Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking in Oregon and Washington - the Columbia River Gorge

By Talie Norman/Wet Planet - the center for whitewater rafting and kayaking in Washington and Oregon .

My husband and I have never been conventional. We met on a whitewater rafting trip in Oregon and Washington, I was the guest, he was a kayaker; he winked at me while going off of a 10-foot drop. I had just moved to the Northwest from a whirlwind viticulture practicum in Germany, he had just moved from a boating journey in Chile. He proposed in the heart of Bangkok during the Thai New Year, one of the craziest festivals we’ve ever been privileged enough to experience. Why would it surprise our guests that we decided to have a rousing wedding?

Living in the Northwest opens up so many opportunities for fun and excitement with your guests. Not only did we “torture” them with a hike up to the tree line of Mt. Adams – the ceremony was phenomenal – we also encouraged them to join us for a whitewater rafting trip, bringing us full circle to the place where it all started: the White Salmon River. We, of course, went with Wet Planet, the same company I used when we met. It’s a company I’ve found to be incredibly professional, fun and helpful in all aspects of the hospitality industry, both on and off the river.

Wet Planet was astonishing. They were so helpful and arranged everything. We didn’t need to do a thing except show up and have fun. We arrived at 9:00 in the morning, and were outfitted with all of the gear that we would need on the river. It was great to see our in-laws walking around in wetsuits. After talking to the guides, we hit the river, literally, with a splash. It was utterly amazing. The White Salmon River is protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and its rock studded whitewater rushes past in a flurry. The scenery was stunning, the river was clear and crisp, and the guides were hilarious. We had such a good time, and all of the boats stayed together, so we never felt separated from any of our party. Afterwards, Wet Planet arranged a barbeque lunch, and then shuttled us to a nearby winery, Wind River Cellars. There we did a tasting and spent the rest of the afternoon sipping wine and looking at Mt. Hood.

I would highly encourage other couples to look into rafting in Oregon or Washington as a different and exciting option for your wedding party. It got us off the beaten path, and let everyone experience the beauty of the Northwest. With companies like Wet Planet out there offering full-service, safe trips, it’s easy to take the plunge.

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