Alijah Lungren
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Wedding · August 29, 2026 · Gaston, Oregon

Ivan & Kate at Dundee Lodge

A summer wedding at a log cabin in the woods outside Gaston, Oregon.

A bride and groom stand small in a sunlit clearing, ringed by tall firs.

Ivan and Kate got married on August 29 at Dundee Lodge, an old log cabin on a few acres of lawn and fir trees outside Gaston, Oregon. The ceremony happens under a timber shed, the reception goes up on the lawn, and the woods are a short walk away for portraits.

An open timber pavilion set for the reception at the edge of the woods.
A tall arrangement of peach, red, and white flowers on a reception table under the tent.
The sweetheart table set between tied-back white drapes, with a red runner, flowers, and Mr & Mrs letters.

Getting ready and the first look

Kate got ready inside the lodge with her bridesmaids. Once she was dressed, she and Ivan met on the cabin porch for their first look. He turned around and broke into a grin. The porch roof keeps the light soft, so we stayed out there for a few portraits.

A bridesmaid laughing as she fixes another bridesmaid's earring inside the lodge.
Kate in her veil glancing over at a bridesmaid getting ready beside her.
Kate and Ivan smiling as they lead each other by the hand through a doorway in the lodge.
Ivan waiting on the cabin porch, smiling, as Kate walks up behind him for the first look.
Ivan and Kate standing together on the long log porch, her train spread across the boards.
Ivan grinning as he turns around to see Kate on the porch.
Kate and Ivan holding hands on the porch, seen past a hanging planter.
Kate in her gown on the porch a few minutes before the ceremony.
Kate kissing Ivan on the cheek on the porch, one hand on his chest.
Ivan leading Kate into the log cabin past the rose bushes, her veil spilling out behind her.

The ceremony

The ceremony was under the open timber shed, with red and white drapes behind the altar, a patterned rug down the aisle, and barrels of white flowers at the ends of the rows. Kate came down the garden path and into the shed past guests holding up their phones. After the rings, Ivan dipped her into a kiss, and everybody cheered.

The ceremony site under an open timber shed: white and red drapes, white flowers, and a rug laid down the aisle.
Kate walking down the garden path toward the ceremony, tall firs above her.
Kate coming down the aisle with her bouquet as guests hold up their phones.
Kate hugging a man at the head of the aisle as guests look on.
The ceremony under the timber shed, guests standing on either side of a patterned rug.
Ivan and Kate facing each other at the altar, surrounded by their guests.
Kate putting the ring on Ivan's finger in front of the red and white drapes.
The groom dips the bride into a kiss at the altar as guests cheer.
The newlyweds walking out of the shed as guests clap and cheer.
The newlyweds walking back up the aisle, beaming, as guests applaud.
The long log lodge among tall firs, with Kate crossing the garden in front of it.
A guest hugging Kate and Ivan together under a big tree after the ceremony.

Cocktail hour

Afterward everyone spread out across the lawn and into an old shed set up as a bar, its shelves full of antique bottles and road signs. There were a lot of hugs. At some point Ivan and Kate both ended up in heart-shaped sunglasses.

Ivan laughing with guests at an old shed bar lined with antique bottles and road signs.
Ivan laughing, one hand on the back of his neck, as a friend talks to him by the bar.
Kate laughing with a drink in her hand while Ivan talks with guests.
Ivan raising his drink as he walks out from the bar shed.
The groom in heart-shaped sunglasses, raising a drink with friends.
Kate in heart-shaped sunglasses, laughing with friends.
A young guest wrapping Kate in a hug on the lawn.
Friends crowding around Kate to look at her ring.
Ivan raising a fist and grinning under the reception tent.
Kate hugging a friend under the tent as guests gather around.
Ivan and Kate posing with two family members on the lawn.
The couple with a group of friends and family in front of the white drapes.
The couple with two guests in front of an old barn strung with lights.

Portraits

Later I took the two of them back to the garden and the porch, then out to a clearing in the firs. By then the sun was low and coming straight through the trees, which is the light I hope for on every wedding day.

Ivan and Kate holding hands in the garden beside the lodge porch.
Ivan dipping Kate on the porch, seen through leaves.
Kate and Ivan holding hands in the forest as the sun flares through the trees behind them.
Ivan and Kate kissing in the late sun among the firs.
Ivan twirling Kate in the forest clearing, tall firs and late sun behind them.
Ivan standing in the forest clearing, smiling, one hand in his pocket.
Kate smiling in her gown and veil in the clearing.
The bride standing alone in a forest clearing, backlit by the sun, her veil trailing on the ground.

The reception

Dinner was under white tents on the lawn, with the sweetheart table set between tied-back drapes. Then came the toasts, a cake with little figures of the two of them on top, and a first dance under the string lights. By the end of the night, Kate was up on her guests' shoulders, swinging her veil over the dance floor.

The reception tents on the lawn at dusk under strings of lights.
Kate and Ivan clapping at the sweetheart table during the toasts.
Two bridesmaids giving a toast to the couple across the sweetheart table.
A guest in black giving a toast and pointing at the couple as Kate laughs.
Kate smiling down at the cake while Ivan and a friend look on.
A cake topper of the bride and groom as small figurines on a green-frosted cake.
The bride and groom cutting their cake at the sweetheart table.
Ivan feeding Kate a bite of cake, both of them laughing.
Ivan and Kate slow dancing under string lights at night.
Kate up on guests' shoulders, waving over a crowd of dancing guests.
Guests hoisting Kate into the air at night as she swings her veil over the crowd.

Thank you, Ivan and Kate, for having me.

See the gallery

A bride and groom stand small in a sunlit clearing, ringed by tall firs.

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