If you’ve lived in New England for any amount of time, you know there’s one thing you can’t control on your wedding day. The weather.
Jen and Kevin’s wedding day at Hyla Brook Estate in Derry, New Hampshire, was a perfect example of that.
A nor’easter was moving through New Hampshire, and the forecast was calling for rain and wind throughout the day. Not exactly the weather you picture when you start planning an outdoor wedding ceremony and portraits!
But one of the things I love about photographing weddings at Hyla Brook Estate is that the property was thoughtfully designed with New England weather in mind. Couples have the option of having their ceremony outside or moving everything inside if the weather doesn’t cooperate. You aren’t stuck crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.
And thankfully, on Jen and Kevin’s day, we got a little lucky.
The Rain Held Off
For most of the day, we watched the weather and waited to see what it was going to do. And then we got our window.
The rain held off long enough for us to get outside for portraits, and we took full advantage of it.
The grounds at Hyla Brook Estate are beautiful. Especially in the fall, and having the opportunity to get Jen and Kevin outside made such a difference. Instead of spending the entire day watching the rain come down, we were able to enjoy the property and take advantage of the little break Mother Nature gave us.
And these two made my job very easy.
Jen and Kevin are just so cute together. They have the kind of connection that comes through naturally in photographs. There wasn’t anything overly complicated about their portraits. We talked, we walked, they laughed, and we let them be themselves.
And then there was Kevin’s sense of humor.
I don’t think anyone around him had much of a chance of keeping a straight face for very long.
One of my favorite things about photographing a wedding is getting to see the couple’s personalities throughout the day. Every couple is different, and you can learn so much about them by watching the way they interact. Kevin has a way of making Jen laugh that is completely them—and those genuine reactions are some of my favorite photographs to capture.
A Wedding Day That Didn’t Let the Weather Take Over
One thing I always tell my couples is that your wedding day doesn’t have to be perfect according to the weather app to be perfect for you.
Of course, everyone hopes for beautiful weather. I love a sunny wedding day as much as anyone!
But I’ve also photographed enough New England weddings to know that rain doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the photographs or experience you’ve been looking forward to.
Sometimes the weather changes the timeline.
Portraits might need to take place inside.
Sometimes we run outside for ten minutes when the rain stops.
And sometimes, like with Jen and Kevin, we get incredibly lucky and the rain gives us exactly the break we need.
That’s one of the reasons Hyla Brook Estate is such a great wedding venue for couples getting married in New Hampshire. The design of the property gives you options. You can plan for an outdoor ceremony and portraits while still knowing there is a beautiful indoor option if the weather turns.
And on a day when a nor’easter is in the forecast, having those options is a pretty big deal!
Fall Wedding Photography at Hyla Brook Estate
There was something really special about photographing Jen and Kevin’s wedding in the middle of all that unpredictable fall weather.
The overcast skies created beautiful, soft light for portraits, and the breaks in the rain gave us opportunities to get outside without spending the entire afternoon worrying about getting soaked.
As a photographer, I actually love days like this.
Not because I want my couples to have bad weather—quite the opposite! But because changing weather creates opportunities for photographs that feel different from the typical bright, sunny wedding gallery.
And Jen and Kevin embraced it.
They didn’t let the forecast become the story of their wedding day.
Their story was getting married, celebrating with the people they love, laughing together, and making the most of whatever the day gave them.
And that’s exactly what we photographed.
A Beautiful Day, Rain and All
Looking back at Jen and Kevin’s wedding day, I don’t think the nor’easter is something they’ll look back on and wish hadn’t happened.
I think it will become part of the story.
Someday they’ll probably tell people, “Oh, our wedding day? There was a nor’easter.”
And then they’ll show them these photographs.
The portraits we managed to get outside.
The laughter.
The little moments in between everything.
The way they looked at each other.
The celebration at Hyla Brook Estate.
Because ultimately, that’s what your wedding photographs are supposed to do. They’re supposed to bring you right back to the day—not just what everything looked like, but what it felt like to be there.
Jen and Kevin, thank you for trusting me to photograph your day. I loved getting to spend it with you, and I’m so glad we got that little break in the weather to sneak outside!
And Kevin—keep making Jen laugh. I have a feeling I’ll be using that advice for years to come. 🤍
Congratulations, Jen & Kevin!
Dress: Alexandra’s Bridal Boutique | Florals: Bride & Her Aunt | Venue: Hyla Brooke Estate | Entertainment: Get Down Tonight | Content Creator: Married and Social | Caterer: Celebrations | MUA: Lavo Beauty | Photobooth: Photobooth Planet NH | Invitations: Bride | Hair: Bride’s Cousin
Planning a Wedding at Hyla Brook Estate?
If you’re searching for a Hyla Brook Estate wedding photographer, I’d love to be there for your day. Hyla Brook Estate is one of my favorite wedding venues in Southern New Hampshire, and its thoughtful indoor/outdoor layout makes it especially beautiful for New England weddings where the weather can change at any moment.
From getting ready through your ceremony, portraits, reception, and all of the moments you didn’t even know were happening, my goal is to document your wedding day in a way that feels natural, fun, and completely you.
If you’re planning a wedding at Hyla Brook Estate in Derry, NH, I’d love to hear all about it.
