How to Plan a Wedding at Suttle Lake Lodge in Sisters, OR

Table of Contents:

• Get to Know The Suttle Lodge
  • Where is Suttle Lake?
  • How to get to Suttle Lake Lodge
• Why Get Married at Suttle Lake Lodge
• Best Time of Year for a Suttle Lake Wedding
• Important Things to Note About Suttle Lake Lodge
• Real-Life Suttle Lake Adventure Wedding Inspiration
  • Suttle Lake Wedding Vendors
• Suttle Lake Lodge Wedding Cost
• Suttle Lake Lodge Wedding Photographer

Get to Know The Suttle Lodge

Where is Suttle Lake?

Suttle Lake is a natural lake in Sisters, Oregon that spans over 200 acres of land in the Cascade Range of the central part of the state. It’s actually a part of the Deschutes National Forest, which covers SO much of the beautiful landscapes of central OR, from snow-capped mountain peaks, to crystal-clear lakes, to luscious green forests.

Closest airport to Suttle Lake:

The closest airport to Suttle Lake is Portland International Airport (PDX), which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes (or ~150 miles) northwest of the lake.

Closest town to Suttle Lake:

The closest town to Suttle Lake is the town of Sisters, which is about 20 minutes (or ~15 miles) southeast of Suttle Lake.

How to Get to Suttle Lake Lodge

If you’re flying into PDX for your wedding, you’ll definitely want to rent a car at the airport! From PDX, you’ll drive about 3 miles on I-205 S, then you’ll take I-5 S pretty much the rest of the way, for 150 miles until you get to SW Suttle Lake Loop. The lodge is about 7 miles past the Hoodoo Ski Area & 4 miles before Camp Sherman!

If you’re driving to the lodge from the Bend or Sisters area, you’ll just follow US-20 W to SW Suttle Lake Loop for about 35 miles, until you reach around 4 miles past the Camp Sherman turn off.

If you’re driving to Suttle Lake Lodge in the winter, I’d suggest monitoring the roads on your route in the days leading up to your wedding to make sure snow/ice won’t impact your drive, using tools such as Trip Check or ODOT! Same thing if you’re getting married in the middle of a dry summer, when wildfires could potentially impact your travels.

Why Get Married at Suttle Lake Lodge?

Now onto the good stuff: what are all the benefits of getting married at Suttle Lake Lodge?! 

Spoiler alert: there are tons – way more than I could fit into one blog post. But I did my best, so here are all the main reasons why Suttle Lake Lodge is an incredible wedding venue!

Wide variety of indoor + outdoor wedding spaces

First off, the lodge has a TON of different spaces available for your wedding, whether you’re having a tiny, medium, or large wedding, and no matter if you want to celebrate indoors or outdoors – or both! It’s always a huge plus, in my opinion, when venues have more than 1 or 2 ceremony + reception spaces to choose from, since this allows couples to really be able to personalize their day. 

Maybe you want your ceremony to be seated, and then you want a standing cocktail hour. Maybe you want to enjoy an open-air reception under the wide-open central Oregon skies, or maybe you want an enclosed reception in a cozy space away from the unpredictable weather – Subtle Lake Lodge seriously has options for every couple, no matter what your ideal wedding day looks like.

Here’s a list of all the different wedding spaces that Suttle Lake Lodge has to offer, along with the maximum number of guests that each space can hold – take a look at their in-depth wedding brochure to learn more about each space in detail, because there was way too much for me to go into in this blog post!

Indoor wedding spaces at Suttle Lake Lodge:

Boathouse Loft

• Seated guests: 15-25
• Standing guests: 40

The Den

• Seated guests: 35
• Standing guests: 50

The Point

• Seated guests: 10
• Standing guests: 15

The Point Deck

• Seated guests: 20
• Standing guests: 50

The Lodge

• Seated guests: 65
• Standing guests: 100

Outdoor wedding spaces at Suttle Lake Lodge:

The Gazebo

• Seated guests: 10
• Standing guests: 15

Shoreline

• Seated guests: 10
• Standing guests: 10

The Pavilion

• Seated guests: 20
• Standing guests: 40

Boathouse Deck

• Seated guests: 60
• Standing guests: 75

Back Deck

• Seated guests: 60
• Standing guests: 85

Beer Garden

• Seated guests: 70
• Standing guests: 100

The Grove

• Seated guests: 100
• Standing guests: 150

Osprey Beach

• Seated guests: 85
• Standing guests: 150

Big Lawn

• Seated guests: 150
• Standing guests: 300

Rustic Village

• Seated guests: N/A
• Standing guests: 300

Creekside

• Seated guests: 150
• Standing guests: 300

Again, there are WAY too many spaces for me to give you all the info about each one – so be sure to take a look at the lodge’s wedding brochure for details, including what amenities are included, pricing + packages, and what types of weddings/gatherings each space is ideal for!

