The bridesmaids and groomsmen were lined up ready to walk down the aisle. The bride and her father were patiently waiting for the wedding planner to cue the musicians. Everything was perfect. Well, almost everything… the weather was not cooperating. We here in Southern California enjoy fantastic weather year round. However, this one particular Saturday in November proved to be the exception.
The guests sat huddled together with umbrellas. The breeze off the ocean was picking up. The hotel staff with towels in hand were doing their best to dry the seats, and protect the quartet from the wind and rain. I took my place at the front of the isle under the small rotunda, and buried my cameras in my coat to keep the rain that had now turn to a mist from hitting the lens.
If you’re in the midst of planning your wedding you’re thinking, “This is my worst wedding nightmare!” But wait! it get’s worse…
Just before the bridesmaids started their walk down the aisle, two of the four large glass vases that held ginormous flower arrangements were blown off their pedestals. For me, everything slowed down. Like watching cars on icy roads, slip, slide and ultimately crash, I raised my camera and started shooting the expressions of the guests as the glass hit the concrete. Pieces flew everywhere, and the once beautiful arrangements were now just a pile of pretty pink flowers.
My good friend and florist extraordinaire Alex from Blush Botanicals, appeared out of nowhere! Her and her team picked up, cleaned up, rearranged and made everything whole again, in a matter of seconds. It was like watching a well choreographed dance. Kudos to real professionals!
To my surprise, the guests, the family, and most importantly, the bride were not worried or disappointed. In fact they were happy. Really happy! The bride held on tight to her dad’s arm as they walked down the isle. Despite the damp and chilly weather, everyone was thrilled to be there. The bride, Elizabeth, was gracious, loving, appreciative and the farthest thing from a Bridezilla!
For most families planning a wedding, the thought of cold wind pushing rain into your face is horrifying! I would argue however, that the unpredictable can be at times, the missing element that with the right attitude, can make a wedding not only perfect but uniquely yours. The photos prove my point, feeding off of the positive energy of both families I found several warm and friendly faces that were excited to experience the day, rain or shine, with the ones they love.
Paul Barnett is a san diego luxury wedding photographer. For more information about our san diego wedding photography services please contact us at paul1@barnettphoto.com or give us a call at 619-285-1207.