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The North Patio of The Brewpub at Gorges Beer Co. in Cascade Locks, Oregon. This space could host a small wedding ceremony and/or a reception. Photo: Ezra Johnson-Greenough of The New School, courtesy of Gorges Beer Co.
People planning weddings in the Columbia River Gorge usually tell me they picked that location because they want to introduce their wedding guests to a beautiful part of the world that has a lot of meaning to them. But, surprisingly, there aren’t a ton of wedding venues in the area. What’s a food-loving, beer-enjoying, Gorge-fanning client to do?
I’m pleased to introduce Gorges Beer Co.
I recently met with the co-owner, Travis Preece, to learn more about this new Gorge wedding venue. Travis described his venue as “a winery that serves beer” and yeah, that’s it exactly.
Here’s my take as a professional wedding planner.
The basics
Address: 390 Wa Na Pa St, Cascade Locks, OR 97014. (Note: There’s a related location in southeast Portland.)
Fits: 25 to 200 people, depending on which of the various spaces you rent.
There’s a main building (The Brewpub), where you can rent each floor on an hourly rate or do a full buyout of the entire building, and there’s also a space made especially for weddings called “The Hilltop.”
The Brewpub has a first floor bar that fits up to 50 people, a first floor “Barrel Room” that fits up to 25, a mezzanine that fits up to 30, and a third floor that fits 40 on the south patio, 65 on the north patio, and 45 inside (110 if you combine the inside and the north patio, which, per Travis, most people do if they rent any part of the third floor).
There’s also technically one more space you can use: A few tables and chairs on the side of the building near the front entrance that can serve as a small outdoor beer garden.
All to say, The Brewpub is a good fit for clients expecting fewer than 100 guests, who are having a ceremony at a different location but need a spot for a reception, and/or want a place to host other wedding-related activities like a post-rehearsal meal, welcome party, or day-after gathering.
For clients who are expecting more guests than fit the above and/or who want a place separate from the restaurant, there’s The Hilltop. This area, which is located next to the main building, has space for up to 300 people. It includes an oval area (most likely used for a ceremony) and a 1,800* square-foot wedding tent with concrete floor (most likely used for a reception).Costs: $7,800 to $16,200 total including all food and drink plus the venue and its equipment (more on what’s included in the section below called “Includes”).
You can also only rent the venue ($4,900 for “all day” + the venue’s equipment; I believe that pricing is for either The Brewpub or The Hilltop) or only add food ($46 per person) or only add drink ($36 per person).
A 20 percent gratuity will be added to food and beverage** (very standard for wedding catering) with 50 percent due at booking, 25 percent due at 90 days prior to the event, and 25 percent due 45 days prior to the event.
Hourly rates are available for each floor of The Brewpub and range from $45 to $800 per hour depending on the day of the week (Thursday through Saturday are most expensive) and time of year (May through October are most expensive).Timings: The venue advertises a rental as “all day” but per my conversation with Travis, we’re looking at (the generous and more standard) 12 hours.
Per Travis, that’s typically 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with music off at 9:30 p.m. I didn’t ask Travis when vendors need to be out so that’s worth clarifying (I’m thinking it’s the standard “one hour after reception ends” timing, so guests out at 10 p.m., clean-up done by 11 p.m.).
In case that last bit about music is a dealbreaker, I recommend talking to Travis about noise ordinances inside the Brewpub since, to my understanding, the 9:30 p.m. amplified music off guideline is for outdoor events (and, for what it’s worth, is the same time for most venues in Portland).
The rental includes a one-hour rehearsal to be scheduled around other events hosted at Gorges.Accessibility: There’s an elevator between all three floors of The Brewpub. The Hilltop has uneven terrain and a few low stone steps into the main ceremony area. There is an area for a car to drive up to the reception area, which has a paved concrete floor.
Parking: The main building has 26 parking spots but those would also be available to patrons of the restaurant so Travis has had loose conversations with the neighboring elementary school about renting that parking lot for clients who expect multiple cars.
There’s also a paid parking lot down the hill from the venue (I’m not sure how many spots) and a public parking lot (Travis said you’d need to figure out a way to get guests to and from that one as it’s not in easy walking distance).Includes: As of publishing, Gorges was planning to buy 200 white folding chairs and rectangular tables (number and style TBD). This is in addition to the tables and chairs available inside The Brewpub, if you rent that space.
Inside The Brewpub, I saw several high chairs and a whole pile of board games in addition to a couple standalone games like big Connect 4 and billiards.A/V: The Brewpub’s first and third floors had TVs and a Sonos sound system that Travis said you can use for a wedding.
At The Hilltop, the current best option was a venue-provided PA that included a mic though the tent is wired for electricity for a DJ or band to use.
I recommend discussing ceremony A/V and music with Travis if you opt to have your ceremony at the oval space on The Hilltop; whomever is providing that sound would likely need to bring extension cords to run power from the tent.Unique features: Gorges offers something they call the “Brewer’s Experience,” which allows you to brew your own beer with a group of two to four people.
