For many couples, the food is THE most important part of the wedding celebration, so they will only consider venues that allow outside catering. I often hear from them: “The food HAS to be good”…”We like the Portland food scene and want to integrate it into our wedding”…”We want to give our guests a taste of Portland and the Pacific Northwest”. Often, they already have a caterer in mind when they start their venue search, and are challenged when they keep running into venues that have strict exclusive lists.
That got me to thinking. What Portland wedding and event venues allow unrestricted outside catering? Here are just a few as of January 2020. Keep in mind that policies do change, so check with the venue first before making any plans or appointments. Know any others? Let us know by sharing in the comments below!
Horning’s Hideout is a great outdoor venue in North Plains, Oregon, only about 45 minutes from downtown Portland. The venue features covered pavilions, a relaxed vibe, and the ability to use any caterer you like.
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The Eliot Center – The Eliot Center is the “fellowship hall” aspect of the downtown First Unitarian Church. Not only are they able to seat up to 160 in their conference center for a reception, the adjoining Historic Eliot Chapel can seat up to 250 in a beautiful, elegant chapel setting for a wedding ceremony. They allow self-catering, outside caterers, and alcohol service in accordance with their policies.
Multnomah Arts Center – Located in SW Portland just a few minutes from downtown, the MAC is a Portland Parks and Recreation community center venue with a large auditorium and stage for indoor wedding ceremonies that can be changed over to a reception during a cocktail hour. Mingle areas include a dance studio and an outdoor plaza, which can also be used for ceremonies. All rental rooms, including the auditorium stage, and bathrooms are ADA-accessible and air-conditioned. In addition, most spaces have free Wi-Fi access.
The Glenn and Viola Walters Arts and Cultural Center is near and dear to our hearts, as one of our favorite recent weddings took place there. The site features a large auditorium for ceremony and reception, downstairs classrooms to use as changing areas, a ground-floor lobby and an upstairs art gallery where guests can mingle during a room changeover. The kitchen facility is well-appointed and convenient for self-catering or your own caterer. The outdoor plaza can also be used for ceremonies.
The Laurelhurst Club – A 100-year-old property adjoining Laurelhurst park in SE Portland, this venue features an historic ballroom, mezzanine bar, kitchen facilities, bride’s and grooms rooms, and outdoor ceremony lawn.
And a few more worth noting; most are Portland event venues unless otherwise noted.
Venues at The Historic Trust (Fort Vancouver, WA)
Willamette Heritage Center (Salem)
Enchanting Hull Park & Lodge (has onsite catering, but you can bring your own caterer. If you use your own catering, there is no access to the Lodge’s commercial kitchen.)
The Gorge Pavilion (Cascade Locks, OR)
Battle Ground (WA) Community Center
Everett Hall in the Hopkins Demonstration Forest
Lakewood Center for the Arts (Lake Oswego)
Carver Event Center (Carver, OR)
Firstenburg Community Center (Vancouver, WA)
Tualatin Hills Nature Center (Beaverton)
Marshall & Luepke Community Center (Vancouver WA)
Thanks for reading – if you found this post about Portland wedding and event venues helpful, you might also like:
- Photo of the Day: Blank Slate Wedding Venue Union Pine
- Vintage and Tweed Styled Inspiration Shoot
- Our Contact Form to request Event Planning Assistance
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originally posted December 2013, updated January 2020