Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Redwoods Elopment Guide (on a budget)
18
items When I decided to get married in the redwoods, I had no idea how hard it would be to actually plan it. I wanted a destination wedding in a place my now-husband and I both loved deeply, but I also wanted to incorporate our families and make it feel in...
Map
Sections
7
Venues
Photography
Wedding Hair
Food & Catering
Floral Arrangements
Lodging & Accommodations
Venues
This is the venue I personally chose—and I cannot recommend it enough. It’s a small, chapel-style building tucked right into the forest with huge windows that overlook the trees. It feels like you’re getting married in the redwoods, but with all the ...
Capella By The Sea
This venue was almost the one we picked—and honestly, if it had been a little more in our budget, it might’ve won. Crook Point is a privately owned, 3,000-acre coastal estate just outside Brookings, with sweeping cliffside views, old-growth trees, an...
Crook Point
At one point, I almost said “screw it” to guests and just ran off into the redwoods with a photographer and an officiant. And honestly? If that’s what your heart is telling you—do it. It would’ve been magical. Through all my research, here’s what I l...
Private Redwoods Elopement
Photography
I cannot recommend Nicole enough. I’m literally the most awkward person alive when it comes to taking photos, and somehow she made me feel totally comfortable, confident, and actually enjoy the process. She was funny, sweet, and professional—but also...
Nicole Ratliff Photography
Okay, I have to include this one—even though I didn’t actually book her—because I am absolutely obsessed with her work. I found Dawn on Instagram when I was first thinking about doing a private elopement, just me and my husband, and she was 100% who ...
Dawn Photo | Oregon Elopement Photographer
Wedding Hair
I got my wedding hair done at this amazing local salon, and honestly, the experience was beyond anything I expected. From the moment I arrived, I was treated like royalty—they even had a little mini charcuterie board set up for me, a warm blanket, ch...
Home | Salon Dolce | Brookings, OR
Food & Catering
I looked into Black Trumpet Bistro a ton—so many local friends recommended them, and their food looks absolutely amazing on their website. They have a fantastic reputation for fresh, locally sourced dishes that really capture the Oregon coast vibe. T...
Black Trumpet Bistro
We went with Gold Beach BBQ for catering a cozy dinner at our Airbnb after the wedding ceremony. The gentleman who ran it was incredibly kind and accommodating—I can’t stress enough how nice he was throughout the whole process. He delivered everythin...
Gold Beach BBQ
This bakery is located in Crescent City, which isn’t far from Brookings, but since Brookings is a small town, you might need to reach out to bakeries in nearby towns to find exactly what you want. I was so impressed with this bakery’s gallery—their c...
Custom Cakes | The Sweet Spot | Crescent City
My husband and I aren’t super fancy when it comes to cakes. As long as I had a pretty dress and hair, I was happy! We wanted something simple that could feed a crowd without breaking the bank. So, we got our wedding cake from Fred Meyer—yes, the groc...
Fred Meyer
Floral Arrangements
I almost skipped getting a bouquet because we were keeping our wedding on a budget. But then, a few days before the big day, I got my tax return and thought, “What the heck, why not?” I started texting with the owner, Avigail, and she was amazing fro...
Avigails Events
Lodging & Accommodations
We stayed in a tiny little cabin at Whale’s Head Beach Resort for a few days around the wedding. My husband actually stayed here the night before the wedding and had a bit of a mental breakdown (because, wedding stress, am I right?). After the big da...
WHALESHEAD BEACH RESORT
For the wedding weekend, we booked a huge Airbnb that fit our whole family—and it ended up being the perfect choice. Not only did we all stay together, but we also hosted our reception and after-party there. It made everything feel way more relaxed a...
Brookings Vacation Rentals
Things to Do in the Area
Okay, this place is a whole experience—especially if you’re bringing kids. Ocean World is about a 30-minute drive from Brookings, and it’s super family-friendly, interactive, and honestly… kind of iconic. My husband and I still have an inside joke ab...
Ocean World
This place has been around forever—a total redwoods classic. There’s a lot to see here, and definitely a lot of walking, so wear comfy shoes. One of the highlights is the Sky Trail, a gondola-style tram that takes you up through the treetops to a sce...
Trees of Mystery
If you're looking for that jaw-dropping "Whoa, these trees are huge!" redwoods experience without doing a major hike—this is your park. Jedediah Smith Redwoods is just outside Crescent City and has some of the easiest and most beautiful trails in the...
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of view. Natural Bridges is part of the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor and gives you that jaw-dropping, dramatic coastal moment that feels straight out of a movie. The main trail to the viewpoint is short, ...
Natural Bridges Viewpoint
We didn’t get a chance to visit this one ourselves, but I’ve heard amazing things and wanted to include it for anyone planning a wedding weekend in the area. The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center is a rescue and rehab facility for seals, sea lions, and...
Northcoast Marine Mammal Center