Pacific City Engagement Photos: A Guide for Couples
Pacific City is one of my favorite places on the Oregon Coast for couples, engagement photos, and surprise proposals. It’s also a pretty great place for a couples getaway, so why not do both?
The scenery here is incredible, with so many interesting elements to explore and photograph. As you scroll through the photos in this post, you’ll see why I love bringing couples here.
But Pacific City has more going for it than an epic coastline. The town itself has this small-town charm that gets me every time I visit. There are plenty of towns along the Oregon Coast that I love, but Pacific City keeps making its way toward the top of my list.
Where to Take Engagement Photos in Pacific City: Cape Kiwanda
One thing a lot of people don’t realize is that Pacific City has its own Haystack Rock! It looks a lot like the famous one in Cannon Beach, but I actually prefer photographing the one at Cape Kiwanda because there are so many different ways to use it in your photos.
We can photograph it right from the parking lot in the grass, from the beach, or head up onto the rocks where you can have a cliff wall on one side, the ocean on the other, and Haystack Rock in the background (like in the photos below).
Then there’s the orange rock wall. I LOVE the color of this spot because it adds warmth to your photos (and I love warmth). There’s also a small cave in the wall that I love using to frame couples and add a little more interest.
We also have the giant sand dune. You definitely don’t have to climb all the way to the top to get a great view. We can head partway up and get to some truly breathtaking views without completely exhausting you in the process. Once we get up there, we can see the high up view of the other side which gives us a totally different perspective of the ocean and coastline.
I also love using the driftwood as a place to sit or walk on. There’s lots of beach grass there, as well as the big dune in the background.
Parking for Cape Kiwanda
Parking in the Cape Kiwanda parking lot is $10. You may be able to find free parking somewhere else nearby, but I usually just pay the $10 for the convenience of being closer to where we’ll be taking photos. We’ll be doing enough walking in the sand during your session, so I’m all for making the beginning and end as easy as possible.
What to Expect From a Cape Kiwanda Couples Photo Session
Your session at Cape Kiwanda is going to involve some exploring, but it’s up to you how much. We’ll walk along the beach, walk over to the rocks, and if you’re up for it, head partway up the dune for the epic views. You don’t need to know what to do or how to pose. I’ll guide you through the whole thing and give you things to do that help you relax and interact with each other naturally.
Expect plenty of movement, too. You might run down the beach, cuddle up together, climb on some rocks, or just hang out and take in the view for a minute. I want your session to feel like you’re spending an evening together on the Oregon Coast, with me there to document it. But with direction 😉
Cape Kiwanda can also be windy, sandy, and a little unpredictable because, well, it’s the Oregon Coast. I don’t expect your hair to stay perfectly in place or everything to look polished the entire time. That’s part of what I love about photographing couples here. We work with whatever the coast gives us that day and have fun with it.
Planning a Proposal in Pacific City, Oregon
Cape Kiwanda would be an incredible place to propose. If you’re looking for a Pacific City proposal photographer, I can help you figure out the best spot and time so you have a beautiful backdrop and great light.
We’ll plan where you’ll meet me, where you should stand, and how I’ll know when you’re about to propose. I’ll photograph the whole thing as it happens, and afterward we can turn the rest of your time into a couples session around Cape Kiwanda.
I can also help you secretly plan for photos after the proposal. We can figure out how to pack an outfit, makeup, or anything else your partner might want without giving away the surprise. I can also bring a dress or outfit from my client closet if sneaking an extra outfit along isn’t going to work.
What to Wear for Pacific City Engagement Photos
You’re welcome to bring one to two outfits for your engagement photos at Cape Kiwanda. I really like starting with something a little more casual and then changing into an outfit with a bit more drama for the second half of the session. It gives you some nice variety in your gallery and works really well with all the different scenery here. But you can also stay in the same outfit the whole time, too.
I have a changing tent that I can bring along, as long as it isn’t too windy to set up.
As far as shoes go, you really don’t need them here. I’ve had couples show up in shoes thinking they’d keep them on, only to take them off within the first five minutes. It’s basically all sand except for the rock, which also don’t need shoes. Barefoot is easier and makes sense for this location.
For your clothing, choose things you feel good moving around in. We’re going to walk, climb, sit, snuggle, and probably get a little wet at the end, so this isn’t the place for an outfit you’re afraid to move in or are worried about your bra strap peeking out. Flowy dresses can be especially fun here because the wind gives them so much movement, and they look amazing against the cliffs and ocean.
When choosing colors, I recommend having one person wear a neutral (like off-white, cream, tan, or brown) and the other wear a color. I also suggest being careful with wearing too much blue here because we already have so much blue coming from the ocean. On an overcast day especially, adding some warmer tones can help you stand out against the cooler colors of the coast. If you do decide to wear blue, try pairing it with some warmth in your outfits too.
