Umbrellas were a VITAL part of one of my all-time favourite wedding coverages.
The wedding was taking place on a sacred amphitheatre site on an Indian Reserve in Ontario. There were only 18 people at the wedding.
On the 2 hour drive to the wedding location, I had a funny feeling that it might rain - and actually fantasized about how cool it would be to shoot the wedding in rain. Reality soon struck though and I realized from my at that time close to 30 years of experience - that there would never be a bride who would agree to such a thing.
I got to the small cottage where everyone was getting ready, and about ten minutes before leaving, the rain started to pour down. I asked the bride's mother what the plans were if it carried on raining. She replied that likely the ceremony would just be at the cottage.
Well at the time that was planned for us to head to the ceremony, I hear a yelp from the bride - "Let's get Going". I went up to her at the doorway and asked what her plans were. She replied that we were going to the location. She had aniticipated that it may rain and bought out the local corner store of their umbrellas - 12 in all. In fact she was a little upset that she couldn't get them all in the solid darker colour that she preferred.
I have to tell you that I was ecstatic at the prospect. I always carry a couple of small portable umbrellas with me and so was well prepared for covering my gear while shooting.
While these shots show the umbrellas - - - the majority of the formal images were shot without umbrellas - - - with the rain dripping down them. The mood was electric. All of the shots I took were relaxed and natural. Couldn't have been better and great samples that I will likely never be able to duplicate again.
The final shot was a very emotional moment as the groom after the ceremony - went out to a lonely spot on the beach to phone 3,000 miles away to his aged parents who could not attend. I stayed at a distance and took a few shots. The bride then came from the house and walked past me and up behind him and embraced him while he carried on talking for some 15 minutes more. I absolutely adore this shot, remembering vividly the cold and the rain and the mood and the love and the tears at that moment in time.