This intimate Secret Garden wedding was so lovely. Did you know that Portland has a Secret Garden? It does! And it’s located in Washington Park… tucked away next to The International Test Rose Garden. But shhhhh…. don’t let the secret out!

It’s a large grassy area surrounded by trees. There are 3 fairly hidden paths that take you into the garden. Although you can GPS the garden, I did not see any signs for it once I was there, and I did have to use my map to walk to the correct location. So perfect for a private ceremony in an otherwise very busy park.

Intimate Secret Garden Wedding

While I did see a couple people walking through before the ceremony, and during portrait time with the couple, I didn’t see anyone at all walk through during the actual ceremony. Just a quick 2 minute walk will land you right in the middle of the Rose Garden, so I thought this was amazing, given how busy the park is on any Saturday in July!

This is an especially meaningful location for the bride and groom because they live just a hop skip and jump away, and have spent a lot of time in Washington Park. The couple had their very closest family and friends join them for their ceremony. They used a gorgeous weeping willow perched on a hill behind them as their backdrop. It was a very sunny day, but the willow provided plenty of shade for the couple and their guests.

Reception at SE Wine Collective

After the intimate Secret Garden wedding, everyone headed across the river to SE Wine Collective for the reception. I had never been to the venue before, but it is also a hidden gem right off Division that I can’t wait to go back to! They have a large variety of wines available, and the food I was able to sample was ahhhhmazing. Seriously, there was a shrimp ceviche and rice cracker appetizer that was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever put in my mouth.

The Vendors:

Reception : SE Wine Collective

Bride’s Dress : BHLDN

Bride’s Hair : Tribe Hair Studio

Cupcakes : Saint Cupcake

Catering : Oui at SE Wine Collective

Band : Seda PDX

See Their Wedding Photo Gallery:

I photographed this adorable couple’s 10 year vow renewal at Sellwood Park last year. This is them with their friend and the official friend officiant 🙂 He did a great job officiating their vow renewal as well as this wedding!