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Surprise September snowstorm leads to stunning wedding photos

"They didn't anticipate snow on their wedding day, let alone snow flying in their faces at 30 miles per hour," photographer Jaime Fletcher told TODAY.
/ Source: TODAY

A surprise early snowstorm in Washington state crashed a couple's wedding day, but they ended up making the most out of the wintry weather with stunning photos that have since gone viral.

Sean and Brittany Tuohy, who live in Arizona, spent a year planning their dream Sept. 28 wedding in the Spokane area. The couple grew up in the Pacific Northwest, but even they weren't expecting an out-of-season snowstorm.

“Nobody really anticipated it to turn into a full-blown blizzard," Jaime Fletcher, the couple's wedding photographer, told TODAY. Fletcher hadn't met the couple before their wedding day, but said she's friends with Brittany's maid of honor.

Newlyweds pose for wedding photos in snowstorm
The wedding party decided to brave the snow to take photos. The entire album was shot in just 10 minutes, according to photographer Jaime Fletcher.Jaime Fletcher/Jaime Denise Photography

By the time the bride arrived at Bear Creek Lodge, near Mount Spokane, around 12 p.m. on Saturday, snow was already falling.

"I got up there and imagined they’d be in bad spirits and it was quite the opposite. They were laughing and giggling about how Brittany has the worst luck," Fletcher said.

Newlyweds pose for wedding photos in snowstorm
Despite the snow, the groom said the couple "wouldn't have changed that day for anything."Jaime Fletcher/Jaime Denise Photography

Instead of letting the snow ruin their wedding day, Fletcher said the Tuohys and their friends decided to make the most out of the cards they had been dealt by Mother Nature.

"They said, 'Let's wing it and let's do it,'" she said. "So we all ran outside and snapped those photos in minutes. It was pure anxiety and the conditions were awful. I didn't know what to do!"

Newlyweds pose for wedding photos in snowstorm
The wedding party went without jackets for their photos. Fletcher said everyone was laughing and having a good time, even with snow flying in their faces.Jaime Fletcher/Jaime Denise Photography

Thankfully, the results turned out to be gorgeous. The conditions created a romantic winter vibe that made the wedding party look like they were stuck inside of a snow globe.

Fletcher said the photos turned out just as she expected, but added that she was "nervous" to share them with the couple, since she knew their wedding day didn't exactly go according to plan.

"They didn’t anticipate snow on their wedding day, let alone snow flying in their faces at 30 miles per hour," she said. "I was thankful they loved them as much as I do."

Newlyweds pose for wedding photos in snowstorm
It was a snowy, romantic day for the couple.Jaime Fletcher/Jaime Denise Photography

The couple are now enjoying an Oktoberfest honeymoon in Munich, Germany, where there's no snow in the forecast, at least for this week. Sean Tuohy told TODAY in an email that the couple is surprised at all the attention their wedding photos are getting and is "extremely grateful."

"We never would have thought our spontaneous reaction to this snowstorm would get so much attention. Brittany pushed everyone to take pictures outside. Jaime did a fantastic job coordinating it inside. And then we all rushed out and just had fun," he said. "We wouldn’t have changed that day for anything."

They may have even gotten some people considering the option of having a winter wedding.

"Nobody ever wants snow on their wedding day, but they do now!" Fletcher said.