Wedding at Hoyt Arboretum Wedding Meadow
Jennifer and Matt were surrounded by their closest friends and family during their intimate wedding ceremony at Hoyt Arboretum and reception at The Benson Hotel.
The couple started their day by getting ready at The Benson in downtown Portland, OR. Not only is the hotel lobby beautiful, but the area surrounding the hotel also served as a great back drop for the couples first look. After some couples’ portraits and a some time mingling with guest, we all hoped into the Double Decker PDX bus and made our way to the Hoyt Arboretum.
The Wedding Meadow and Redwood Deck
The couple was married at the Wedding Meadow by their friend and neighbor, who just happens to be Rev. Dee Richardson of Diva Matters Ministry. After a short and sweet ceremony, we headed to the Redwood Deck and the surrounding area for a few photos of the couple and their guests.
Jennifer and Matt closed their day with am intimate dinner at The London Grill while a string quartet played for them and their guests.
If you’re looking for some tips on planning your wedding at the Wedding Meadow, check out the great information I put together at the bottom of the blog post!
How to book the Wedding Meadow?
Due to the high demand of Portland Park sites for weddings, a lottery system was installed a couple years ago to give everyone an equal chance of booking their desired location. Here are a few tips to remember when planning your event at the Weeding Meadow.
The Wedding Reservation and Lottery is your best chance to get your desired Portland Parks site. The lottery is opened in November and usually held in early December. Since these are the first bookings for the next calendar year, it is the only time all options are available. Registrants are chosen at random, and are given priority to book their site based on what position they are picked in. The earlier your spot, the better your chance to book your first choice. Since availability is not guaranteed, it’s a good idea to have multiple sites you like. The process moves quickly, so be ready! Taking the time to tour all your choices before the lottery is also a great way to know which places you like best. There is a non-refundable fee to enter the lottery, but the money is counted towards your total once you book a site.
Non lottery participants can start making reservations for the same calendar year through their normal booking process starting on January 4th. You can do that in the three following ways:
By phone - Call the Customer Service Center at 503-823-2525. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
By Fax - Submit the Parks Wedding Worksheet Application to 503-823-2515.
By mail - The Parks Wedding Worksheet Application and payment may be mailed to Portland Parks & Recreation Customer Service 1120 SW 5th Avenue, First Floor, Portland, Oregon 97204. Make checks payable to the City of Portland.
The city code requires a permit for any weddings in which guests are invited. Guest’s include anyone outside of the couple, the officiant, and their two witnesses. You can read all about the requirements for hosting your events HERE, and you can see a list of event regulations HERE.
How much does the Wedding Meadow Cost?
The Wedding Meadow and the Redwood Deck are available to reserve in half day rentals - 8:00am-2:00pm or 3:00pm-9:00pm. The half-day rate of the Redwood Deck is $300 and the half-day rate of the Wedding Meadow is $285. Both locations can be reserved for a half day for a discounted rate of $485. If you would like to reserve the locations for a full day, you can contact the Portland Parks office.