Shakespeare Garden at Washington Park
Portland, OR
| Venue type | Garden & Conservatory |
| Location | Portland, OR |
| Published price | $959.75 |
| Capacity | Up to 75 guests |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony only |
What the venue publishes
Portland Parks & Recreation 2026 Wedding Brochure, facility usage fee $826.25 (Simple Ceremony, 75 people / 12 chairs). Every permitted site also requires the non-refundable $133.50 application processing fee (booked 45+ days in advance), so the published minimum to book is $826.25 + $133.50 = $959.75. The brochure works this same example on page 8 ($224.50 + $133.50 = $358).
The source publishes $959.75 as the fee for this space, not a starting point.
Lowest tier of the Washington Park Rose Garden, with ornamental brick pathway and platform. No electricity. Booking times are limited to 10am-12pm, 2pm-4pm or 6pm-8pm only. Simple Ceremony: two hours, limited set-up, no food or beverage, non-amplified ceremonial music only. Transportation plan required due to limited parking; parking fee applies. Birdseed is not permitted at the Washington Park Rose Garden. Mandatory non-refundable application processing fee is $133.50 when booked more than 45 days in advance, $200.25 at 45 days or less, and $266.75 at 15 days or less. PP&R does not provide chairs or rental equipment; rice is banned park-wide, all parks are smoke/tobacco-free, and alcohol requires a wedding permit (proof of insurance required for 50+ guests). Amplified sound requires a separate Noise Variance from the Bureau of Development Services plus a $224.50 Special Use Fee. Drones are prohibited in Portland parks.
Published on portland.gov, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Portland
$959.75 is the 27th lowest published starting price of the 30 venues listed in the Portland metro. The metro median starting price is $374, and 3 of the 30 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 7 garden & conservatory listings in the metro it ranks 5th lowest, against a median of $922.25 for that type.
What the capacity costs per guest
The source publishes a capacity of 75 guests. At $959.75, filling the space works out to $13 per guest for the site fee alone, before the license, an officiant, food, or rentals. The median published capacity across the 25 Portland listings that publish one is 100 guests, so this space is smaller than the metro median.
Cheaper published prices in Portland
These listings in Portland publish a starting price below $959.75.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Peninsula Park Rose GardenPortland, OR · Garden & Conservatory | $922.25 | 100 guests |
| Cathedral Park AmphitheaterPortland, OR · Park & Pavilion | $874.25 | 500 guests |
| Mt. Tabor Park AmphitheaterPortland, OR · Park & Pavilion | $831 | 500 guests |
Other garden & conservatory listings in Portland
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Medal Garden at Washington ParkPortland, OR · Garden & Conservatory | $679.50 | 25 guests |
| Leach Botanical Garden - Elopement PackagePortland, OR · Garden & Conservatory | $1,500 to $2,500 | 20 guests |
| Portland Memory Garden at Ed Benedict ParkPortland, OR · Garden & Conservatory | $389.75 | 100 guests |
Marriage license in Multnomah County, OR
The venue fee above does not include the license. Portland sits in Multnomah County, OR, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | Multnomah County Assessment, Recording and Taxation (County Clerk), Marriage LicensesMultnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 175, Portland, OR 97214 |
| License fee | $60'$60 (cash, credit/debit card, or cashier's check or money order made out to Multnomah County Marriage Licenses)'. The county charges $65 instead if you also want the three day waiting period waived, and waives the extra $5 in the event of a military deployment. |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | photo identification for both parties, such as a driver's license, state ID card or passport |
| Appointment | Not required |
| Apply online | Application available online |
| Same-day issue | Issued the same visit |
| Witnesses | 2 required by statute |
Source: multco.us, oregonlegislature.gov
'Appointments are not needed to get a marriage license.' Applications can be completed online in advance at multcomarriage.org. 'Both parties must be in our office, with a completed application, by 4pm in order to purchase a marriage license that day.' The license takes effect three days after the application is signed unless the $5 waiver is bought, then it is good for 60 days.
How the metro prices out
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