Bridal Veil & Latourell Falls Winter Elopement

When Caitlin and Julius reached out and described their dream waterfall elopement, I suggested a few spots. I warned them that winter in Oregon creates the best waterfalls due to the rainfall, and that most of the waterfalls in the area would be raging. I asked whether they wanted to be far away from a waterfall, or close enough that they'd be getting wet, and their answer was to be as close to the biggest waterfall they could get their family to hike into. So, we headed to Latourell Falls in the Gorge for their elopement. The day coincided with Caitlin's parents' anniversary, and it felt like the stars had aligned. Although it wasn't raining, the spot we picked out was just out of reach of the wettest blow-back from the falls, and we were getting hardcore misted.

Caitlin and Julius have 2 boys, and both had not dressed for hiking. They both looked so handsome in their suits, and ended up wearing blankets and coats to stay warm during the ceremony. Caitlin wore fleece-lined white wedding crocs, which is a pro move right there. We slowly made our way down the muddy, slippery path to the other side of the bridge so Latourell Falls was right behind the ceremony spot.

After the ceremony was over and we scurried back to our cars to get warm and dry, we headed over to Bridal Veil Falls to take some family shots. The weather was so different at the scenic lookout - dry and windy. I'm so glad they chose to have the ceremony where they wanted to be, rather than in a spot more environmentally-agreeable and less wet, but this spot is a close second with beauty and ease of parking. And, there's a really nice bathroom close by, which is so helpful when you've got younger kids.

After family photos, Caitlin, Julius, and I trekked down to see Bridal Veil. Despite a steep descent, the hike was quick relatively easy, and I would recommend the hike for anyone who wants to take photos with a waterfall.