Connecticut Wedding Photographer | Rainy Day Wedding Photos | CT Wedding Photographer

Rainy day wedding photos took on a whole new meaning when Ryan & Danielle’s Connecticut vows were rained out. What’d we do? Move the entire celebration to another town!

Despite the weather being absolutely beautiful in the days leading up to Ryan and Danielle’s Connecticut wedding, we were slammed with nearly freezing rain, high winds, and downpours this particular Saturday. This rather long post details how we came to say their vows in a barren parking lot. No, it was not the plan. But yes, it was kind of cute.

Did it derail all of their plans? Yes. Were they [storm] troopers, with grins on their faces the entire time? You bet your butt they did. I can’t imagine anyone being in higher spirits, despite being literally pelted with rain on their wedding day.

Ryan and Danielle have a beautiful story: Their families were friends throughout their teenage years, and they even went on small trips together. A famous photo—present at the wedding—shows both fathers on their “honeymoon.” It was taken on a cruise ship when neither wife wanted a gimmicky photo, but the fathers said LET’S DO IT!

This sense of humor and fun take on life is what rang true throughout their wedding. Though neither of their fathers is around anymore, their laughter and zest was quite apparent in both Danielle and Ryan.

We started at Gardiner’s Landing in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. The weather was drizzly, but for their intimate wedding, Ryan and his crew had set up a few tents. 20 minutes before the ceremony, the weather turned worse. We were all shivering in our cars. Late May in Connecticut, and 44 degrees with sleet? What was happening?

Come time to start, and the rains really started to come down. I handed my giant golf umbrella to the groom, who was already soaked. At that point, the JOP—who had performed thousands of weddings—said they might do better saying their vows here and signing the legal paperwork, then doing their real ceremony at their reception venue, Copper Beech Inn.

We waited under umbrellas, getting pelted by rain and nearly blown over by wind. Rainy day wedding photos are beautiful, but not when you’re being PELTED.

A few calls and bouts of pacing later, and the bride pulled up. She got out of the car in her magnificently unique 1950s satin wedding dress, all smiles, and walked with him to the center of the parking lot. A common site for an intimate wedding in Connecticut? No, but I thought it made for the most romantic rainy day wedding photos! As they said (shouted?) their vows in the pouring rain, all of their guests who hadn’t yet left got out of their cars to watch. Rain on a wedding day is good luck, they say, and Ryan and Danielle’s [unintentional] rainy day wedding photos and vows were sweet.

We dashed back into our cars and drove over to the Copper Beech Inn for a proper ceremony. Despite me having some rainproof gear, I was still fairly soaked, with frozen feet. Even so, Ryan and Danielle were ready to say their vows again and have a spontaneous Copper Beech Inn wedding. As far as Connecticut wedding venues go, the Copper Beech Inn in Ivoryton, CT (very near Old Saybrook, CT) is not for your average couple.

This venue probably doesn’t suite those in their 20s who want to party with a huge crew and have all the latest amenities. A wedding at the Copper Beech Inn is for intimate affairs—say, 2-50 people—who want to enjoy time with their close friends and families in a historical, romantic, more Victorian-style home. There is a beautiful garden with a small fountain and old stone steps. This CT wedding venue is decidedly for more mature tastes and intimate weddings.

Though no one was knew the weather would completely change the day, management over at the Copper Beech Inn rearranged their furniture to create a spontaneous “altar” and ceremony room in the foyer of the hotel.

Rather than having flowers, Danielle gave everyone (including me!) roses to pin on their suits and dresses. She and Ryan then said their vows in the rustic, antique-filled New England-style foyer.

After their poignant vows and sand ceremony, everyone had a nice break to dry off, comb hair, and relax. With under 40 guests, it was a very relaxed, easygoing crowd. I took the time with Ryan to get some funny photos, which I turned into a GIF that they said they’re still cracking up at each time they watch. (For private eyes only.) When rainy day wedding photos are a bit too rainy, take your lighting out and have some goofy fun with the groom!

We took some more fun shots inside, and THEN…

…had a short time outside during a break in the rain. I got a bunch of portraits of Danielle and Ryan being their funny selves, and used all of the blooming flowers and rhododendrons Copper Beech Inn has around the property.

It was SO nice to be outside without rain pouring down on us, so we took quite a few lovely photos, both traditional and creative.

Ryan and Danielle’s rainy day wedding may not have been what they planned, but everyone—including the staff at the Copper Beech Inn—really helped make the best of it. Ryan and Danielle wanted a photographer to catch their silly ways, and I loved photographing them. What more could I want than a laid-back couple who makes me double over laughing?!

Connecticut Wedding | Connecticut Wedding Venues | Copper Beech Inn Ivoryton CT

Wedding Photographer: Kathryn Cooper Weddings
Vintage Dress: Etsy
Park: Gardiner’s Landing, Old Saybrook
Venue: Copper Beech Inn
Justice of the Peace: Betty Allard