You can buy out entire sections of the lodge your wedding

That’s right – if you don’t want to have to share the lodge with any other guests outside of your wedding, you can rent out the ENTIRE property, or a section of it, to have all to yourselves! This is a huge bonus if you & your wedding guests are all staying at the lodge and really want an amazing opportunity to celebrate with each other, without worrying about random strangers wandering around you or being in the restaurant with ya. Imagine having an entire weekend with this stunning lodge to yourselves, just for you, your friends, & your fam to enjoy!

The Lakefront Buyout

Your first option is to buy out the entire property, including the lodge, the deck, and the big lawn overlooking Suttle Lake. This buyout includes space for up to 150 guests, access to the Skip Bar, and private use of the Lodge lobby! Note that you can only access this Lakefront Buyout between September and May, and the starting fee for the site buyout + two nights of lodging is $27,900. 

The Lodge Buyout

If you don’t need quite all that space, you can just buy out the entire lodge – this is the perfect option for winter weddings at Suttle Lake, when you know you’ll want to be indoors! You’ll have access to the whole lodge, including the Skip Bar & the Den, and will have space to host groups of up to 60 people. So whether you want to host an intimate gathering of 15-20 of your fave people or a medium-sized wedding with up to 60 of ‘em, this Lodge Buyout is an amazing opportunity to have the whole space to yourselves. This buyout is available between October and May, and the starting fee for the site buyout + two nights of lodging is $21,150.

For more info on wedding buyouts at Suttle Lake Lodge, check out their full wedding brochure.

Fun add-ons to personalize your wedding day

We looove add-ons to wedding packages that allow couples to fully, 1000% personalize their wedding day!! Suttle Lake Lodge offers a variety of activities + services that you can add on to your wedding package to make your experience extra fun for you and your guests, including but not limited to:

• Late-night pizza parties
• Bonfire & beers on the beach
• Boathouse farewell brunch

I meannn can you imagine ending the night with delicious pizza to fulfill those snack cravings that hit after dinner? Or enjoying a night on the beach with a bonfire and ice cold beers?!

Tons of opportunities for outdoor adventure

One of the BIGGEST benefits to having your wedding at Suttle Lake Lodge is the insane amount of outdoor adventure you have accessible to you! The lodge is super close to the Pacific Crest Trail (aka the PCT), and there are amazing ways to explore the beautiful central Oregon area for everyone, no matter what your skill level or how much (or how little!) of a challenge you’re looking for.

Here are some of the ways you can explore the gorgeous Oregon landscape if you have your wedding at Suttle Lake:

• Boating
• Paddle boarding, canoeing, & kayaking – the lodge Boathouse even provides seasonal rentals!
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Biking
• Skiing + snowshoeing
• Stargazing

Perfect cozy space to get some R&R

Aside from the incredible amount of wedding activities + services, Suttle Lake Lodge also has sooo many cozy rooms for you + your guests to stay in. Stay in the warm lodge building, a rustic cabin in the trees, a deluxe cabin with views of the lake, or even a spacious, premium cabin nestled right up next to the lake! Or opt for The Point cabin, built all the way back in 1925, or The Falls cabin, the newest creekside gem the lodge has to offer. Seriously, you can’t go wrong whichever accommodation you choose – they all have cozy furniture and a variety of unique amenities, from the outdoor grill & camp chairs at the rustic cabins to the jacuzzi tub & outdoor fire pit at the premium cabin. You and your guests deserve an amazing place to crash after a super long, fun, & probably exhausting wedding day!

Private + secluded, and just 2.5 hours from Portland

Suttle Lake Lodge is an awesome venue to choose if you want a secluded, private location within driving distance of Portland, especially if you’re flying into PDX. The lodge is about a 2.5-hour drive from Portland, so you can definitely stay at the lodge for a few nights, then drive back to the city for a fun night out on the town before you head home! Portland nightlife is definitely a fun + unique culture that I definitely recommend you experience if you’re not from the area, and have some extra time before you and your guests leave.

Cocktail lounge for delicious drinks + bites

The lodge’s Skip Bar is a cozy little cocktail lounge that serves yummy food and refreshing cocktails that you & your guests will LOVE! The menu is filled with mouthwatering dishes such as crispy fried sugar snap peaks, halibut beans & greens, and a classic burger, plus unique drinks like the Drake on a Lake with gin, vermouth, and maraschino cherries. Seriously, every option is to die for, and the bar is super easily accessible to you and your guests during your time at the lodge!

On-site catering + customizable menus

Finally, Suttle Lake Lodge offers exclusive on-site catering that use seasonal + local produce and food items to create dishes you and your guests will LOVE – I promise, every single one will leave you coming back for more. The wedding menus are super customizable, meaning you can pick & choose what you’d like to serve, and you can inform the lodge of any dietary restrictions that they’ll need to accommodate as well. Having an on-site caterer available to you means one less vendor for you to worry about hiring!

Best Time of Year for a Suttle Lake Wedding

If you want an outdoor wedding, then the best time of year for a wedding at Suttle Lake is the summer, between May-September. This will give you the opportunity to enjoy the lake, whether you want to sunbathe on a lounge chair on the lakeside or you want to swim/kayak/canoe/paddle board out on the water!

