This weekend, Savannah and I packed up and headed out to the Olympic Peninsula for Mollie’s absolutely beautiful wedding weekend—and because apparently one gorgeous location wasn’t enough, we got Ruby Beach, Lake Quinault, Elkhorn Ranch at Lake Quinault AND a full-on Pacific Northwest rainstorm. 😂
We started the weekend with a fun, laid-back wedding shoot on Ruby Beach, because if you’re getting married on the Olympic Peninsula, sneaking away to the coast for photos is pretty hard to beat. Driftwood, sea stacks, wild coastline, and that moody PNW light? YES PLEASE.
The next day, we met Mollie, bridesmaids and her adorable weiner dog named Odin at the cutest little Airbnb on Lake Quinault while she got ready for the wedding. From there, we headed to the historic Lake Quinault Lodge for portraits and her first look with her dad.
And this is where the Pacific Northwest decided to join the party.
While we were photographing the whole crew, boom, there it was….
Thunder.
Now, if you’re planning an outdoor wedding in Western Washington, rain is possible basically any day of the year.
And if you’re getting married IN A RAINFOREST?
Well. 😂
We knew what was coming.
So we stayed focused, got through the family and group photos, and then proceeded to SKEDADDLE to Elkhorn Ranch at Lake Quinault for the ceremony.
And then?
It POURED.
But here’s the thing:
Rain does not ruin wedding photos.
In fact, we freaking LOVE photographing in the rain.
Rain gives us reflections, movement, mist, saturated greens, dramatic skies, and that gorgeous soft light that makes the Olympic Peninsula look exactly like the wild, magical place it is.
The trick isn’t hoping your wedding day will have perfect weather.
The trick is having a plan for whatever weather shows up.
Planning an Outdoor Wedding in Washington? Prepare for Rain.
If you’re planning an Olympic Peninsula wedding, adventure elopement, mountain wedding, beach wedding—or really anything outdoors in the Pacific Northwest—here are a few things I recommend:
1. Have a rain plan you actually like.
Don’t make Plan B the sad version of Plan A.
Choose a venue or backup ceremony location you’d genuinely be happy using. That way you’re not spending the week before your wedding obsessively refreshing three different weather apps and questioning every life decision you’ve ever made.
2. Bring clear umbrellas.
They’re inexpensive, photograph beautifully, and allow light to reach your faces instead of creating dark shadows.
And yes, we bring them too.
3. Choose shoes accordingly.
If we’re heading onto a beach, into a forest, across wet grass or up a mountain, bring shoes that can handle it.
You can always change into the fancy ones later.
4. Give your timeline some breathing room.
Weather changes quickly in Washington. A little flexibility lets us take advantage of breaks in the rain—or move quickly when we hear thunder rolling toward us and realize we have approximately five minutes to photograph your entire extended family. 😂
5. Most importantly: don’t let the weather become the story of your wedding.
Some of my favorite photographs happen when plans go sideways.
Wind happens.
Rain happens.
Dresses get dirty.
Hair moves.
The sky does something completely unexpected.
That’s part of the adventure.
Our job isn’t just to show up when everything is perfect. Savannah and I are watching the weather, the light, the timeline and what’s happening around us all day. We’re adjusting and making decisions so that you don’t have to spend your wedding day worrying about your photographs.
We are prepared for things to change.
And when they do?
We make something beautiful out of it.
So if the forecast for your Pacific Northwest wedding shows rain, don’t panic.
Grab an umbrella.
Grab your person.
And come play in it with us. 🌧️🤍
Because sometimes the weather you were hoping wouldn’t happen creates the photographs you never could have planned.
Luckily we had an amazing group of people who saddled up and went outside to make it happen, and just then IT CLEARED! I LOVE LAKE QUINAULT!
— Amy/ Lemon Wing