The glorious thing about getting married in Southern California is that you have a 91% chance that your weather is going to be perfect. Southern California weddings—particularly in the San Diego and Los Angeles wedding regions—are renowned for their year-round, near-perfect weather. Los Angeles averages only 34–36 days of rain a year, making it one of the most reliable places for outdoor weddings and garden wedding venues. It may be overcast, sure, but even overcast weather can still make for a perfect photography scene, especially for cinematic wedding photography. However, there’s always a slim chance that Mother Nature has a different vision for your wedding day. That was the case for Hannah and Thomas for their November Los Angeles wedding.
Hannah and Thomas had a gorgeous garden wedding planned, but three days before their wedding day they had to move everything to an entirely new indoor wedding reception due to incoming thunderstorms. They were frantic, as anyone would/should be—the day they’d been planning for months was being interrupted by a weekend of rare Los Angeles rain that only has a 9% chance of happening. However, the day was far from ruined. In fact, I would argue that the rain made this Los Angeles wedding one of the most unique, cinematic, and spectacular experiences I’ve photographed as a Southern California wedding photographer.
The day before their wedding, I scrounged up numerous indoor wedding photo ideas for bridal portraits. The original plan had been to simply use the garden area, of course, but the forecast was showing zero signs of the rain letting up. So we got creative with alternative Los Angeles wedding photography locations. I sent them a number of ideas and inspiration photos, and we ended up narrowing it down to two different locations: the movie theater and the record store. The movie theater was special to them because it was where they’d had their first date, and they’d had other dates at that exact record store as well. It was perfect—what better way to make an unplanned indoor wedding day all about them? The great thing about Hannah and Thomas was that they were so open-minded, which is genuinely the best mindset to have for your wedding day (especially if weather decides to surprise you in Southern California).
First Stop: Chick-Fil-A
First, we made a quick stop for lunch at Chick-fil-A. The staff there was incredible and even gave us our lunch for free since they had just gotten married an hour prior. I can’t thank them enough for their kind service, and this theme of kindness continued with every stop we made. This is why I love documenting candid wedding moments and all the little in-between pieces of the day—especially on nontraditional wedding timelines like this.
Second Stop: Cinepolis in Pico Rivera
Then we went to the Cinepolis movie theater in Pico Rivera. I’d called ahead the day before, and they were incredibly warm and accommodating with our last-minute change of plans. They even allowed us access to one of their empty theaters after a movie wrapped. They had a great arcade space that we used too, which gave us cinematic lighting, colorful backdrops, and so much fun candid content. As a cinematic wedding photographer in Los Angeles, I like to capture people as they are—interacting, playing games, running around, and just being in their element. I’ve found that couples are most comfortable when I tell them to pretend I’m not even there and just live in the moment.
Third Stop: Lovell's Records
Finally, we went to Lovell’s Record Store in Pico Rivera. Hannah and Thomas called ahead to make sure it was okay to stop by, and thankfully it was—and it was even pretty empty when we got there, which gave us the perfect opportunity to maximize the space for editorial-style wedding portraits. I can honestly say the photos we took there are some of my favorites I’ve ever captured for a Los Angeles wedding.
And then of course, we ended with a reception surrounded by family - who, I might add, were all spectacular dancers.
While they didn’t get the garden wedding they originally hoped for, they did get a wedding day that still represented them and their love as a couple. We went to places that were important to them and that shaped them as partners, creating a documentary-style wedding gallery that felt deeply personal. I might be biased, but I truly think this turned out more spectacularly than even their original wedding plan. At the end, Thomas even said, “We had the best time with you, you made us feel so comfortable and considerably less nervous on such a special day… it didn’t turn out how we originally imagined, but somehow it was even better than we ever could have dreamed of.”
This whole experience has made me even more excited for the 2026 wedding season in Southern California. I still have several openings, but I am only taking a limited number of weddings next year. If you’re planning a San Diego wedding, Los Angeles wedding, or an intimate Southern California elopement, inquire soon if you’re still on the hunt for a cinematic, storytelling-focused wedding photographer!
See the rest of Hannah and Thomas's samples down below:
