorite spot. It has big trees, beautiful light, and is right in the heart of Southeast Portland. Anna and Rob hung a simple white banner among the tall trees to mark the spot of their wedding ceremony, which I loved, because the park is so beautiful that it really doesn’t need any extra decoration. Also, since Mt. Tabor is famous for its annual adult soap box derby, they build a little derby car in lieu of tossing the bouquet - they sent it down the track and gave it to the guest who guessed where it would land. Adorable.