Some color combinations I love:
- Seafoam green, cream, and caramel brown
- Mustard, off-white, and denim
- Rust, light dusty blue (like a dirty blue, if that makes sense), and tan
Or keep it easy and just wear all off-white, cream, and brown shades. Just stay away from bright white as it’s too reflective.
The Best Time of Year for Engagement Photos in Pacific City
Spring through fall is a great time for couples photos in Pacific City. I especially love spring and fall because there are usually fewer people around, which gives us more room to explore Cape Kiwanda without quite as many people on the beach.
Summer is beautiful too, but it can definitely be busier. If you’re planning a summer session, I recommend a weekday if you can make it work. You’ll have a better chance of avoiding the bigger summer crowds.
No matter what month you choose, Oregon Coast weather is always a little unpredictable. I’m flexible when the weather isn’t cooperating and can usually move your session to a different time that day or the following morning if we need to avoid the rain. Or we can grab one of my clear umbrellas and go play in it!
The Best Time of Day for Photos at Cape Kiwanda
The Best Time of Day for Photos at Cape Kiwanda
Most of my Cape Kiwanda photo sessions happen around sunset, especially when the sun is out or there’s some blue sky peeking through. I love that later light on the beach, and on a clear or partly cloudy day, we can keep photographing as the sun gets lower and all the way through sunset.
If it’s going to be completely overcast, I’ll usually recommend starting 30 to 60 minutes earlier. Without the sun around sunset, it can get dark pretty quickly on the coast, so starting a little earlier gives us plenty of beautiful light to work with. If there’s rain in the forecast, we may adjust the start time even more to catch a dry window.
I’ll help you figure out the best start time based on the time of year and the weather around your session date.
Where to Stay in Pacific City for Your Engagement or Proposal Getaway
If you’ve decided to make a vacation out of it, let me suggest some places to stay in Pacific City! I personally love finding a cute vacation rental when I stay in Pacific City, but if you want to be right by Cape Kiwanda, there are a couple of great options.
Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa is the more luxurious option, and it’s right by the beach at Cape Kiwanda. I’ve had couples stay there and have the staff set up a bonfire for them on the beach, which means you don’t have to find and haul firewood and supplies out there yourself. Even better, we can plan your session so you end the night at your bonfire and get some photos there too. And if you’re planning a surprise proposal in Pacific City, Headlands would definitely be worth contacting to see if they could help set up a proposal spot, if that fits with your vision.
The Inn at Cape Kiwanda is another option right across the street and puts you super close to where we’ll be taking your photos. Their rooms have balconies with ocean views, plus they have a spa, cafe, and a gym.
You’ll find some smaller motels around Pacific City too, but for an engagement photo trip or couples getaway, I’d look for somewhere that feels like part of the vacation. A cute rental doesn’t need to be right by Cape Kiwanda to be a great option. Find a place where you’ll actually want to hang out together, relax in the morning, and come back to after your session. It makes the whole trip feel a little more special than simply finding a place to sleep for the night.
Where to Eat in Pacific City Before or After Your Photo Session
My easiest recommendation for food is Pelican Brewing in Pacific City. It’s right there in the same parking lot, the food is delicious, and you really can’t beat the location. If you’re already going to be there for your engagement photos, why make things more complicated?
Grab some food and a beer before your session (especially if someone needs a little help loosening up), or head over afterward and make a night of it. They’re right on the beach with views of Haystack Rock, so you still get to enjoy the coast even after we’re done taking photos.
I could suggest other places, too… but why? It’s literally right there!
Things to Do in Pacific City While You’re Here
If you’re staying overnight, save the full climb to the top of the Cape Kiwanda dune for the next day. We may head partway up during your photo session, but I wouldn’t recommend tiring yourself out with the whole thing beforehand. It gets pretty steep in places, so take your time, but the views from up there are SO worth it. You can see in pretty much every direction, and there’s a lot to explore around the dunes.
You can also rent a kayak or paddleboard and explore the Nestucca River. The river runs right through Pacific City and is such a pretty, peaceful part of town that you don’t really see when you spend all your time over by the beach.
If you want somewhere quieter to walk around, Bob Straub State Park is just south of Cape Kiwanda and has more beach, dunes, and trails to explore.
Book Your Pacific City Engagement Photographer
If Pacific City sounds like your kind of place, I’d love to photograph you here! Couples sessions are relaxed, playful, and focused on the two of you enjoying your time together instead of worrying about what to do in front of the camera. I’ve got you covered there.
I’ll help you plan the timing, keep an eye on the Oregon Coast weather, and guide you through your session so you can focus on having fun together. And if you end up barefoot, a little sandy, and watching the sun go down over the ocean, then I think we did it right. Message me to book your couples or engagement session, or surprise proposal so we can figure out the details together!
