When Unexpected Weather Meets Your 4th Wedding Ever

At the end of June, Aiden and I were preparing for our fourth wedding of the season—also our fourth wedding ever. I visited the ceremony and reception location outside Calgary the week before to put the finishing touches on the photo timeline. The only challenging aspect at that point was the forecast. But all the wedding photography blogs I consulted said you should not start to pay attention to those details until you are 48 hours out from the actual day. Weather forecasts are notoriously unpredictable, so don’t start to prematurely stress. 

Every morning for the next 5 days, I – like many Calgary wedding photographers, checked the weather app and quickly prayed that the forecast had improved. It’s not unreasonable to expect a bit of rain for an outdoor summer wedding in Calgary, but this forecast was quickly becoming a “weather event” featured as the headline story on all local news sites. When crafting our wedding shot list, we always have a rain plan in the back of our minds. It was now apparent that it was time to shift those plans from the backburner.  

The Couple and Their Community

Like all our couples, Penny and Cory had spent months meticulously planning out every last detail of their day, including a robust rain plan. Their chosen location was going to be absolutely stunning. It’s not hard to imagine their disappointment when they realized that the storm heading towards Calgary was no ordinary summer storm. A forecast of high winds, low temperatures and sideways rain made Plan A no longer viable. With 48 hours to go before their ‘I do’s,’ they began the Ultimate Wedding-Day Pivot.

We were amazed by the resilience they demonstrated. While they experienced all the emotions of saying goodbye to their original plans, they kept moving forward in faith with their new and evolving plans. Their resourceful and generous community of family and friends supplied time, talent and decor in abundance and turned their new location into something beautiful. 

Bridal Portraits: The Hunt for Plan B (Plan C…D…Z)

Calgary has a few well known rainy wedding day photograph locations, but considering the size of this storm on the 3rd weekend in June we wanted to avoid the “go-to” spots that were apt to be busy. 

The day before the wedding I scoped out a beautiful and massive gazebo in Calgary. Because it was also raining the day before, I was able to confirm that the whole party could remain covered and dry. Bonus: The bride LOVED this location. Plan B – Check. Weather: 0, Photographers: 1

That is until the sideways rain the morning of the wedding rendered this location unusable. Weather: 1, Photographers: 0

When Penny called and asked, ‘Have you seen the radar?’ I knew it was time to pull out one last option a friend had suggested the day before. We were officially out of outdoor options, but miraculously this indoor hidden gem was still available to rent. With our new location secured, Aiden and I left the house and headed to Penny’s house to capture some getting ready shots. 

I’ll be real—when your umbrella gets ripped from your assistant’s hands by a wind gust at the bride’s house (true story), and he returns looking like a soaked puppy, the day’s mood teeters on “this is a mess.” Yet, that same morning brought magic: heavy, moody light spilling through the bride’s windows, casting shadows that made portraits look cinematic. Her natural beauty was illuminated by the storm, and for the first time that day I knew, everything’s going to be okay.

A Tender First Look That Felt Like a Gift

We arrived at our new location, set up lighting, and worked quickly. After getting Cory into place for their First Look moment, I helped Penny into her shoes as her Maid of Honor parked her vehicle. We both took a much needed minute to laugh at how surreal this day had become.

Then came the moment: a quiet, unguarded first look. Cory’s face was overwhelmed with love when he saw Penny for the first time that day. Aiden and I quietly captured this tender interaction from out of the way positions as to not interrupt this much needed quiet moment.

Shortly after the rest of the bridal party arrived, one of them carrying a completely crushed clear umbrella. The very kind that by this point I was so glad we were not relying on for any protection from the elements.

We even shared a moment of camaraderie with another photographer—checking that we were on different flash channels and nodding a respectful “let’s do our work.” It was a sweet moment of two photographers cheering each other on, with no whiff of competition. 

Ceremony & Reception at Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel

Walking into the sanctuary, no guest would ever guess this was not the original plan. The ceremony was filled with many moments of laughter along the way as they shared the journey of what had brought them to this location. With their six children and sister (in law) both ushering and standing as attendants, Penny and Cory finally said their “I do’s”.

Moving seamlessly into the reception next door, they were struck with so much gratitude for their dry and warm guests, and for each laugh and heartfelt word shared. This wasn’t just a their wedding day; it was an expression of family in every sense of the word as they celebrated the start of their new chapter.

The day was marked by both Penny and Cory’s deep faith in Jesus. The toasts told of how this couple met at church, how God provided refuge in the storms of their lives, and how He led them to this moment. Watching their wedding day unfold was a testament to faith, to unexpected provision, and to how beauty can emerge from upheaval.

Behind the Camera: What We Learned From This Experience

Walking into our fourth wedding, we never imagined being tested this way. As a business owner, I want to give a real glimpse into what was going on in my mind in the days leading up. I had an overwhelming sense of responsibility to deliver what I was hired for –  amazing wedding photos. With so many elements that were out of our control, I was genuinely at a loss on what that was going to look like. 

I spent hours pouring through disastrous rainy wedding days shot by other photographers who were kind enough to share real life experiences online. I kept getting stuck on one thought: ‘I don’t have enough experience, and I might fail’. Yikes! That is not the headspace you want to be in as a business owner or as an artist – but that is also truthfully where many of us live. 

I knew that I needed to reframe my thinking and get out of this rut. I chose to replace this thought with another one: You are so blessed to have such a big challenge this early into shooting weddings. Once you have successfully delivered this wedding, you will be so much more valuable to your future wedding clients. 

We had no rainy-wedding safety net to lean into. But in retrospect, that was a gift. It forced us to observe, adapt, reassess, and work with what is instead of what should be. We learned we could trust our skills as photographers, not a perfect plan, to tell their story in a beautiful way. Every tough call and solved problem taught us more than any class or workshop ever could.

Preparation comes in many forms, but so does grace and resilience.

Final Thoughts

To the guests who joined in the celebration, the storm that brought dramatic light, and the bride & groom who held steadfast, thank you. Aiden and I were honored to capture your story.

And to anyone wondering how to plan for unpredictable moments let me say this: choosing to celebrate in spite of it all, that’s the moment worth capturing. Sideways rain or shine – if that’s your day, we’ll meet you with our lens, our prayers, and all of our heart.

If you’re planning a Calgary wedding and worried about unpredictable weather, we’d love for you to reach out to us here so we can help you capture it beautifully, no matter what the skies do.