I don’t think anyone imagines a rainy wedding day. But in the UK, it really doesn’t matter what month of the year you choose for your wedding – rain is always a possibility.
The weather is the one thing about a wedding day that we have no control over. However, we can absolutely prepare for it, and a little rain most definitely doesn’t need to put a dampener on your celebrations.
If you are worried about what happens if it rains on your wedding day then this one is for you. As a Kent wedding photographer with over 9 years of experience, here are my best tips for preparing for and embracing whatever the weather throws at you on your wedding day.
1. Don’t Check the Weather Too Early
Checking the weather forecast weeks in advance will most likely be unhelpful.
Weather forecasts can change quickly, and long-range predictions are often inaccurate. Looking too early and seeing rain forecast for your wedding day can cause unnecessary stress and worry. Try to take any forecast with a pinch of salt until much closer to the big day.
2. Ask Your Venue About Their Wet Weather Plan
Experienced wedding venues will have dealt with rainy wedding days many times before.
Speak to your planner or coordinator about their wet weather plan so you know exactly what will happen if it rains. For an outdoor ceremony, find out where it will be moved to. If your drinks reception is supposed to be outside, ask where guests will gather instead.
If you are holding a outside DIY wedding then think about the alternative spaces available to you and spend time planning what a wet day may look like.
Having a clear plan in place can provide huge peace of mind.
Here are some of my favourite venues
3. Get Some Umbrellas
Before ordering lots of umbrellas online, check with your venue first. Many venues already have plenty available for couples and guests.
I always carry a pair of matching clear umbrellas in my car just in case. If you’re buying your own, I recommend choosing white or transparent umbrellas. Black umbrellas can cast shadows across your faces and make photography more challenging.
4. Have a Spare Pair of Shoes
If you’re worried about keeping your wedding shoes clean and dry, consider buying an inexpensive backup pair.
We can slip them on for any outdoor photographs and then swap back into your wedding shoes once we’re indoors. It’s a simple solution that can help you feel much more relaxed about stepping outside.
5. Don’t Worry About Your Wedding Photos
You may not have imagined rainy photographs in your day but rain does not mean that you can’t have stunning wedding day portraits.
Even on a rainy wedding day, there are usually plenty of opportunities to create your gorgeous gallery. We can use doorways, covered walkways, windows, ceremony spaces and reception rooms. We can also head outside with umbrellas if you’re happy to.
Some of my favourite wedding photographs have been taken in the rain. There’s something incredibly romantic and intimate about them.
6. Be Prepared to Be Flexible
It’s actually quite rare for an entire wedding day to be soaking wet from start to finish.
As your photographer, I know from our planning meetings when the best opportunities for photographs will be, and we can often adjust timings to make the most of any dry spells.
Group photos can be moved. Couple portraits can be rearranged. Confetti can happen as you enter for your dinner or even at golden hour. We can’t control the weather, but we can work around it.
The Secret Garden Wedding Venue
The Glasshouse & Buttery Wedding Venue
7. Embrace It
We really can’t change the weather. Of course, it’s natural to feel disappointed if rain is forecast, but your wedding weather becomes part of your story. Years from now, it’s often these unexpected moments that couples remember most.
Hand on heart, I can honestly say that in over nine years as a wedding photographer, the weather has never ruined one of my couples’ wedding days.
Your wedding is about so much more than whether the sun shines. It’s about celebrating with the people you love, marrying your favourite person, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
I’m Nicola, an experienced, relaxed, documentary style wedding photographer for couples who are marrying their best friend and can’t wait to be surrounded by the people they love the most.
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