Brian Horner and Molly Brumfield get married under a double rainbow July 11. Officiant is Bonnie Williams of Hatteras Village. Photo by Betty Dixon
Brian Horner and Molly Brumfield get married under a double rainbow July 11. Officiant is Bonnie Williams of Hatteras Village. Photo by Betty Dixon

 By Peter Vankevich

A double rainbow became an unexpected but perfect backdrop for the island wedding of a Virginia couple.

While an early evening storm July 11 knocked out power on Ocracoke (until early morning the next day), it ignited a new–and more memorable–wedding for Molly Brumfield and Brian Horner of Radford.

They and their party of 25 were making their way around 7 p.m. to a spot near the entrance to Ramp 59 for the ceremony when the heavens unleashed a thunderstorm.

While Brian and the rest were on the beach before the storm hit, Molly and her dad, Troy Elliot, were in his car on Hwy 12 heading north.

Wedding party. Photo by Jean Link
Wedding party. Photo by Jean Link

“We drove out in the middle of it,” Molly said about the evening. “It was terrifying.  We made it to the parking lot with the others and just waited until it was over.”

“The water spout crossed the road in front of them,” said Betty Dixon, a friend of the family. “The bushes were on fire from the power lines falling on them.”

“We all just waited in our parked cars until it was over,” Molly said.

Once the storm passed and the rains stopped, the wedding party climbed out of their cars and made their way to the beach.

Under a now darkening sky, still glowing pink, Brian stood barefoot on the beach as Molly walked over the dunes for the newly improvised ceremony.

Amazingly a rainbow appeared, then a second one.

Some weddings are more memorable than others.

Getting married on the beach of Ocracoke under a double rainbow is one for the books.

Photo by Jean Link
Photo by Jean Link
Previous articlePark Service to celebrate Founders Day today
Next articleMaestro de judo inicia clases en Angie’s Gym