Additional add-ons include Gorges creating custom tap cards for guests ($100), creating custom labels for cans ($150 per case), and offering private tastings for wedding-related activities such as bachelor or bachelorette parties ($100 to $300).
A rendering of The Hilltop location at Gorges Beer Co. in Cascade Locks, Oregon. As of publishing, the bathrooms, bar, and reception tent including concrete floor are in place. The Brewpub building is located outside of this photo, on the bottom right. Photo: courtesy of Gorges Beer Co.
The pros
Extremely all-inclusive (just look at the “Costs” and “Includes” details above)
Scenic location
The food (while also open to outside catering, if you prefer)
On-site coordinator available
Twinkle lights
The story
One of the biggest critiques that Travis gets of Gorges Beer Co. is that it’s “too far” from Portland. It’s ironic, he says, because Gorges is only a 15-minute drive from Multnomah Falls, a destination many locals consider close to Portland.
The day I visited Gorges, it took me an hour to get there from downtown Portland. About 20 minutes of that was because of road construction, which, per Travis, will be finished by May 2023. Driving back was a faster 40 minutes.
The distance from downtown Portland has a lot of pluses particularly for a client who’s looking to get married in nature without hiking up a mountain. Depending on the budget, I could also see the location playing in the favor of a client who wants to treat their guests to a tour of the Northwest. (As a note: To my understanding, the route you’d take to Gorges is not subject to the timed used permits that are due to start in May 2023 for Multnomah Falls.)
The Mezzanine level of The Brewpub at Gorges Beer Co. in Cascade Locks, Oregon. All tables and chairs included in rental. Photo: Venture Ever After
In the “Cons” section below, I offer ideas on how you can get your guests to and from Gorges.
That information is in the “Cons” section because it costs money to make some of those options happen but, with the right planning, I don’t think the drive is as big a problem as it may sound. That’s particularly true when we consider how all-inclusive the price tag for Gorges is (vs. venues in the Portland metro area).
For easy reference, I regularly see Portland metro venues start with rentals of $4,000 to $5,000 without venue-provided equipment, rentals, and before food or drink so while the Gorges most affordable option ($7,800) is a big bite, the number makes sense to me based on what I see clients pay elsewhere after rentals and catering.
As for the other pros of the space, Travis’ description of Gorges as a winery that serves beer couldn’t be more apt. The events menu aims for upscale pub food with a huge degree of leverage to customize (get a sense of one menu here with the note that vegan and other dietary restrictions or preferences are available). Because the space is a restaurant, I was surprised that outside catering is allowed. That’s rare and a nice option if you happen to not want the Gorges food (which, as someone who bought herself a burger, was really good).
Keep in mind: Outside beverage service isn’t allowed. You’ve got to use what Gorge offers with the note that they offer a lot, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
A sample of the food available in-house at Gorges Beer Co. in Cascade Locks, Oregon. Photo: Venture Ever After
Here’s another plus to Gorges (followed by a very long caveat): They offer a coordinator. I didn’t clarify the scope of this person’s work with Travis because I was short on time but if you do book the venue’s day-of coordinator, I recommend using this list of interview questions to learn the scope of work that they’ll do.
This isn’t because I didn’t believe what Travis shared or because I want you to hire me but because there’s a big difference between a “venue coordinator” and a “day-of wedding coordinator.” Specifically, a venue coordinator is responsible for the venue; a wedding coordinator is responsible for the wedding. I go into the differences in the role here.
Finally — and this is where my entrepreneurial bleeding heart shows — I’ve got to share a bit about the story behind this place. Officially, Gorges Beer Co. opened on July 14, 2021, but it started four years earlier as an idea between Travis and his co-owner (and resident on-site contractor) Willis Boyer.
This is a view of The Hilltop from the third floor patio at Gorges Beer Co., in Cascade Locks, Oregon, on May 18, 2023. The building on the left is the bar, getting-ready area, and four bathrooms. The tent on the right is typically used for receptions and has a concrete pad and electricity. The area on the left is typically used for ceremonies and is accessible from a path on the right and a series of short, stone steps. Photo: Me (Elisabeth Kramer)
The delay was part historic wildfires, part global pandemic but, somehow, Gorges is still here and they want to do weddings. Badly. I have never seen a venue of any scale invest so much into attracting clients in ways that struck me, a professional wedding planner, as thoughtful (vs. flashy).
They have a 2,400-square-foot tent with a concrete floor, built-in lighting, and electricity for music and A/V.
They built a custom barn with four swanky bathroom stalls and a bar that, among other things, has these nifty fiber optic lights in the ceiling (look for the shooting star).
They even hand-planted 75 trees at The Hilltop and plan to invest in a movable stage for people to use for ceremony and/or reception bands.
Gorges wants you and, in an industry where it’s easy to feel like “just another wedding,” that’s not a bad position to be in as the person getting married.
The first floor of The Brewpub at Gorges Beer Co. in Cascade Locks, Oregon. A ceremony could be hosted in the long, rectangular area behind the bar. The Mezzanine level is accessible by both an elevator and the staircase pictured above. Photo: Ezra Johnson-Greenough of The New School, courtesy of Gorges Beer Co.
