Life writes the best stories...
You possibly remember Shannon and Chris from their surprise Proposal in Venice I posted last year. When they asked me to photograph their wedding in the Outer Banks I said immediately yes! Let’s face it: how many beach weddings do you get in Switzerland? Shannon was the absolut DIY Bride (Do it yourself) Everything was selfmade by the bride and groom. They even made their own wine for guests presents. With 60 of their closest family and friends they rented two gorgeous houses in Corolla, North Carolina. They welcomed us so wonderfully and made us feel home the minute we stepped over the doorstep. Everything was ready for that Thursday afternoon when the ceremony would take place. Everybody was of help making it complete. All seemed to be perfect until the weather drowned our plan so brutal…
As the Carolinas are known for their tropical heavy rain showers you might better prepare for an indoor wedding just to be safe. But not my couple. They were brave and said “ we went all the way, we go through with it“. And so it happened, while beautiful bride Shannon walked down the aisle with her parents, the rain came, and it poored so heavy that everybody fled down to shelter. While many brides would have been dissapointed, Shannon laughed, wet to her bones, disbelief what just happened!
They actually got married that day. So personal and private under that shelter, wet, cold and so close with their loved ones like never before. This is what memories are made of. As soon as they kissed, the rain stopped and on the beach the wild horses galopping by. It was for sure not the best photography I ever did those 1o minutes, standing on this little chair soaking wet, with the water floating from the roof down my back – but one I will never forget and I am so glad I was there to catch it.
I learnd two things that day: both me and my cameras really are waterproof and even the most unlikely event will be a joy, if your family and loved ones are close to you. There is no greater love. It was not a common beach ceremony and definitly not a wedding I expected to find when I travelled to the US. But sometimes the unplannable creates something so unique. That moment down there, was magical. For all of them. No one will ever forget this wedding, those 10 minutes. I never saw a couple so cheerful, a ceremony master so wet and happy, a mothers tears mixing up with the rainwater in her face, when Chris&Shannon said I do…
A following morning we met again at the beach. Chris, Shannon and us. Again in their wedding outfits to photograph another set at 5.30 in the morning, kissing the sun hello.