Hug Point is one of the most popular elopement locations on the Oregon Coast. It's a beautiful stretch of beach just south of Cannon Beach where I photographed this intimate wedding earlier this fall.
Prior to the pandemic these two (who's proposal I shot last year) planned on getting married at Rossi Farms but as the Covid cases rose and guidelines continuously shifted, they made the decision to elope at Hug Point surrounded by just their parents. While it wasn't the friend and family filled wedding they had originally imagined, it turned into a beautiful and meaningful day that exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Weather leading up to their elopement day was forecasting rain all weekend long. We were ready for a wet weekend but constantly checking our phones and weather apps to see if there was any hope of sunshine. Saturday morning I woke early to a text from the couple that asked if I could be ready for a ceremony at 11am for a potential peak of sun. I was ready to go!
I met them at their hotel room at Stephanie Inn for some last minute getting ready moments and then headed down the road to Hug Point State Recreation Site. Moments later we were on the beach with their parents, under partly cloudy skies, ready to start their ceremony. Hug Point has a number of great ceremony locations to choose from whether you want a little forested grove that overlooks the beach below, craggy rocks to serve as an altar, or even a small coastal waterfall. We opted for an area of the beach that was closer to the parking lot to accommodate their parents.
As they exchanged their heartfelt vows with one another the sun peeked in and out from behind the clouds and eventually that rainy day that had been forecasted changed to a mostly sunny day that held on until the evening, proving that you never really know what the weather will do on the Oregon Coast.
Following their ceremony and some family portraits we strolled up and down the beach and took some fun couple portraits and enjoyed the late morning sun. We took an afternoon break before meeting back up for some evening portraits followed by a delicious dinner at The Bistro in Cannon Beach. The beauty of elopements is that you can take time and take the day at your own pace, having time to rest and relax in between the days festivities can be helpful for the couple and their guests alike.
This was such a beautiful Oregon Coast elopement to be part of and I'm so happy I could be there. I loved that I could be flexible and accommodate ever changing plans and weather to give these two the best and easiest photography experience possible.
Things to know about eloping at Hug Point
Below are a few things to consider while planning your elopement or small wedding at Hug Point State Recreation Site on the Oregon Coast.
Pick a weekday elopement date and get married off season
I highly recommend you plan your Hug Point elopement for a weekday (Monday through Thursday) to cut down on the number of beachgoers and visitors and ensure you have a more intimate and enjoyable wedding day. While I try my best to photoshop out distracting people in the background it's a lot easier to avoid this when the beach is emptier.
Perhaps the biggest incentive for picking a weekday is parking. The parking lot at Hug Point is small and fills up early and fast! On a summer weekend you can expect to find cars parked precariously and often illegally along Highway 101.
You probably don’t have to worry about sharks but you will have to worry about parking.
Check the tides and the weather forecast
Hug Point is a smaller section of beach and accessing certain areas like the caves can be difficult and dangerous depending on the time of year and the tide schedule. If you're planning a winter elopement on the Oregon Coast pay attention to when the King Tides are happening and avoid the beach.
Pockets of sunshine can happen at any time on the north Oregon Coast but you're most likely to get sun in the summer months of mid June through early September. These are also the busiest times for visitors.
do i need a permit to get married at hug point?
Probably not but check out my elopement guide for Cannon Beach or my resource on eloping in Oregon for more details about permits, state ceremony requirements, etc.