How a stormy day became the perfect celebration of love, resilience, and what really matters
The Plan
Kate & Tyler’s elopement day was carefully crafted: a first look in the trees at their beautiful Airbnb, portraits in the redwoods, an intimate ceremony in a grove with their closest family and friends, and as the grand finale, sunset beach photos complete with their first dance and champagne toast on the sand with their loved ones.
It was going to be magical. Romantic. Perfect.
And it was all of those things! Just not in the way we expected.
The Magic
Let me back up to the beginning, because even before the storm arrived, Kate & Tyler’s day was filled with moments that took my breath away.
We started the morning at their gorgeous Airbnb, where they saw each other in their wedding attire for the first time and exchanged private vows. There’s something so special about these moments before the day fully unfolds.
Then we wandered into the redwood forest, and this is where Kate and Tyler’s personality really shined. They weren’t just posing for photos, they were experiencing the landscape. Stopping to crouch down and admire tiny mushrooms. Craning their necks to take in the impossibly tall trees. Making each other laugh until we were all breathless.
By the time we left the forest, my face was genuinely aching from smiling. This is what elopements are meant to be: unhurried, joyful, fully present.
The Ceremony
Their ceremony in the redwood grove was everything. As guests arrived, I noticed thick storm clouds gathering overhead and quietly tucked clear umbrellas nearby, just in case.
Kate & Tyler’s vows were heartfelt and tearful. You could feel the love radiating from every person in that grove. The way their family and friends held space for them, witnessed them, and celebrated them was so beautiful. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere.
And miraculously, the rain held out!
The Storm
Here’s where the day took a turn.
That afternoon, we headed to the beach for sunset portraits and the planned first dance and champagne toast with family. Instead, we were greeted by wind so fierce we could barely open our car doors and rain that had completely different ideas about our timeline. We knew there was rain in the forecast, but storms on the Northern California coast can change fast. This wind was not what we had expected to face.
We sat in our vehicles, watching the Pacific Ocean rage, and I wondered if we’d get any beach time at all. This wasn’t a light drizzle. This was a full-on coastal storm.
But Kate and Tyler weren’t about to let weather get in the way. We watched the radar on our phones from the car, and when there was a window, we braved it!
The Epic Part
We waited until the conditions became somewhat tolerable, then we went for it. Photographic evidence of umbrella being destroyed by wind:
What we captured on that beach was absolutely epic. Wind-whipped and rain-soaked, Kate and Tyler held each other against the elements, laughing the entire time. They snuggled when the cold hit. They spun in the wind. They kissed while rain fell around them. Cue me running around the beach soaking wet and covered in sand, absolutely ecstatic.
These images are some of my favorites from their whole day. Not in spite of the storm, but because of it. The weather revealed their true spirits: resilient, joyful, and absolutely committed to making the day theirs.
The Pivot
With the storm still raging and their family waiting safely inside, we made the call to pivot the celebration back to the Airbnb. No beach first dance. No champagne pop on the sand. Just an intimate gathering indoors.
And you know what? It became exactly what it needed to be.
Their loved ones immediately sprang into action moving furniture, clearing the living room, creating a makeshift dance floor. Kate’s little niece even found the remote and put a fireplace video on the TV in the background. The energy in that space was electric. It felt like this was how it was always meant to happen. Nobody was missing the beach. Everyone was exactly where they should be.
Kate and Tyler had their first dance in that cozy room, surrounded by the people who love them most. They toasted with champagne. They laughed and hugged and celebrated in a way that felt even more intimate than the original plan.
What Really Matters
There was so much love woven through every moment of Kate and Tyler’s day. In the way their family showed up for them. In Kate and Tyler’s resilience when plans changed.
Days like these remind me why I do this work. It’s not about capturing picture-perfect moments. It’s about honoring what a day feels like through the laughter and the tears, the storms and the stillness.
If You’re Worried About Weather…
Planning an elopement and stressed about unpredictable weather? Here are some tips for planning your elopement during rainy season:
Embrace flexibility over perfection. The couples who enjoy their day most are the ones who hold plans loosely. Some of the most dramatic, romantic images come from unexpected weather.
Have a solid backup location. Kate & Tyler’s Airbnb in the redwoods was spacious and beautiful, making it the perfect Plan B that didn’t feel like settling.
Trust your photographer. I’ve shot in every condition imaginable and know how to make you look amazing, rain or shine. And of course, to still have a blast together!
Bring the right gear. Clear umbrellas for ceremonies, layers for cold, and rain jackets are just a few key things to have with you on your elopement day. Every location and every season will be different, so I give each of my couples a completely customized packing list so they are fully prepared for whatever their day might bring!
Remember the point. Bad weather is just weather. You’re still marrying your person. You’re still surrounded by love. That’s what matters!
Consider it an adventure. Years from now, you’ll tell the story of your stormy elopement day with huge smiles on your faces. The unexpected moments often become the most treasured memories.
Thank You
Kate & Tyler, thank you for trusting me with your story. Thank you for dancing in the storm, pivoting with grace, and staying present through it all. It was an honor to witness your day.
To everyone reading: this is what elopements are all about. Not perfection, but presence. Not control, but connection.
The most beautiful moments aren’t always the ones we plan, they’re the ones that unfold exactly as they’re meant to.
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