They say every cloud has a silver lining.
For Andrew and Megan Young, the clouds came in big and dark, borne on gusts so strong they knocked down trees and shut down power for the weekend.
And afterward, they were filled with rain, too.
The Coquitlam couple had been watching the Weather Network in the week leading up to their wedding, planned for Saturday at Port Moody's Old Orchard Hall.
They were ready for a downpour and had told their 70 guests — most of them flying in from Ontario, where the Youngs are from — to bring umbrellas and dress appropriately.
On Saturday, the sky looked ominous so they were ready for the droplets.
Megan, 28, had been staying nearby at a bed and breakfast and was feeling queasy. Luckily, she had her hair done before the wind kicked up and the lights went out. Still, her bridal makeup had to be applied.
At home, Andrew, 33, was also forced to dress in the dark. He cut himself while shaving and could see some siding had been blown off.
Before he jumped into his vehicle to drive to the hall, Andrew threw their neighbour's generator and a chainsaw in the back, "just in case I had to cut through any trees that had fallen on the road," he said.
By then, the wind storm was in full swing and guests were making the best of Mother Nature's show. "I was freaking out a lot," Megan admitted.
Andrew had hooked up the generator to power a string of white lights plus a photo booth and the DJ system for X-Treme Custom Sound.
Megan arrived at the hall at 1:55 p.m. — about the time the Old Orchard caretaker was trying to call her cell phone, which she didn't carry to the wedding. He wanted to tell her the facility had no power and couldn't be used.
As they were saying their "I do's," the rain pelted outside. As a result, their first set of the wedding photos were taken indoors. The weather calmed just long enough for the couple and the wedding party to get a few more snaps on the beach below the hall.
When they returned to the hall at 4:30 p.m. to eat the food prepared by Austin Gourmet, the Youngs got word from Adam Taylor of the city's facilities division that, because of fire safety regulations, they had to leave by sunset.
The newlyweds and their guests — two of whom couldn't make the ceremony in time because of traffic tie-ups — rushed through the dinner, speeches, cake cutting and first dances before packing up.
Fortunately, Taylor had managed to secure the galleria at Port Moody city hall (where electricity had only gone out for 20 minutes before backup generators kicked in) for the Youngs' evening reception. Megan said strangers stopped at Old Orchard Hall to offer their guests a lift down Ioco Road. Maria Ferrato, the city's building services worker supervisor, and security guard Ahmad Ahmad also helped to smooth things over.
City spokesperson Rosemary Lodge said the bride and groom were understanding their reception had to be relocated for safety reasons.
"City staff went the extra mile to help clean and decorate the galleria for them, setting up the tables, wedding cake, photo booth, bar and DJ," she said. "Even our security guard helped to clean and set up, and offered to work late into the night so the couple could celebrate their special day."
As well, all their vendors travelled with them to city hall to make the night enjoyable for the couple and their two preschool-aged children.
In the end, the Youngs spent around $18,000 for the wedding — money that they can't get back from insurance — but they're grateful to the city staff for making it a day to remember. "It's one for the books," Andrew said.
They are planning to honeymoon in the new year.
[email protected]
@jwarrentTC
