Hoyt Arboretum Redwood Deck Wedding | Portland Oregon Elopement Photographer
There is something about a Thursday elopement that just feels right. No big production. No weekend crowd. Just Britt and Max, their closest people, and a June afternoon at the Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, Oregon.
The roses were still blooming over at the International Rose Test Garden when we stopped for portraits, which felt like the city was putting out a little welcome mat just for them. Pink and red and everything in between, surrounding two people who were completely in their own world. That's the kind of detail that only happens when you pick a date because it feels right rather than because it fits a venue's Saturday calendar.
The Redwood Deck itself is one of those ceremony spaces that doesn't need much. The coastal redwoods do all the decorating. Britt and Max brought in gorgeous pink and lavender florals along the aisle and a lush circle arch that felt perfectly at home against all that green. Their small group of loved ones filled the white chairs, and the whole thing felt like exactly what it was: an intentional, personal celebration with just the people who mattered most.
Max reading his vows. The smile on his face before he even got to the end of the page. That's a picture I could look at for a long time.
And that recessional. Both arms up, faces wide open, everyone clapping. That's the shot I live for.
After the ceremony we wandered the redwood trails for portraits and ended up with the whole arboretum as a backdrop, just the two of them in the ferns with those giant trees overhead. Britt's veil trailing behind her on the dirt path. The dappled June light coming through the canopy. It was quiet and easy and completely them.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum?
The Redwood Deck is an open wooden platform tucked inside a stately grove of redwoods and sequoias at Hoyt Arboretum in Portland's West Hills. It sits within Washington Park and is managed through Portland Parks and Recreation, which means you do need a permit to hold a private ceremony there. The booking process is straightforward though, and the payoff is a completely one-of-a-kind outdoor setting in the middle of the city. The space works beautifully for intimate gatherings, which is exactly why it's become a go-to for elopements and small weddings where the guest list is intentional rather than exhaustive.
How do you book the Redwood Deck for a wedding or elopement?
Reservations go through the Portland Parks and Recreation Customer Service Center, not directly through Hoyt Arboretum. You can reach them at (503) 823-2525, or visit portland.gov/parks/wedding for more information. Their office is at 1120 SW 5th Avenue, First Floor in Portland, open Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm. The Redwood Deck is often rented alongside the Wedding Meadow for couples who want a mix of open green space and deep forest setting.
What should couples know about booking Hoyt Arboretum in 2026?
There is an active trail improvement project nearby through 2026, and equipment noise may be audible on weekdays during late spring, summer, and fall. The Redwood Deck is still fully available for permits and there are no visual impacts at the ceremony space itself, but it is worth knowing about if you are planning a weekday elopement and have strong feelings about background noise. Britt and Max's Thursday ceremony in June was beautiful, so it is absolutely still doable. Just something to factor in when you are picking your date and talking to your vendors.
Is Hoyt Arboretum a good place for a Portland elopement?
For couples who want a real forest feel without leaving the city, yes. The redwood and sequoia grove at the Redwood Deck gives you that towering, cathedral-in-the-trees atmosphere that is genuinely hard to find anywhere else inside Portland city limits. It photographs beautifully in every season, but June is particularly good because the light through new summer growth is soft and green and everywhere. And if you want to add rose garden portraits to your day, the International Rose Test Garden is just a short walk away inside Washington Park. In mid June the roses are still in full bloom, which is exactly the kind of thing that happens when you plan your elopement around what you actually want instead of what a Saturday calendar allows.
Who photographed Britt and Max's elopement at Hoyt Arboretum?
I'm Becky Chambers with Studio 623 Photography, based in Sandy, Oregon. I photograph weddings and elopements throughout the Portland metro area, Washington Park, the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, the Oregon Coast, and beyond. If you are planning a Hoyt Arboretum elopement or anywhere else in the Pacific Northwest, I would love to hear about it.
