The Wedding That Almost Took Me Out (But Was Worth Every Second)
Groom buckling his bride’s white heels at their wedding
A Southern California Mountain Wedding in the Middle of a Storm
To say this wedding was unforgettable would be an understatement.
Before I tell you what happened, I want to start here: the bride and groom handled every twist of this day with grace. What could have unraveled most couples only strengthened them. On a day that brought unexpected weather, road closures, and last-minute changes, they remained calm, steady, and completely present with one another.
And honestly? That’s what I remember most.
A Rare Rainstorm in Southern California
As a Southern California resident, I can confidently say we don’t get much extreme weather — even in the winter. So when forecasts started predicting one of the heaviest rain weekends we’d seen in months, along with potential flooding and road closures, it caught everyone’s attention.
Their wedding was originally planned as an outdoor lakeside ceremony at a mountain lodge — one of those breathtaking, cinematic settings you dream about when planning a California wedding. But as the storm warnings intensified, they made the difficult (and wise) decision to move everything indoors to the lodge’s conference space.
Was it Plan A? No.
Was it still beautiful? Absolutely.
There’s something incredibly intimate about a storm outside while vows are exchanged inside — warm, candlelit, and surrounded by your closest people.
The Drive Up the Mountain
The venue sat high in the mountains. On my way up, I was advised to bring tire chains in case of ice on the roads — something I rarely have to think about as a wedding photographer in Southern California.
About halfway up the mountain, traffic slowed to a stop.
A mudslide had pushed an empty school bus sideways into the two-lane road, temporarily blocking access. By some miracle, it only delayed us about 20 minutes. Crews worked quickly, and eventually we were waved through.
At that point, I had no idea that was only the beginning.
Bride lifting and adjusting her skirt to dance at her wedding
Rain, Fog, and a Mudslide on the Way Down
The wedding itself? Beautiful.
Emotional. Joyful. The couple leaned into the change of plans, and the indoor space transformed into something warm and intentional. If anything, the weather made it feel even more cinematic.
But by the time I packed up my gear and ran back to my car, the storm had intensified.
It was pitch black.
Sheets of rain.
Fog so thick you couldn’t see more than ten feet ahead.
Driving down that winding mountain road was one of the most intense experiences of my life. And then it happened.
A mudslide.
There was no time to react. A massive rock scraped and crunched beneath my car before I even fully processed what was happening. The sound alone was enough to make my stomach drop. My car sputtered — but somehow kept moving.
All I could think was: please don’t let another one come down.
Over two hours later — white-knuckled and running on adrenaline — I finally made it home. My husband can confirm the thousand-yard stare as I sat in silence eating the soup he had waiting for me.
The Aftermath
The next morning revealed the damage:
A broken oil pan
A completely wrecked catalytic converter
Financially? I essentially paid to shoot that wedding.
But here’s the thing — I would still do it again.
Because at the end of the day:
The couple was married.
Their photos were delivered.
And everyone made it home safely.
What This Wedding Reminded Me Of
As a wedding photographer in California, I’ve learned that no amount of planning can control the weather. But what you can control is how you respond to it.
This couple chose joy over frustration.
Presence over panic.
Love over logistics.
And that’s what made their day beautiful.
Storms pass.
Mudslides clear.
Cars get fixed.
But wedding photos? They last forever.
If you’re planning a Southern California mountain wedding — rain or shine — I’ll be there, camera in hand, ready for whatever adventure the day holds.
