A clear-skied day in Oregon for Alex + Luke’s summertime Mount Hood elopement; crystal clear views of 4 major PNW mountains, not another soul at the top while they exchanged their vows and celebrated their marriage. I treasure this special day in early July, and hope you’ll enjoy it, too!

📍Land Acknowledgment: Taken on the stolen ancestral land of the Tribes of Siletz Indians and Grand Ronde peoples.

Alex + Luke’s Beautiful Mount Hood, Oregon Elopement

An adventurous hike through the vibrant summer foliage

Alex + Luke chose an epic hike to an amazing view of not 1, not 2 or 3, but 4 major PNW mountains, and wow was it a phenomenal way to start the day! This hike took us through dense forests of deep green trees, lots of wild rhododendron flowers, and even a lovely little alpine lake. We could not have dreamed up a more beautiful day for their elopement, especially since they came all the way from Maine for their elopement – I was so happy that Oregon decided to give them such a beautiful clear-skied day to enjoy all the beauty that the area has to offer!

If you’d like to have a hiking elopement of your own & want some of my best tips from my years of experience, take a look at my guide to How to Have an Epic Hiking Elopement!

A quiet mountaintop vow exchange beneath blue skies

Would you believe me if I told you that nobody else came up to the top of this trail the whole time we were up there? It was incredible – Alex + Luke got complete privacy as they said their vows in front of the glory that is the snow-capped Mount Hood in the summertime. The blue skies also meant we were able to take in views not only of Mount Hood, but also Mount Adams, Mount Rainier, and Mount St. Helens – an entire collection of PNW beauties!

I got the privilege of signing as the ordained official, and also said a few words to help them get into the emotional mindset of their vows. I’m happy to offer this to any couples who would rather keep their ceremony as private as possible & don’t want to hire a separate officiant to tag along! We were able to stop folks on our hike up to sign as their witnesses, which ended up working out perfectly since there was nobody else at the spot where they held their ceremony.

Breathtaking golden hour & dusk portraits at the end of the day

Not only were we lucky enough to get clear skies for Alex + Luke’s Mount Hood elopement – we were also gifted one of the most unbelievable sunsets I’ve ever experienced. The northern Oregon skies poured drops of the most glorious golden hour sunshine down on us as we strolled around the mountain, as the newlyweds roamed the rocky landscape with Mount Hood putting on an absolute show behind them. The progression of daylight to the soft, dreamy, warm light of golden hour into a gentle, subdued blue hour will never fail to amaze me – especially when it provides such a phenomenal backdrop for a couple who just exchanged their marriage vows.

To wrap up this incredible day of adventure, sunshine, and peaceful celebration, we took a few star photos under the night sky. Fun fact – I used the bucket in my trunk to set my camera up because I didn’t have my tripod on me. Anything for some magical photos of my sweet couples underneath the starry sky after committing their lives to one another!✨

Yet again I’m left feeling so full of gratitude that I got to connect with this sweet couple & document their adventure through the beautiful mountains of Oregon. If you’re feeling inspired by Alex + Luke’s Mount Hood elopement and know you want to potentially elope in Oregon, but aren’t fully committed yet to Mount Hood, a couple of my other favorite Oregon elopement locations include the Oregon Coast + the Columbia River Gorge. Would be happy to tell you more about these beautiful regions of Oregon if you end up inquiring with me for your adventure elopement!

Mount Hood Elopement Tips

When is the best time to elope at Mount Hood?

I’d say that the best time of year for a Mount Hood elopement would be in June or early July. During this time, the snow is a little less severe in the region than it is at many popular mountainous locations in Washington, so take advantage! Temperatures will be mild (cross your fingers for clear blue skies like Alex + Luke got!), and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a stunning summer sunset over the jagged mountain peaks to wrap up your elopement adventure. Long summer days also mean you have plenty of light to enjoy as the day progresses from dawn to sunrise to daylight, or from daylight to sunset to dusk.

Do you need a permit to elope at Mount Hood?

No, you do not need a permit to elope at Mount Hood. You’ll only need a special permit to get married at Mount Hood if you’re getting married on land within the Mount Hood National Forest & have 75 or more people in your group. Otherwise, you’re good to go, and will only need to obtain the appropriate day-use/recreation passes for wherever you’re hiking!

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Looking for some unbelievably beautiful mountain elopement locations in Washington, instead? You won’t want to miss out on my Washington Mountain Elopement Guide!