By Monique and Scott
Ashley and CJ were married at her family home along the shores of Lake Tahoe. This wedding was one of most unforgetable weddings of the year because of the amazing, dramatic weather. Even though there was a major thunderstorm, and pouring rain, we couldn’t have timed it any better. As the cocktail hour was finishing up on the deck overlooking the lake, Scott and Kerry, owner of Blue Sky Events, were checking their real time weather apps on their phones, and they saw a huge thunderstorm cell moving towards us just on the other side of the mountain. We could see the sky turning gray fast, and the breeze that comes before the storm reliably started to blow things around. As the guests made their way to the reception tent, a few drops were felt. One thing remained before the dinner service: their first dance. As Ashely and Cj went outside and danced under the tall trees, the skies grew darker still, but only a few drops fell here and there. And then, as if on some sort of movie set cue, at the very end of their dance, the little drops got bigger and more frequent, and as they ran under the tent, a full blown down pour came over us for about a forty five minutes. Once it was over, the air was crisp, and the light in the sky, with the setting sun, was an extra soft golden color. The rainstorm had made a big, long puddle on the beach, and the clouds on the other side of the lake were super textured and dark. This made for a pretty amazing backdrop for their sunset photos on the pier!
!["First look" series](https://tahoeweddingphotojournalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/15_Lake_Tahoe_private_estate_wedding.jpg)
“First look” series
![Ashely and CJ in the family home with her grandfather's hat collection](https://tahoeweddingphotojournalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/20_Lake_Tahoe_private_estate_wedding.jpg)
Ashely and CJ in the family home with her grandfather’s hat collection