Wallowa Lake Wedding | Oregon

Wedding ceremony in a mountain meadow, guests on log benches with the Wallowa Mountains behind, Joseph, Oregon

 

This Wallowa Lake wedding in Joseph, Oregon reminds me of a scene straight out of The Sound of Music…except the main characters here are a super cool couple who absolutely did this wedding thing right.

I’m excited to share this gorgeous destination wedding, from a massively underrated Oregon location. This post will not only showcase the fun day and the stunning beauty of the area but it will also be super helpful to anyone considering Joseph, Oregon for a destination wedding.

Included Details Below

– Wedding Day/Couple Details
– Wedding Ceremony Location
– Resort & Lodging Information
– Wedding Reception Venue Details
– Large Gallery of Wedding Photos

Wallowa Lake Wedding Day Details

Awesome couple. Epic location. Double bonus!

But really, I cannot even begin to tell you how great it was working with Mandi & Rudy…and all their awesome friends and family! Mandi found me searching the interwebs for all things ‘eco-friendly wedding’ and incorporated a lot of “green” into her big day. Yet another perfect touch.

I love destination weddings and this 4th of July weekend wedding in Joseph, Oregon was one for the ages. Everything took place around the absolutely gorgeous Wallowa Lake, which sits somewhat isolated from the rest of the world in northeast Oregon. From the firework show, to the beautiful lakeside log cabins, to the breathtaking ceremony site, being situated high up on the moraine overlooking the lake, and the picturesque mountain range in every direction. It was just absolutely perfect. And on top of all that goodness they had an absolutely epic dance party that went into the wee hours. And after that dance party we ran around the foothills of the Wallowa Mountains, under a stunningly brilliant midnight sky. I don’t use this term lightly (or ever) but this destination wedding was truly amazeballs. ;-)

 

Wedding Ceremony Location

The location is privately owned by a local Joseph, Oregon area business. It has since gone into a land trust and no longer accepts weddings, which is unfortunate, because it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever photographed. People still write to me asking how they can get married up there, and that is the honest answer. If you are planning a wedding somewhere like it, I would love to help.

 

Resort & Lodging Information

The bride & groom rented out amazing log cabins right on the water. This resort is hands down the best lodging option in the Wallowa Lake area.

Wallowa Lake Resort
84681 Ponderosa Lane
Joseph, OR 97846
Phone: 541-432-2391
Email: info@wallowalakeresort.com
Website: www.wallowalakeresort.com

I stayed in a cool little cabin right on the river at their sister resort Flying Arrow Resort and it was equally amazing.

 

Wedding Reception Venue in Joseph, Oregon

The wedding reception took place at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture in Downtown Joseph. It’s a great wedding venue that can accommodate both large and intimate wedding receptions.

Not only is the Josephy Center an awesome place for a wedding but they have a fantastic mission that you’ll be supporting as well. From their website, “The Josephy Center for Arts and Culture serves as a gathering place to celebrate, promote, and inspire arts and culture for all Wallowa County residents and visitors.” In addition to weddings they also host yoga, meditation, film screenings, speakers, and other culturally significant special events. Each month they feature around 20 local area artists’ work. The whole vibe here is really great.

Notable Features:
– Spacious log cabin design
– Modern amenities
– Great dance floor
– Beautiful window lighting
– Awesome art installations
– Centralized location
– Mountain views

Complete wedding venue rental pricing, details, and terms & conditions can be found here.

Josephy Center for Arts & Culture
403 Main Street
Joseph, OR 97846
Phone: (541) 432-0505
Email: coordinator@josephy.org
Website: https://josephy.org

 

Large Gallery of Wallowa Lake Wedding Photos

As you’ll see in the wedding photos below, it was a sensational sunny summer wedding day full of love, laughter, and happy tears. And it took place in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Enjoy the large collection of wedding images below, from this one of kind Joseph, Oregon wedding on Wallowa Lake.

 

Bride and groom sit under an absolutely brilliantly lit starry night sky, facing the Wallowa Mountains, on their wedding day

Wide angle image of Wallowa Lake with the Wallowa Mountains in the background

4th of July fireworks over Wallowa Lake

Close up of wedding rings hanging from a lit sparkler during a Wallowa Lake Wedding in Joseph, Oregon

Wide view across the lake to the privately owned ceremony site high on the moraine above Wallowa Lake

Wedding dress hangs in a tree with Wallowa Lake in the background

Purple wedding heels on a lichen-covered rock above Wallowa Lake

Wallowa Lake lakeside log cabin with huge windows and stunning views during destination wedding in Joseph, Oregon

