TIPS FOR RAINY WEDDING DAYS
With all of the planning in the world, there is one thing that you have no control over. I’m here to tell you why rainy day weddings still rock.
You may have planned a winter wedding, or one in Autumn or Spring and figure you are likely to have some rain to deal with on the day. You may have planned your wedding for June and picture your guests playing lawn games in the sunshine, but recognise that you could still be very unlucky with the weather.
I have attended cold, windy, and wet weddings in June and July, as well as 20+ degree weddings in November and February, all without a cloud in the sky. The point being, you never quite know what the weather is going to be like. Most of my couples confess to checking the weather, rather compulsively, every day from around 3 weeks before their wedding. This is a terrible idea for a few reasons (I will also confess that I did this despite knowing better!), mainly your heart will break and your hopes will rise in rollercoaster fashion as the report changes. Another significant issue with it is that there is nothing we can do about it unless we know something you don’t (please tell me); we mere mortals cannot change the weather. Even if you do discover that your wedding will be a complete washout, with just a week or so to go, what can you hope to change now? Apart from buying an emergency set of umbrellas… not a lot you can do, but have a great time anyway!
What can you do then?
There are options, even for outdoor-type weddings, but you need to prepare, both mentally and in practice, way before you start checking the weather report.
Do I want a wedding when there is a good chance it will rain?
If you would rather take on the attitude that you can prepare for rain and hope for a better day, then a wedding during the “off-season” might be right up your street. There are several tangible benefits, including less competition over venues and suppliers, discounts from many venues (we offer a winter wedding discount), and more opportunities for your guests to attend and be excited to come. Another benefit is that your guests will also dress in anticipation of the weather shifting and turning, and therefore, hopefully be prepared. In summer, guests often dress for hot and sunny conditions, even on chilly and wet days, which can lead to them shivering in their coats at the tables.
If the above does not appeal to you and you picture your guests sipping champagne, enjoying long evenings, and basking in warm sunsets, then book it for the summer months! As mentioned above, that doesn’t mean it *won’t* rain, but it is far less likely to.
My favourite things about rainy weddings!
Wellies
Not an issue for the guests if you have a ‘proper’ venue with car parks, paths and areas of hard standing. It may be beneficial for you both to have a pair, though. Great for allowing you to step onto the grass and go for a walk with your photographer when the rain takes a break without worrying about ruining your wedding shoes etc. If you have a DIY, Farm, or a festival kinda wedding, then I would recommend suggesting that guests bring a pair if they have them (in the car), just in case. Brands like Hunter even do a wedding welly boot range now.
Might also be worth you treating you (and possibly bridesmaids/ushers if budget allows) to some special wellies. You can get all kind of designer and glam ones these days! Keep your feet dry, look stylish and take some special pictures all with one piece of footwear.
Flowers don’t wilt/cakes don’t melt
Titles says it all really! A hot sunny day is amazing, but can also be exhausting! Sunlight beating down on you and your guests, frantically using your beautifully produced Orders of Service to try and combat the beads of sweat forming on their… well, everywhere. Your cake may melt and your flowers will start wilting before the service has begun.
Contrast in the outdoor colours
The colours never look so bright, colourful and interesting as they do straight after a rain shower! If you can run outside during a gap in the weather, you may be rewarded with extra contrast and ‘colour pop’ from your wedding photos! This also lends itself to great detail shots!
Rainbows
Well, yes, even a small break in the clouds can lead to a rainbow! A definite advantage of a rainy wedding day, and what could be more romantic than a shot of you and your beloved, looking your best and feeling in love, underneath a giant rainbow. You might call this a little cliché,d perhaps, but I have decided to stick with the notion of beauty and romance, so there. If you have a rainbow on your wedding day, follow these two golden rules: move quickly with your photographer, when it’s gone, it’s gone! And that you may get wet whilst capturing the magic, it is a RAINbow after all.
Back-lit rain shots
My own favourite thing about shooting a rainy wedding is that I need to keep my eyes open for every single opportunity to create something magical for my couples. It is harder in the rain, it is. Backlighting the raindrops with lighting or a flash can create some truly unique and stunning images from the best day of your life. Not all photographers have the equipment or expertise to produce these kinds of shots, so if it’s something important to you, ask before booking.
“Royal” style family shots
Well, you can’t do shots outside in the pouring rain with your family, can you? This is a lovely alternative, timeless, and with its unique charms. Your family arranged in a nice internal space, usually utilising chairs and the surroundings to build stylish family group shots akin to a royal wedding. This kind of thing generally works better in ‘Manor House’ type weddings, as their structure, interiors, and décor suit the style well. Again, not an easy photography feat. Make sure to ask to see this kind of shot from your photographer before booking, and verify that they are confident and happy to create interior groups in this style.
Dramatic Skies and sunsets
You can’t have a good sunset without some clouds, and the stormiest of days produce the best of them. Angry, purple, anvil-shaped clouds against a sky so orange that it looks ablaze create nothing but drama for your wedding pictures, especially when paired with some skilled off-camera flash. Sorry to keep harping on about this, but again… not something that every photographer can offer. Off-camera flash in a sunset situation is indeed an incredible balancing act; too much, and you lose the atmosphere; too little, and the couple comes out as a silhouette against the sky. Wont lie, silhouettes are cool too!
A challenge for us
I may not be saying this on the day. But when the clouds are pouring down, my brain goes into overdrive. I want to be able to still blow your socks off with something gorgeous. This means stretching my creativity to find something special, and it often results in some of my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE images.
Evening Atmosphere
Poor weather certainly helps to keep your guests inside and on that dance floor! I have always noticed an uptick in dance-floor shenanigans when it is pouring outside, yet another bonus of a rainy wedding!
Umbrellas, Puddles and Reflections
If you are worried about photographs in a rainy wedding, please don’t. You must choose competent photographers and videographers if it is a priority for you, as inclement weather can certainly pose some challenges. More experience, knowledge, and equipment are generally required to make the most of the inside of your venue, as well as knowing how to utilise the rain itself to capture fantastic images.
Umbrellas can look fabulous. Depending on the feel you are going for, you can buy umbrellas to complement your wedding style and colours, which not only add to the atmosphere but also enhance your guests’ comfort. If you’re thinking of bright colours for your theme, for example, you could buy some affordable umbrellas in a variety of colours and add a pop of colour to every outdoor shot. Don’t buy umbrellas with a black material on the inside, though, it takes the light from the holder’s face, and we want to see those smiles as they run to the car!
Reflections can be found anywhere on a rainy day. The smallest puddle can be used to capture something truly special, and larger puddles or surface water can create something truly epic! If you’re a very chilled-out wedding couple, you may even consider donning a pair of wellies and having a splash before the meal; 5 minutes of madness and fun, images to last a lifetime, and a chance to warm back up afterwards.
It is essential to note that a rainy day can occur at any time of the year. The most important thing to manage when it comes to wedding weather is your expectations. If you can approach the wedding day with a plan in place, you’ll have a great day, regardless of the weather. If it’s sunny, you’ll get the day you wished for; if it pours, you’ll have a wedding that you’ve planned for. A wedding that you can still enjoy! Picture-wise, no worries. I know that after years of working in all kinds of weather, my team and I still capture fantastic images in the rain, usually fewer than on a sunny day, but it is quality that counts, not quantity. So, if it rains, I highly suggest embracing it.
