A Rainy Summer Wedding at Arabella Estate
Some wedding days arrive exactly as you imagined them.
And some arrive with rain.
Katie and Brady's wedding at Arabella Estate in Buxton, Maine was one of those days where the weather had its own plans. It rained throughout the day, including during their ceremony, but somehow, the rain never felt like the story.
The story was the way Katie and Brady looked at each other.
The way their families showed up for them.
The way Katie's dad couldn't stop crying.
The way they held onto each other when everything around them felt a little unpredictable.
And most importantly, the way they completely embraced whatever the day gave them.
A first look with Dad
Before Katie saw Brady, she shared one of my favorite moments of the entire day: a first look with her dad.
And let me tell you — he was not holding back the tears.
The second he saw his daughter, the emotions came rushing in, and honestly, they didn't really stop there. He continued to tear up throughout the day, which made every little interaction between the two of them that much more meaningful.
There's something so special about photographing a parent seeing their child on their wedding day for the first time.
It's not just about the dress or the way they look.
It's about everything that moment represents.
The years leading up to it. The memories. The little girl they remember. And suddenly, she's standing in front of them on her wedding day.
Katie's dad's reaction said everything.
A first touch instead of a first look
Katie and Brady decided not to see each other before the ceremony, but they still wanted a moment together.
So they chose to do a private first touch.
Standing on opposite sides of each other without actually seeing one another, they were able to hold hands, talk, and take a breath before the rest of the day continued.
And I absolutely loved this choice for them.
Wedding days can move so quickly. There are people everywhere, timelines to follow, photographs to take, and so many emotions happening all at once.
Having those few quiet minutes together gave Katie and Brady a chance to slow down.
To connect.
To remind each other, we're in this together.
And I genuinely think it helped calm their nerves before walking into the ceremony.
It was private, intentional, and completely theirs.
Sometimes the most meaningful moments aren't the ones everyone gets to see.
Let it rain
Then came the ceremony.
And the rain came with it.
But instead of letting the weather take over the day, Katie and Brady embraced it.
They didn't let a little rain change the way they celebrated. They stood together, said their vows, and got married surrounded by the people who came to love on them through every kind of weather.
And honestly?
There's something pretty beautiful about that.
Because your wedding day doesn't have to be perfect to be perfect for you.
The rain becomes part of the story.
The umbrellas become part of the photographs.
The wet ground, the cloudy skies, the way everyone huddled together — those details become memories.
Years from now, Katie and Brady won't just remember that it rained.
They'll remember that they got married anyway.
They'll remember who stood beside them.
They'll remember how it felt.
And they'll have photographs that bring all of it back.
The kind of love that outshines the weather
By the time the day was over, the rain was just one small piece of a much bigger story.
A story filled with family, happy tears, quiet moments, and so much love.
Katie and Brady reminded me exactly why I love photographing weddings.
I'm not there to make the day look like something it wasn't.
I'm there to document what actually happened.
The tears.
The laughter.
The nerves.
The weather.
The people.
The little moments between the big ones.
Because those are the things that make your wedding yours.
Katie and Brady, thank you for trusting me to document every part of your day — even the rainy parts. Your wedding was filled with so much love that, honestly, the weather never stood a chance.
And I'm so glad you embraced every second of it.