The wedding dress hanging on a log staircase inside the lodge

The bride having her makeup done, her dress hanging behind her in a lakeside log cabin, Wallowa Lake

Bridesmaids helping the bride into her dress, in black and white

The bride framed between log posts in the lodge, in black and white

The bride putting on her dress, seen through a hand-carved wooden railing, Wallowa Lake, Oregon

Brooch bouquet standing on a wooden floor between log posts, a memorial locket tied to the handle

The wedding rings resting on a pine branch

The engagement and wedding rings together on tree bark

A yellow Oregon license plate reading FLE 637 on the back of a pickup

The front end of a vintage Chevrolet pickup parked under the pines

The groom's purple tie, suspenders and shoes laid out before the ceremony

Purple suede sneakers on the lodge floor, waiting for the groom

A groomsman drinking in the sun with Wallowa Lake behind him

The groom opening a gift from his bride on the morning of the wedding

The groom reading the note that came with his gift

The groom reacting to a framed portrait of his bride

The groom laughing at the portrait his bride sent him

The bride coming down the log staircase, in black and white

Bridesmaids waiting together in the lodge, in black and white

The bride on the log stairs in her dress, in black and white

Bridesmaids watching the bride come down the stairs, in black and white

The bride and a bridesmaid holding each other, in black and white

Two bridesmaids embracing before the ceremony, in black and white

A bridesmaid handing the bride a gift, in black and white

The bride laughing over a card from her groom, in black and white

The bride holding someone close before the ceremony, in black and white

The bride holding up a gift of wedding shoes on the lodge porch

The first look in a flowering field at the base of the Wallowa Mountains, Joseph, Oregon

Bride and groom together in the meadow, the Wallowa Mountains behind

Bride and groom in the tall meadow grass below the mountains, Joseph, Oregon

Bride and groom in the meadow with snow still on the peaks, Joseph, Oregon

The bride with her bouquet beside her groom in the meadow

Bride and groom standing in the meadow grass, mountains behind, Wallowa Mountains

The bride kissing her groom's cheek, his mirrored sunglasses catching the sky

Bride and groom alone in a wide mountain meadow, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon

Bride and groom small in the meadow under the Wallowa range

Bride and groom walking a country road toward the mountains, Joseph, Oregon

The Wallowa Mountains above the valley, Joseph, Oregon

The groom carrying his bride up a grassy hillside against the sky, Wallowa County, Oregon

The groom helping his bride up a steep grassy slope

Bride and groom kissing against a weathered fence beside a canola field, Joseph, Oregon

Bride and groom embracing beside an old red barn above a field of yellow flowers, Wallowa Mountains

Bride and groom kissing at the edge of a yellow canola field

Bride and groom in the canola field with the mountains behind, Joseph, Oregon

A yellow canola field running to the foot of the Wallowa Mountains

The groomsmen lined up in the meadow in purple ties

Groomsmen sharing a laugh in the mountains

The groomsmen jumping together on the hillside, mountains behind

The bride holding a baby in a green flower headband

Bride and groom on a vintage bed inside the tent, old trunks either side

Handmade wooden door entrance to the wedding ceremony site overlooking Wallowa Lake in Joseph, OR

The officiant and the groom waiting at the altar

Guests seated on hay bales in the meadow before the ceremony, Wallowa Lake wedding

A guest walking the meadow aisle between the hay bales

A baby pulled down the aisle in a red-wheeled wooden wagon

The groomsmen at the altar casting long shadows across the meadow, Wallowa Mountains

A father walking his daughter down the grassy aisle above Wallowa Lake, Wallowa Mountains behind

The bride walking the meadow aisle on her father's arm toward the wooden arch

The bride and her father coming up the aisle as guests photograph them

The groom and his groomsmen watching the bride arrive

The bride walking the aisle, the whole wedding party waiting ahead

Bride and groom at the altar on the moraine above Wallowa Lake, the Wallowa Mountains behind

Telephoto of the ceremony site with the Wallowa range filling the frame, like a scene from The Sound of Music

The vows beneath the wooden arch, a barrel beside them and the mountains behind

The ceremony from behind the guests, mountains framing the meadow aisle, Joseph, Oregon

The ring exchange under the wooden arch, Wallowa Mountains behind

The ceremony under the wooden arch, a barrel beside them and the Wallowa Mountains behind

The first kiss at the altar with the Wallowa Mountains behind, Joseph, Oregon

Bride and groom walking back through the guests after the ceremony

Bride and groom coming back up the meadow aisle, hand in hand

Bride and groom walking away through the arch into the meadow

The wedding party walking the meadow past the wooden ceremony arch, Wallowa Lake wedding

