Columbia River Gorge Engagement Session | Alisha + Tyler

couple running hand in hand during oregon engagement session

January 29, 2022

Anytime my couples are looking for suggestions on engagement session locations that have gorgeous views, nine times out of ten I suggest the Columbia River Gorge for engagement sessions. And one of my go-to locations is Government Cove in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. I was pumped when Alisha and Tyler said they wanted to do their session in the gorge AND when they asked if they could bring along their two labs, Ruger and Remi, I was like heck. yes. (spoiler, I will always say heck yes to your bringing along the furbabies).

Side note, if you are on the fence or nervous about bringing along your four-legged besties to any photo session here are some helpful tips for bringing your dog to your engagement session.

If it’s a new location for your dog(s) (and you are able to) get to the session location early so they can sniff it out and mark territory. This added bit of exercise will also help them calm down when you meet up with your photographer and start your session.
Bring someone along with you to help handle the dog(s). This is especially helpful for any large breeds or multiple dogs because you probably won’t want them in EVERY photo and tying them down isn’t always an option.
Make sure to pack treats and favorite toys to help keep their attention when it’s their time for photos.
Get them their own special leash or collar for the occasion! Unless you already have a sleek leash, try to find something black or neutral colored. This will help it blend into any photos that it’s in.

Now back to these two…

I loved how fun and unique this engagement session was to these two. After starting out with a few candid photos with the dogs, we handed them off to a family member (love when my couples plan ahead like that) and took a little seltzer/beer cheers break. After chatting more about their wedding plans (finally doing the dang thing this Spring- WOO!) I brought out the pop-up tent so they could get changed. Yes, I bring along a tent so you don’t have to change in the wild! Once they had their second outfits on, we continued to explore the rocky cliffs to check out the STUNNING view of the Columbia River just as the sun was setting.

The Columbia River Gorge is by far my favorite thing about living in Portland. It’s close enough to visit whenever you want but you get outside of the city and are able to breathe in fresh air and take in spectacular views. And of course I love getting to share my favorite places like this one with my couples.