When It Rains… by Laura Babb [Rf Wedding of the Week]

When it comes to this wedding between Luke and Pip, one word comes to mind for UK photographer Laura Babb: damp. “It rained and rained and rained,” she says, “but the brilliant thing about Luke and Pip is that they embraced it. It makes such a difference if a couple is happy to just go with the flow and deal with whatever circumstances they’re given.”

All photos © Babb Photo

This couple had planned for a sunny beach wedding, but the British weather had other plans. Luke and Pip “were so laid-back,” Babb recalls. “They were up for scrambling over rocks, standing on the beach in lashing rain and they didn’t for one second worry about what they or their outfits would look like afterwards. Their photography was a collaboration, and they absolutely invested in getting the best out of it.”

In fact, the whole wedding party was up for some rainy celebrations, Babb says. “We did their family group shots outside in the rain, and they scrambled over rocks in the rain for their portraits. Pip was even barefoot! Their friends and family were sitting under umbrellas for the ceremony and even ate ice cream in the rain. You don’t get more British summertime than that!”

The overall excitement of the day might have remained undeterred, but that didn’t mean Babb was free of some obstacles. “My viewfinder was fogged up all day, I was soaked to the skin and one of my cameras even stopped working,” says Babb, who took a page from Luke and Pip’s book. “I just decided to go with it and use the rain to my advantage, especially to create some off-camera flash lit portraits later in the day.”

“When you’re fighting against the elements, you really need to have a clear idea of your plan and you also need to minimize the impact on your clients,” she advises. “I had Luke and Pip waiting in a sheltered area with an umbrella while I set shots up and I worked really quickly to make sure they were outside for as little time as possible.”

GEAR FOR THE DAY
Cameras: Nikon D750s
Lenses: 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm

Check out more Weddings of the Week, and email Libby Peterson or Jacqueline Tobin with submissions.