All About Weddings at The Griffin House: A Beautiful Hood River Wedding Venue

The Griffin House Elopement Wedding - Hood River, Oregon - Oregon Intimate Wedding

The Griffin House Wedding Venue

As a PNW wedding and elopement photographer, I have captured a LOT of weddings at all sorts of venues but The Griffin House in Oregon is a venue that NEEDS to be highlighted!! It’s a venue that not only has the most idyllic views of the Columbia River Gorge but it also has the most amazing staff who will make sure to bring your dream wedding to life.

Today I am giving you all of the details about my absolute favorite Oregon wedding venue, The Griffin House! It’s a one-of-a-kind venue that you need to consider for your Oregon wedding. To learn more about this amazing venue, you’ll need to keep reading!

Table of Contents

About The Griffin House

Where is The Griffin House?

The Griffin House is located in Hood River, Oregon right along the Columbia River Gorge. Because it is located on the Columbia River Gorge, this venue has the most beautiful views. If you’re traveling from Portland, this venue is only about an hour outside of the city. So if your guests live in Portland or want to stay in the city, the venue isn’t too far of a drive. If you don’t live in Portland, I recommend renting a car as the public transportation in Hood River isn’t the best.

Why Have Your Wedding at The Griffin House

Now that you know where The Griffin House is located, let’s get into why this venue is so spectacular! While there are so many beautiful venues in Oregon, here are a few reasons why you need to consider The Griffin House:

Never-ending views of the Columbia River Gorge

Because of The Griffin House’s location on a cliff side, it has a perfect unobstructed view of the Columbia River Gorge. The ceremony site is positioned right along the rock wall of the cliff giving you the best backdrop for your ceremony.

Vintage Charm

The property is 120 years old and has lived many other lives before becoming a wedding venue. The property was once a dairy farm, a fox farm, and even a prohibition-era speakeasy with a secret tunnel through the cliff! Eventually, the property was purchased, renovated, and transitioned into a beautiful wedding venue. And although it was renovated, keeping much of its vintage charm was a must as this property has so much unique history.

1 Hour from Portland

Although this venue is only 1 hour outside of Portland, it truly feels as though you have been transported to a whole new place. The views are unbelievable and the drive to get to Hood River from Portland is one you will remember!

Separate Getting Ready Spaces

Another reason that I love this venue is that it offers separate getting-ready spaces. Having a getting-ready space at a venue will make your day 1000 times easier.

Amazing Staff to Help You Plan Your Dream Wedding

And of course, I can’t forget to mention how freaking amazing the staff is. Each one of them is there for you throughout the whole planning process and will make sure your dream wedding becomes a reality.

Full Access to their Private Furniture Collection

I absolutely love that The Griffin House offers this. This is optional but over the years they have collected several pieces of furniture and decor that you can use on your wedding day. This includes Moroccan rugs, sheepskins, and a few vintage pieces. This is a great option if you want to save a bit on decor and renting furniture pieces as it is included in their wedding packages.

FAQs About This Hood River Wedding Venue

How far in advance do I need to book this venue?

Just like most venues, The Griffin House books out fast, especially for summer weddings. I would aim to try and book this venue at least 18 months in advance if you can.

How many guests can this venue accommodate?

The Griffin House can host up to 175 guests.

Do they have options in case it rains?

Yes, the reception space is covered by a clear tent and you can coordinate with them so that umbrellas are available at the ceremony for your guests in case it rains.

When is the best time of the year to get married here?

To avoid the rain, July and August are the best months.

How long do we have the venue for?

The whole day is yours. You can arrive as early as 9 am to start getting ready.

Can we hire our own outside caterer?

Yes, you can hire your own outside caterer but you just need to get it approved with the venue. They just want to make sure the caterer is up to their expectations.

Cocktail Hour Charcuterie Board at Wedding

Planning Your Griffin House Wedding

Ceremony Site Options

The Griffin House offers one ceremony site which is the Ceremony Lawn. I honestly don’t know if you could get a better view for your ceremony. The ceremony site is positioned right along the original rock wall that adds the most beautiful timeless feel. There is a grassy staircase that provides the perfect grand entrance for the couple!

The Griffin House Elopement Wedding - Hood River, Oregon

Reception Site Options

The Griffin House has a beautiful reception space that is protected with a clear tent. It has string lights strung across the top and the clear tent allows the views of the surrounding nature to shine. This space really is a blank canvas for you to decorate and design as you please. The team at the Griffin House is there to help you design the reception space of your dreams.

Getting Ready Spaces

The Griffin House offers two unique getting-ready spaces for each party. The first is The Griffin’s Wing. This space serves as a dreamy and delicate space to get ready. A sunroom wraps around this space allowing in lots of natural light and there is one private bathroom and three additional bedrooms. This is the perfect place to relax, get ready, and enjoy your last moments before tying the knot!

The second getting-ready space is The Griffin’s Den. This space has a much more mysterious and vintage feel. It has a full bar, bathroom, kitchen, and private patio. This is a great space to enjoy a few drinks and get ready before the ceremony.

Welcome Terrace

Another beautiful space that is great for your wedding day is the Welcome Terrace. This is the space where your guests can hang out before the ceremony and maybe even after for the cocktail hour. It’s a super peaceful setting with beautiful greenery surrounding it.

Eastern Lawn

The Eastern Lawn is a space that can be used for a couple of different things. It has the most insane panoramic views on the property making it the perfect place for portraits. This space can also be used for cocktail hour or if you are having a more intimate wedding, it’s the perfect place to set up a table for dinner!

The Best Time of the Year to Get Married at The Griffin House

We all know that it rains a LOT in Oregon so that is something you will want to factor in when planning your wedding there. For a wedding, I would recommend sticking with the summer months (July & August) if you want to have the least chance of it raining. But honestly, you can definitely get married at The Griffin House year-round. They have a clear tent over their reception space for a reason. And there is just something so magical about a rainy wedding day. If you don’t want it to be too cold on your wedding day, it’s also best to avoid the winter months.

But, if you don't mind the cold, The Griffin House is now offering intimate off-season weddings from November to April. Getting married here during this time of the year ensures you have the most epic views of snow-capped mountains!