Here are my favourites from Nicola and Mark’s *slightly damp* wedding at East Quay in Whitstable. If you’re getting married at East Quay, please get in touch to discuss your requirements!

One question I’m invariably asked at meetings with potential clients is “what will you do if it rains?” I’ve always answered cheerily – “we’ll find somewhere to shoot. Besides, there’s only ever been two weddings in all the time I’ve been doing this where we haven’t been able to get outside at SOME stage of the day!” Well, make that three….

I had high hopes for this wedding – a lovely, relaxed couple, a funky venue right on Whitstable beach, colourful huts to use for backdrops etc. – it was going to be awesome! It was awesome, despite (and also perhaps because of) the rain. It was torrential rain, non-stop, all day. As you’ll see, the car park flooded, and if you opened the windows in the venue even a fraction, rain would come in horizontally and soak about six feet into the room (which had to be mopped up a few times).

There are two ways you can go with this – be devastated that your dream wedding hasn’t gone to plan, or just laugh, enjoy your day and remember that you’ll have a great story to tell in years to come. Thankfully, Nicola and Mark were firmly in that second camp. As you’ll see, Nicola’s smile didn’t leave her face the whole day!

In an omen of the weather to come, I carefully made my way through flooded Kent country lanes, and eventually arrived (lucky I always allow contingency time) at the Hotel Continental to see how Nicola and her lovely little bridesmaids were getting on. Everyone was pretty much dressed and made up, so I documented what was going on whilst capturing all the little details, and cheerfully saying that the weather will improve, just you wait and see!

Hotel Continental wedding

Hotel Continental wedding prep

Hotel Continental weddings

Hotel Continental weddings

Hotel Continental wedding photos

Hotel Continental wedding photos

Hotel Continental wedding photographs

Hotel Continental wedding photographs

Hotel Continental wedding photographs

Hotel Continental wedding photographs

Hotel Continental wedding photographs

Soon it was time to make my way over to East Quay. I started out photographing the amazing details (including a stunning herb-themed seating plan – very stylish and different) and waited for Mark to arrive. I think it’s safe to say he was a bit nervous, and decided to greet his guests – all of them, individually. Bearing in mind there were around 150 I think, it must have been quite comical to watch me frantically running to try to catch him up – as soon as I’d set up ready to document that group, he was on to the next one after literally saying hello!

east quay weddings

wedding at east quay

By this stage, the weather really, really had set in, so waiting outside for the bridesmaids and bride to arrive was, shall we say, a bit damp. Nicola emerged from her bridal car all smiles though, as she jumped under an umbrella and quickly made her way inside.

east quay wedding ceremony

I just loved photographing this ceremony – as you can see, the bride and groom were just all smiles the whole way through – despite the thunder and lightening! Everyone else had to laugh as well, when Mark’s mum’s mobile phone went off very loudly during the service!

east quay weddings

east quay wedding

east quay wedding photos

east quay wedding photographs

east quay wedding ceremony

east quay wedding ceremony

east quay wedding ceremony

east quay wedding ceremony

east quay wedding ceremony

After the ceremony, we did all the usual stuff – just indoors. After the groups, candids and details, it was time for the bride and groom to make their entrance into the stunning seating area at East Quay for the wedding breakfast.

During a break in the meal, I quickly took the bride and groom back upstairs to the ceremony area for some quick portraits in the only available space (and where the photobooth man was waiting to setup). Despite constantly scanning for breaks in the clouds (or even umbrella shots later – it was just too heavy!) that was it for the portraits…

east quay wedding

east quay wedding photos

east quay wedding photography

After the meal, we had two very, very quick speeches, then the guests entertained themselves – a large section played the ‘how long does it take to eat a few dry cream crackers’ game which was great fun to photograph and watch – whilst others headed up to the photobooth for some fun!

Once the band had setup, the bride and groom made their way to the dancefloor for an amazing first and second dance. The dancefloor then cleared to allow Nicola’s mum to be presented with her birthday cake!

east quay wedding photography

east quay wedding first dance

east quay wedding photographer

east quay wedding photographers

east quay wedding

Some serious dance action got underway to the fantastic swing band that the guys had laid on! Every so often I’d nip out to check the weather, but finally I had to just admit defeat as any ambient light had gone.

A quick beach shot, then it was time for me to head home, soaking wet, but happy!

east quay venue at night

Congratulations once again to Nicola and Mark. You’re the proud recipients of the ‘David Burke Photography wettest wedding ever’ award.

All photographs copyright David Burke Photography 2015