Hoyt Arboretum Forest Elopement in Portland, Oregon
Sara and Miles walking the trails in Forest Park
The Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum
If you have never been to Hoyt Arboretum in Portland in December, let me paint the picture. The city disappears. The redwoods do what redwoods do, which is make everything feel very small and very old and very quiet in the best possible way. The redwood deck sits among those trees like it was placed there specifically for moments like this one, intimate and unhurried and completely removed from the noise of everyday life.
Sara and Miles had six of her closest people with her. That was it. No seating charts, no catering staff, no DJ. Just the people who mattered most, standing in the trees on a December afternoon while her best friend officiated the ceremony. There is something about that kind of intentional smallness that hits differently through a lens. Every face in that circle meant something. Every reaction was real and unguarded and completely present.
After the ceremony we drove back into the city and ended the night at Le Pigeon, which if you know Portland, you know is exactly the right call. The table was full, the food was exceptional, and at some point Sara and Miles opened a bottle of wine they had bought together on their very first date. They had been holding onto it, waiting for the right moment. If a December elopement in the redwoods surrounded by your six favorite people is not the right moment, I genuinely do not know what is.
Sara is a winemaker from Napa, so a bottle of wine has never been just a bottle of wine in her world. It carries intention and memory and craft. Opening that particular bottle at that particular table felt less like a toast and more like a full circle. The kind of detail you cannot plan and cannot manufacture. The kind that makes you believe in the whole thing all over again.
Talk about manifesting.
Vendor Spotlight: Sara's look was in the hands of Lisa Boehm, a Portland based hair, makeup, and skincare artist whose whole approach is built around making you look like yourself, only better. Soft, skin forward makeup and modern timeless hair styling that photographs beautifully without ever feeling overdone. For a December elopement in the redwoods, it was exactly right. If you are looking for a Portland wedding hair and makeup artist who genuinely gets it, Lisa is your person. Find her at lisaboehmbeauty.com.
Real Review: Leah Flores Photography was an exceptional choice for our wedding day photographer. From the very first interaction, Leah's communication style was detailed, welcoming, warm, and extremely. Her expertise and collaborative approach were invaluable - she helped us articulate our vision and captured timeless photos that we will cherish forever. On the day of the wedding, Leah kept us on schedule and made us feel at ease, even though I am not very comfortable in front of the camera. Her guidance ensured we were in the right places to get all the shots without any distractions, allowing us to stay present and full of joy. Our day was perfect and the memories that Leah created perfectly captured the moment. We are beyond thrilled with the results and could not recommend Leah Flores Photography more highly.
Elopement photographed at Hoyt Arboretum Redwood Deck, Portland, Oregon. Dinner at Le Pigeon, Portland, Oregon. Small and intimate elopement photography by Leah Flores of Rare Day Photo, based in Portland, Oregon and available for elopements across the Pacific Northwest and worldwide.
