Groom worries as unexpected storm interrupts the wedding — but the bride embraced it like a pro
Years go into planning the perfect wedding for the bride and groom to cherish the sweet moments for the rest of their lives. But this couple from Kentucky embraced the spontaneity of their big day when a storm hit their wedding and was on the brink of tearing it apart. Ashley and Mason Sargent planned an outdoor ceremony with about 200 wedding guests at Indian Hill, Ohio, in June 2024, as reported by PEOPLE. The wedding photographer, Annie Tuckett (@annierubyy), posted a beautiful compilation of the photos she clicked during the wedding ceremony.
While the couple and the planners were aware of the possibility of rain, a storm was not on their cards. Moments into the wedding, a torrential downpour hit the wedding location, forcing everyone to flee into the building to escape the rain. Ashley, 24, and Mason, 29, watched as the storm hindered their celebrations. “My first thought was, ‘Oh no,’ because all I could think about was Ashley. She had done so much hard work preparing for our day, and as everyone knows, weddings can be stressful in general,” said the groom.
He was worried about the bride’s reaction to the storm, considering all her efforts were now to be washed away in the rain. According to Ashley, she knew there was a “slight chance” of rain on their wedding day, but she was willing to take the risk. “That’s a chance you take when you have an outdoor wedding, and I was prepared for that,” she revealed. While Mason was worried for his soon-to-be wife, Ashley was concerned about the guests feeling “miserable” amidst the storm, which hit post-dinner. Expecting her to be disappointed, Mason was surprised when he saw his better half kicking off her shoes to enjoy the rain.
She smiled, danced, and laughed under the pouring rain, joined by her fiancé. “That, in an instant, changed the entire day because I knew she was okay with letting go and not letting the weather dictate how our day would go,” he said. Soon enough, many other guests, the groomsmen and bridesmaids, accompanied the couple, turning the celebrations into a rain dance party. Speaking of the guests enjoying the moment, Ashley said, “I think when people saw how much fun we were having in the rain and how freeing it felt, they decided to enjoy it as well.”
The bride merely acted on her instincts and what felt “right in the moment” rather than overthink the ordeal. “There was nothing I could do to prevent the rain, so I might as well embrace it,” she recounted. In the viral video with 3.9 million hearts, the photographer offered glimpses into the treasure of moments the bride and groom and some of their guests shared. “A wedding that changed my entire brain chemistry,” a note teased.
A rare sight unfolded as more people joined in on the fun. Guests with soaked dresses and suits danced away in the rain while Ashley and Mason created unforgettable memories. At one point, the groomsmen slid down the wet grass like happy children. “They ran into the rain, shedding their shoes and their worries, choosing memories over perfection,” shared Tuckett. She recalled it as one of the most extraordinary moments she was fortunate enough to be a part of in her nine-year career as a photographer.
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