Jillian & John | Hurricane Dorian Wedding Day Halifax September 30, 2019

To say Jill and John has a “whirlwind” day is an understatement. A few weekends ago we had Hurricane Dorian pass through Halifax and it, of course, picked a Saturday during peak wedding season to do so.
My Thursday and Friday were spent buying storm chips and canned goods for my family of four and getting my neighbors to help me flip and sandbag down our trampoline. I charged all my gear batteries days before, checked the weather compulsively, scouted indoor photo locations, and had several ever changing timeline and strategy phone calls with Jillian, my bride.
Ultimately, her and John’s big day got compacted into less than four hours. The venue had to batten down the hatches for the safety of all concerned mid-afternoon. I generally enjoy keeping up with the momentum of a wedding day and all it’s emotions and events. I have NEVER shot so fast in my 20 year career!
There will be many hurricane wedding “epic” shares from other photographers in the weeks to come. I went into that day deciding with the small window of time we now had to shoot for my clients and focus on them instead of the news story unfolding around us. If Jill and John’s friends, family and vendors, were going to haul their cookies all the way to the Saraguay in a hurricane to show their love and support then that was the story to capture.
We snuck in a first look and lightening fast family portraits and ceremony started mostly on time, which was moved up from 5pm to Noon. There were great toasts. The guests laughed and cried and ate cupcakes as the rain beat against the floor to ceiling windows. Emotional first dances followed, with some fun at the Photo Booth. Last call was at 2:30 p.m. and the DJ played Scorpions “Rock You like a Hurricane”.
I did not stop to take a single shot of the severe damage happening in real time. I shimmied my little Matrix under downed power lines on the drive home.
Those calm and lovely shots mixed in were taken at Herring Cove look off the very next day. The sun came out, the breeze was lovely and John smiled on as Jillian worked her pockets in that amazing dress.
They also have a little news to share, which should help remind us that life goes on, even when it does not go according to plan.