If you want a cozy, indoor wedding around the holiday season, you can totally have a winter wedding at Suttle Lake Lodge, too! I typically don’t recommend winter weddings for many locations in Oregon, since snow often impacts trail routes & roads for outdoor elopements. But since the lodge has a huge variety of indoor spaces, you have sooo many options to create a stunning winter wedding at this venue! Just keep in mind that the boathouse + water rentals close down for the season – not that you’d probably want to take a dip in the freezing cold water, anyway.

Important Things to Note About Suttle Lake Lodge

Now that you’re familiar with Suttle Lake Lodge & everything it has to offer, here are a few last important things to keep in mind when considering having your wedding at Suttle Lake Lodge:

1. Burn bans may be in effect: since the lodge is on national forest land, it’s possible that during the late spring, summer, & early fall, a burn ban may be in place if fire danger is high. The lodge’s website does a good job of keeping current burn bans updated, but you can also check the US Forest Service website for updates! This may impact your ability to have beach bonfires & use the fire pit at your cabin at the lodge.
2. Wi-Fi- & cell service are limited: the lodge does provide free wi-fi inside of the main lodge, but the wi-fi doesn’t always reach the cabins or other areas of the property! Cell service is pretty limited in the area as well since it’s out in the forest, so plan for limited wi-fi + cell service during your time at the lodge.
3. Suttle Lake lodge is pet-friendly: you’re welcome to bring your dogs to the lodge, as long as they’re leashed, respectful of other dogs + guests, and you clean up after them! The property does have a few pet stations with baggies, but definitely be prepared & come with your own.
4. Buyouts are limited: keep in mind that the Lakefront Buyout & Lodge Buyout that I talked about earlier have limited availability, so you’ll want to book as far in advance as you can! Lakefront Buyouts are very limited, and are available between September and May for up to 150 guests, whereas Lodge Buyouts are less limited & available between October and May for up to 60 guests.
5. Restaurants + bars are open to the public: unless you do a full Lakefront Buyout, remember that the restaurants, bars, & rentals at the lodge are all open to the public. So don’t be surprised if you see strangers enjoying these areas during your wedding!
6. No outside food/beverage is permitted: Suttle Lake Lodge has an exclusive on-site caterer that you’re required to use for your wedding at the lodge – but don’t worry, there’s a huge variety of menu options and ways to customize your meals to make sure you & your guests love them!

Real-Life Suttle Lake Adventure Wedding Inspiration

All of the photos you’ve seen in this blog post are from a stunning shoot I did recently at Suttle Lake Lodge that you can use to inspire your own wedding at the lake! This whole day, the couple’s story, the landscape – all of it was incredible.

Being in places that truly inspire me, with couples who give me their full trust, is seriously all I can ever ask for. It was one of those days I could relive over and over again just to see all the emotions, colors, light changes + more. 

Seriously can’t recommend this lodge enough if you’re looking for a magical lakeside wedding venue in central Oregon – just look at how beautifully this wedding turned out!

Suttle Lake Wedding Vendors

Here are some incredible local vendors that I highly recommend for your Suttle Lake wedding!

Coordinator + Designer: Curated Mess Co | @curatedmess.co

Bridal Shop: Bespoke Bride | @thebespokebride  

Florist: Novella Theory Floral | @novellatheoryfloral 

Suttle Lake Lodge Wedding Cost

As far as Suttle Lake Lodge wedding costs go, your package will completely depend on the space(s) you use for your wedding day, any add-on activities you choose, and the menu you select. The lodge’s wedding brochure goes into detail about the different costs your wedding will incur, but here are the main factors that will go into the cost of your wedding at Suttle Lake Lodge:

• Whether or not you buy out the property/the lodge
• How many nights of lodging you book for you & your guests
• The food & beverages you select
• Service fees for the service provided by the lodge staff (such as set-up & breakdown)
• Add-ons such as late-night pizza parties & boathouse farewells
• Equipment rentals for the lake

I recommend just reaching out to the lodge via the contact form on this page, or by emailing alana@thesuttlelodge.com, to get details on what your Suttle Lodge wedding costs may look like, depending on your unique day + vision!

Suttle Lake Lodge Wedding Photographer

Now, it’s time to find somebody to document your incredible wedding at Suttle Lake Lodge – and I’d freaking love to be considered! Y’all know how much I adore central Oregon and everything about getting married here, especially when it involves a stunning lakeside venue in the middle of the scenic Oregon forests. Take a look at the different wedding & elopement packages I offer here, and if you feel like we’d be an amazing fit for your dream elopement or wedding at the lodge, you can reach out to me here! Can’t wait to start planning your Suttle Lodge wedding!!

If you loved this blog post and are still searching for the perfect location in Oregon for your big day, I’ve got plenty more options that I know you’ll love:

Painted Hills Elopement Guide

Complete Bend, Oregon Elopement Guide

How to Elope in the Redwoods