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 my family of four supplies for “you might not have power for several days” and getting my neighbours 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/strategy phone calls with Jillian, my bride. Thankfully she would have her meltdowns before she called, as she received each update about the Hurricane growing intensity and expected hitting Halifax time. Ultimately, her and John’s big day got compacted into less than 4 hours, with the venue having to batten down the hatches around 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, but I have never shot so fast in my 20 year career! I know there will be many hurricane wedding “epic” shares from other photographers in the weeks to come, but 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 me. If their 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. The ceremony started mostly on time, which was moved up from 5pm to Noon. There were great toasts and guests laughed and cried and ate cupcakes as the rain and trees beat against the floor to ceiling windows. Emotional first dances followed, some fun at the Photo Booth, last call was at 2.30 in the afternoon and the DJ played Scorpions “Rock You like a Hurricane” for the last song the “night” at the brides request. I did not stop to take a single shot of the severe damage happening in real time, during my drive home through Herring Cove while shimmying my little Matrix around fallen trees and under downed power lines. And then what a difference a day makes! Those calm and lovely shots mixed in were taken at Herring Cove look off the next day, when the sun came out, the breeze was lovely and John smiled on as Jillian worked the 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.