As seen in California Wedding Day Magazine

Kelsey from A Lovely Creative managed the day flawlessly (on top of executing a last-minute rain plan — Erica and Jesse said “I do” under rainy skies!) and we loved meeting and working with

Erica and Jesse met while attending UCLA and dated for eight years, although Erica remembers telling her mom that she knew she’d marry Jesse the very month they met! Their love story came full circle when E+J made it official at a private ranch in San Luis Obispo. The location was the perfect midpoint for their families, who traveled from San Francisco and San Diego to celebrate together.

A memorable rainy day wedding

As a San Luis Obispo wedding photographer, I’ve learned that some of the most memorable days don’t follow the forecast, and Erica and Jesse’s wedding was no exception. Even though they’d chosen a mid-May wedding date, which doesn’t usually mean rainy weather in central California, a light rain began to fall as their ceremony approached. Thanks to Kelsey from A Lovely Creative, the last-minute sailcloth tent for the reception created a flawlessly-beautiful “plan B.”

Without further ado, a few of my favorite photos from their rainy San Luis Obispo wedding day!

Erica and Jesse said “I do” under soft, rainy skies, proving that the most meaningful moments aren’t dictated by the weather. There’s something incredibly romantic about a rainy wedding day: the way the air feels fresh, the colors feel richer, and the atmosphere feels cozy and intimate. Instead of dampening the celebration, the rain brought everyone closer together, creating a warm, emotional ceremony that guests will never forget. It was a beautiful reminder that flexibility, trust in your vendor team, and a great attitude can turn any curveball into something unexpectedly special.

We also loved meeting and working with Iron + Fern (they are an EXCELLENT choice if you’re looking for a videographer for your wedding day!). Their ability to capture emotion, movement, and story ensured that every meaningful moment, rain and all, was preserved beautifully.

Erica and Jesse’s wedding proved that atmosphere, intention, and connection matter far more than the weather.

I’m so thankful to Erica for her kind words about working together!

“When we were deciding to hire photographers we ultimately chose Emily because of three things:

1) other vendors were raving about her, not just her photography but her personality;
2) we clicked instantly when we chatted;
3) loved how she captured emotion and love in every shot.

Emily was phenomenal from start to finish. We absolutely loved our engagement photos and immediately felt so comfortable with her. As we got closer, Emily became a crucial part of the vendor team. On our walk-through, she helped decide things like where our grand entrance should be with the lighting and which linens would look most beautiful.

Finally, at our welcome dinner and wedding, Emily captured everything beautifully. Our families raved about how great Emily was, which I think is rare when the photographer is usually bossing people around. Emily has the perfect way of projecting herself to rein everyone in but does it in such a sweet way you don’t even notice! We had so much fun that weekend, and Emily added so much to it. We left feeling like friends.

Choosing Emily as our photographer was one of the best decisions we made. If you hire her, let all of your photographer stress go — she will capture it all and it will be everything you wanted and then some!“

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If you haven’t already seen Stephanie and Ethan’s wedding at Greengate Ranch, don’t miss out!

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Design + coordination: A Lovely Creative
Videography: Iron + Fern
Floral design: Precious + Blooming
DJ + MC: DJ Trevor Williams
Rentals: All About Events
Specialty rentals: Scout Rental Co
Linens: La Tavola Linen
Lighting + draping: Bella Vista Designs
Catering: Trumpet Vine Catering
Bar: Copper and Crystal
Calligraphy: Fete + Quill
Hair stylist: Clariss Anya
Makeup artist: Natalie Saraf
Desserts: Whitnie Elrod