Columbia Gorge Hotel Wedding

Hood River wedding venues often boast beautiful scenery, but the Columbia Gorge Hotel is truly a gem. From iconic architecture to unbeatable views of the gorge, it has a lot to offer couples planning their wedding. Elisa and Andrew’s Columbia Gorge Hotel wedding took full advantage of the incredible landscape as the scene for their intimate celebration.

The Columbia Gorge Hotel

The Columbia Gorge Hotel has a distinctly West Coast aesthetic without being at all pretentious. Built in the Mission style, it has a Spanish tile roof that features a tower. The tower is one of my favorite spots on the property because it has incredible views. As you’ll see below, we were able to take incredible sunset portraits after Elisa and Andrew’s wedding ceremony.

Although the Columbia Gorge Hotel is best known for its grounds and views, the hotel’s interior has lots of charm. The hotel lobby features vintage style couches, and the rooms are great places to get ready. I loved that Andrew could straighten his tie in an antique-style mirror with a sconce adding a classic touch to the decor. It’s all stately but approachable and comfortable.

Calling the Columbia Gorge Hotel historic is no exaggeration. It’s actually on the National Register of Historic Places. Simon Benson built the hotel in 1921 for travelers enjoying the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. The hotel changed ownership several times over the last century. After extensive renovations that honor the hotel’s original aesthetic, the Columbia Gorge Hotel reopened with a restaurant and spa. It remains an iconic Oregon landmark.

The Columbia Gorge Hotel is located in Hood River, Oregon. Hood River is a cool town west of Portland. It’s known for its produce and windsurfing. As you can imagine, it attracts an adventurous crowd. People travel to Hood River to hike and see towering waterfalls, including the nearby Tamanawas Falls.

Beautiful Gardens and Sweeping Views

The gardens are what make a Columbia Gorge Hotel wedding feel so magical. In springtime, there are tulips, daffodils, and cherry blossoms adding bright colors to the landscape. In autumn, everything is gold and green. The gardens feature several bridges from which you can see across the rolling hills of the property. It seems like everywhere you look, there’s a stunning view of the Columbia River, the gorge, or the gardens. 

The Columbia Gorge Hotel actually offers a few outdoor spaces. Elisa and Andrew chose to have theirs on Point Lawn overlooking the Columbia River. Although this venue can accommodate large weddings, it’s perfect for an intimate experience. You and your guests have plenty of room to wander and get lost in the moment. If planning an outdoor event makes you nervous, the hotel has a ballroom as well. It has views of the river, but nothing beats enjoying the grounds at the Columbia Gorge Hotel.

With so many beautiful spaces to explore, the possibilities for romantic portraits are endless. I was able to catch Elisa and Andrew snuggling under the trees. They took a few quiet moments to be together in the gardens and take in the views from the bridges. At sunset, we took gorgeous golden hour portraits from the tower.

Elisa and Andrew’s Intimate Wedding

Elisa and Andrew live in Hood River not far from the Columbia Gorge Hotel. When they found the wedding venue during a walk around town, Elisa and Andrew instantly fell in love. They ended up having such a good experience that Elisa took a job as the hotel’s wedding coordinator later on!

The idea of a Columbia Gorge Hotel wedding excited Elisa and Andrew for several reasons. They could plan a wedding close to home and have a ceremony with an incredible view of the gorge. Their ceremony arch featured florals that blended seamlessly with the landscape. The water beyond them reflected the cloudless blue sky.

For their reception, Elisa and Andrew danced under twinkling market lights. They also used the lower level of the hotel for dinner seating. Guests enjoyed moving easily between the indoor and outdoor spaces and exploring the gardens. This fairytale setting saw lots of happy tears.  

I feel so lucky to have been part of Elisa and Andrew’s Columbia Gorge Hotel wedding! Want to see more romantic weddings that celebrate Oregon’s natural beauty? Check out this Wooden Shoe Farm Wedding!