The couple and their party crossing the meadow after the ceremony

The wedding party gathered beside the white reception tent

Purple asters with a bee, growing in the meadow

The bride and her bridesmaids lined up in the meadow under a deep blue sky

The bride and her bridesmaids laughing together in the tall grass

The bride and her bridesmaids crowded into one frame, heads together

The bridesmaids' bouquets held together in a circle

The bride and her bridesmaids from behind in the meadow

The bride and her bridesmaids walking the grassy fields below the Wallowa Mountains

The bridesmaids lined up in the meadow with the mountains behind

The whole wedding party together in the mountain meadow, Joseph, Oregon

The wedding party cheering with the couple kissing in the middle

The groomsmen lifting the bride off her feet, everyone laughing

Bride and groom holding each other in the meadow, mountains behind

Bride and groom kissing with the sun flaring between them above the mountains

Bride and groom kissing on a blue Camaro in front of a collapsing barn, Wallowa County, Oregon

The bride standing through the Camaro as it spins its wheels by the old barn

Portrait of the bride and groom in low golden light

Bride and groom dancing in the meadow as the sun drops behind the range, Wallowa Mountains

The bride in the tall grass holding her brooch bouquet, Joseph, Oregon

The blue Camaro on the highway with the couple inside and the mountains behind, Joseph, Oregon

Bride and groom kissing through the open car window at dusk

Three-tier ruffled wedding cake with burlap flowers and hand-painted toppers

A starry night sky over the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, the log reception venue in Joseph, Oregon

The reception room in the log lodge, head table set and the bouquet in front

Bride and groom announced into the reception as the party applauds

Bride and groom holding each other on the dance floor

The wedding party raising a toast in the Josephy Center

The bride dancing as guests line the floor, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

Bride and groom cutting the cake on a wooden barrel

The first dance in the Josephy Center, in black and white

First dance smiles between the bride and groom during their wedding reception at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

The father daughter dance, in black and white

The bride dancing with her father, in black and white

The groom dancing with his mother, in black and white

Father daughter dance at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

Bride and groom dancing from behind, his suspenders crossed, in black and white

The groom on his knees retrieving the garter

Mother son dance at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

The garter toss, guests diving for it across the floor

The bouquet toss, bridesmaids reaching for it

The bride's brother leaping for the garter, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

Bride tosses her bouquet during her Joseph, Oregon wedding reception at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

The bouquet toss seen from above the dance floor

Guests dancing in the Josephy Center, in black and white

The dance floor filling up in the Josephy Center, in black and white

Guests dancing around the bride, in black and white

A guest singing along on the dance floor, in black and white

The bride dancing surrounded by guests, in black and white

Guests with their arms up on the dance floor, in black and white

The dance floor crowded under the Josephy Center lights, in black and white

Guests dancing together late in the reception, in black and white

The bride chugging Everclear on the dance floor, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

A circle of guests dancing in the Josephy Center, in black and white

Guests dancing shoulder to shoulder, in black and white

Bride and groom dancing among the guests, in black and white

A guest dancing with his arm raised, in black and white

The dance floor packed under the Josephy Center beams, in black and white

Guests crowded onto the dance floor, in black and white

Dancing spilling out toward the Josephy Center doors, in black and white

A guest lifting the bride on the dance floor, in black and white

The bride dancing with her bridesmaids, in black and white

Guests with their hands in the air, in black and white

Groomsen lifts the groom up in the air during the wedding reception dance at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

Photo showing the incredible peak-energy moment on a packed dance floor at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

The dance floor late in the night, in black and white

Guests dancing together as the reception runs on, in black and white

The dance floor seen from above, in black and white

The last of the dancing in the Josephy Center, in black and white

Guests packed onto the dance floor, in black and white

A packed dance floor with everyone singing, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

The dance floor late in the reception, in black and white

The bride dancing with her arms raised, in black and white

The last song on a packed dance floor, every hand in the air, Josephy Center for Arts and Culture

If you’d like to see more things weddings hop on over to my wedding photography page.

Minneapolis wedding photographer Jackson Tyler Eddy

Jackson Tyler Eddy is a Minneapolis wedding photographer with 17+ years behind the camera, hundreds of weddings photographed, and a place in The Knot Hall of Fame. His landscape work has been featured by National Geographic in its Daily Dozen, and that same artist's eye carries into every wedding he photographs. Available for weddings throughout Minnesota and destinations worldwide.

More about Jackson → See wedding collections →
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I'd love to hear what you're planning. I photograph a limited number of weddings each year and dates do book well in advance. Reach out and I'll get back to you personally with everything you need to know.

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