When Kalynn asked me to photograph her wedding in Charleston I didn’t even have to think twice about it. The charming cobblestone streets, the mossy overhangs falling from the trees, the colorful houses, the ocean, the biscuits! What isn’t to love about Charleston?
Kalynn and Kevin’s wedding story is a little different, but there’s one thing that is certain throughout this whole story and that is the love that Kalynn and Kevin have for each other is stronger than any force, including hurricane winds.
The week leading up to the wedding the weather was perfect. The sun was out every day, but there was word that a hurricane was coming.
The night before the wedding, the sun shone bright and Kevin surprised Kalynn in front of all of their friends and family with the engagement ring that he had custom made for her. Everyone shared in their excitement that night and we all headed to bed in anticipation of the day ahead of us.
Morning came and so did the rain and wind. The original venue where the wedding was supposed to take place was flooded so everyone had to think on their feet. They decided to have the wedding in the home that Kalynn’s family was renting out.
Everyone came together to make the day the best for Kalynn and Kevin. The living room transformed into a beautiful ceremony space lined with white linens and orchids. It looked as though it was always meant to be a space for a wedding.
Kalynn got ready in the beautiful master suite with her girls. The weather may have been dark and gloomy outside, but inside everyone shared laughter, smiles and high hopes for the day.
Before the weather got too bad, I headed back to the house where Kevin and his groomsmen were getting ready to snap some shots of the guys in their element- whiskey and all!
Now it was time for the ceremony. The winds rustled the trees outside and the rain seemed to be coming down sideways, but you would never know because inside the house was filled with dozens of people ready to celebrate the love that Kalynn and Kevin share.
The two exchanged vows of forever and shared in their first kiss as husband and wife. The room roared with excitement as they danced down the aisle.
Time to party! And we did just that! We pushed the couches against the walls to create an open space for dancing. And we quite literally danced the night away!
I decided to take Kalynn and Kevin outside as the rain seemed to slow down for a few moments. We climbed all the way up to the top floor of the home and stood on the rooftop overlooking the ocean. The wind slapped us hard, but we had to document the craziest part of the day in some way!
The next day, the sun came out again and life went on as normal. Since we didn’t have a chance to take many portraits the day before, the two threw on their wedding attire and we headed downtown to take their husband and wife photos.
We strolled down Rainbow Row, stopping every few houses to snap some photos in front of the beautiful manicured and colorful houses and eventually made our way to the Battery where we ended our session.
It was the most perfect way to end the wedding festivities. Although the day before didn’t go as planned, it was beautiful and perfect and is definitely something that Kalynn and Kevin can look back on and tell their children about how they defied all odds and got married in the middle of a pandemic in the midst of a hurricane.
