Certainly, no one wants to deal with rain on their special day. However, after keeping an eye on the forecast, I knew as Lina and Salvatore’s Niagara wedding photographer that we were going to have to find a way to work around it.

I met my couple at one of the Hamilton wedding shows. Lina, a graphic designer and professor at Mohawk Collage, was drawn to my attention to detail. Both of us revelled in our high standards and levels of expectations and the bond was solidified. Once they found out that I was a preferred photographer at Edgewater Manor, they were thrilled as that was their chosen venue. Obviously, it was a sign that it was meant to be!

Funny enough, this happened to be my second wedding at Edgewater Manor that weekend. I knew from the weather the previous day and the upcoming forecast that we were in for more rain. We began by discussing our options as we arrived onsite with Lina. However, she was adamant that we were to go ahead with an outdoor ceremony as she had envisioned. What was meant to be would be.

Niagara wedding photographer showed how to work around weather on this couple’s special day

First, the boys got changed in the bridal suite, Lina and her daughter got ready in the Alexander room upstairs. She had decided to keep things simple and do her own hair and makeup. As a mother of two, she remained unfazed as multi-tasking was her forte. Their marriage signified the blending of two families, Lina with a son and daughter and Salvatore with his two sons. I wanted to capture the connections between the parents with each of the children as they expanded their new family. The shot of Lina’s daughter helping Salvatore fix his cufflinks was the perfect example of the tenderness between them.

They had incorporated a sunflower theme throughout the day as it had a huge significance in their lives. Salvatore would always present Lina with a sunflower and even planted a field of them in his homeland, as a sign of his love for her. As a surprise, he had got an Italian jewellery designer and maker to create a bespoke bracelet for her featuring enamel sunflowers which he presented Lina with in time for the reception.

Rain was no match for Niagara wedding photographer as mother nature kept them on their toes

As the guests sat with umbrellas overlooking the lake for their ceremony, the rain kept coming down steadily while Lina walked down the aisle. One of the photos shows the water drops on the iPad of the officiant as he is reading their vows. The ring bearer presented the rings atop the centre of a sunflower so the theme remained strong throughout. To honour an element of Lina’s background, they stood atop an Armenian rug for the ceremony and then left her shoes as they walked back down the aisle. The rain continued on and off and they were pleased to be able to get inside. However, the moment I spotted blue skies, I whisked them back outside for some wedding portraits.

I made sure to utilize all of the unique areas Edgewater Manor offers for unique photographic opportunities. Without a doubt, their grand marble staircase, Romeo and Juliet balcony and the rocks on the edge of the water are some of my favourites. As the reception began, I wanted to showcase all of the little details that they had put so much thought into. The photo of their Armenian photoshoot in traditional attire, their jewellery, dress, favours and cake. All of them somehow linked back to the sunflower theme which the family had managed to incorporate effortlessly.

There was still opportunity for my signature twilight images

The guests danced and it was easy to see how much fun everyone was having, children included! Meanwhile, we took a moment to sneak out to the water’s edge while the festivities were in full swing. Here we were able to get some of our signature nighttime shots featuring the sparkling lights of the city in the background. Then, I watched the wedding party and their guests let their hair down and hit the dance floor. While being serenaded, I left the venue with a smile on my face.

As Lina and Salvator’s Niagara wedding photographer, the rain meant we couldn’t follow any templates. Undoubtedly, we were at the mercy of the rain. It dictated every element of their day, yet it didn’t seem to have dampened their spirits at all. I recently met back up with the couple as they are in the final stages of selecting their Italian handmade wedding album. The smiles on their faces showed that nothing could have made a notch in the happiness of the day that signalled the start of their newly blended family.

Credits to below wedding professionals that helped Lina and Salvatore’s wedding to be one of a kind.