The cons
The location
Not open to outside alcohol
Limited-ish getting-ready locations
The Hilltop may be challenging for guests with limited mobility
Working restaurant
A 40-minute drive is still a 40-minute drive and while, yes, it’s less than many venues in Oregon wine country, the number might still scare certain folks off.
So, if you’re curious about how you could message the travel time to your guests, here are two ideas based on my work with clients who got married outside of the Portland metro area:
You tell your guests to plan ahead, usually sharing the location and travel time in the wedding invite and/or a wedding website, OR
You provide transportation
The first one is, of course, the more cost-effective option. It’s also not “rude” since, presumably, the people you’re inviting to your wedding are adults who can make their own choices. Your role is to provide them with the information to do so. (And many guests often use a wedding as an excuse to have a long weekend.)
The second — provide transportation — often takes one of two forms. A client provides a shuttle to and from a destination, such as a hotel or other central meeting place in Portland to the venue, or a client provides a Lyft or Uber code for people to use, either to and/or from the wedding.
For information about arranging ride-sharing for a large group using regular-sized cars to get around, I recommend this resource from Uber and this one from Lyft (as a note, I recently had a client describe the Uber option as “a really good deal” as, per the client, you only pay when people use it).
Those ride-sharing ideas are in addition to Uber Charter, which I haven’t used myself but looks to provide larger vehicles like charter buses but rented through Uber.
No surprise: Charter buses and shuttles of any variety can be a large line item if you plan to provide transportation at the end of the wedding. This is because shuttle companies usually charge by the hour including the hours between drop-off and pick-up that the shuttle is parked off-site.
For reference, here are a few recent quotes I’ve seen from Portland area shuttle companies:
A June 2022 quote for three 56-passenger buses rented for 3 hours, 15 minutes in the Portland Metro area cost $1,857.
An April 2023 quote for two 28-passenger mini-buses rented for 6 hours, 15 minutes in the Portland Metro area cost $2,488.20.
An April 2023 quote for one 14-passenger mini-bus rented for 45 minutes in the Portland Metro area cost $350.09.
As for cons of the space, there are plenty of well-lit, well-equipped bathrooms (note the cheeky “Nature Calls” decor) but, as Travis proactively shared, Gorges is short on dedicated getting-ready spaces. I disagree. Three floors plus a barrel room plus four bathrooms for The Hilltop alone seemed like a lot to me but then again, I once peed in a bucket at a wedding so maybe my standards are just low?
Long term, Travis wants to add a small hotel onto the property that would, of course, increase the getting-ready options but for now, if you and your partner(s) didn’t have what you needed, many of my clients who’ve gotten married in The Gorge either got ready in Portland and then headed to the wedding or rented a hotel or Airbnb nearby to use as the getting-ready HQ.
On that note, The Brewpub part of Gorges is not a place you would book if you want total, utter privacy for your wedding unless you buy out the entire building. This is because The Brewpub is a working restaurant so, again, unless you buy out the whole place or rent the third floor, expect patrons of the restaurant to be around.
This is less of a concern if you go for The Hillside since it’s physically distanced from the restaurant.
Be aware that Gorges is next to Wa Na Pa Street, which wasn't what I would call “busy” but, during my recent three-hour visit, did have cars going by every five to ten minutes and one train. Again, none of this is likely going to be an issue in terms of noise or disruption (and you’ve still got That View Tho) but if you’re looking for “silent glen in the woods,” this is not that.
The South Patio of The Brewpub at Gorges Beer Co. in Cascade Locks, Oregon. This space is on the same floor as the North Patio and third floor bar pictured earlier in the article. Notice the view of the Bridge of the Gods in the background. Photo: Ezra Johnson-Greenough of The New School, courtesy of Gorges Beer Co.
The bottom line
“A winery that also serves beer.”
Yes. I know the exact client who wants a place like this and, oddly, hasn’t been able to find it in beer-soaked Oregon. Bonus if the place is in as iconic a place as the Gorge.
So, my advice? Give Gorges a try. It’s new and untried but the thought and intent are there in a way that I rarely see, even from more established wedding venues in more central locations.
Cheers.
Learn more about Gorges Beer Co.: gorgesbeer.com and @GorgesBeer
Check out the other wedding venues I’ve reviewed.
Do you know of a venue that I should visit? Tell me: elisabeth@elisabethkramer.com.
Got wedding planning questions? I rent my Virgo wedding planner brain by the hour. If you like what I wrote, an easy way to show me is to subscribe to my newsletter. Thanks for reading.
*Correction (1:56 p.m. PT, Wednesday 5/17/23): I previously said the tent and concrete pad were 2,400 square feet. The correct number is 1,800 square feet as it sounds like 2,400 also counts the area outside the tent, that doesn’t have a concrete pad. I regret the error.
**Correction (1:57 p.m. PT, Wednesday 5/17/23): I previously said that a 20 percent gratuity would also be added for venue fees (not just to food and drink). This was incorrect. I regret the error.
***Update (3:08 p.m. PT, Thursday 5/18/23): I added a photo that I took of The Hilltop from the third floor patio at Gorges Beer Co.