What To Do If It Rains On Your Wedding Day

“When I grow up, I want to get married in a torrential downpour.” Um, yeah, no. I can’t think of anyone who ever wished for rain on their wedding day. I mean, rain is nice. It cools the air, it creates drama in photos, and it even reduces allergies. But it’s literally the last thing that a couple wants to see at their wedding. I will even admit it’s something this professional wedding photographer doesn’t want to see either. However, a few raindrops don’t mean that all is lost. So, grab your rain boots by the straps and let’s talk about what to do if it rains on your wedding day.

Embrace That S**t

There has been a “problem” at every wedding we have ever photographed. Hair and makeup ran late, a bridesmaid’s zipper broke, and rings were misplaced. But minor problems don’t have to ruin your day, and neither does the rain. There is literally nothing that you can do to change the weather, so my words to you are this: embrace that s**t. If you stay in the moment and roll with the weather, you’ll be able to look back on your wedding day with fond memories.

Create A Backup Plan

Now, just because you embrace the weather doesn’t mean that you don’t need a backup plan. Whether your wedding day will come with light sprinkles or a major downpour, there are ways that you can make your wedding more enjoyable. The ideas below range from the very dramatic to the fun and straightforward. Choose the options that make the most sense to you, your guests, and your budget.

• Add a Room. If your reception location is adjacent to an indoor venue, you may consider renting out a room in case of a torrential downpour.
• Tent It Up. One standard backup option is to put up a tent on the grounds of your wedding venue. This should give you plenty of coverage from the elements. Just make sure that you check with the venue to see if a tent is allowed on the property.
• Change the Wedding Ceremony Start Time. It’s been done before! At one of our weddings at RT Lodge, the ceremony start time was moved up an hour to account for impending (and strong) thunderstorms. For those of you hosting smaller weddings, you may have the option to move your ceremony start time earlier or later.
• Change the Wedding Ceremony Location. If you have chosen a wedding venue with an indoor option, then this is the one for you!
• Rearrange the Photography Timeline. I know you wanted a traditional aisle look, but that means nearly all your photos will happen after the ceremony. If the rain plans make that impossible, it’s time to opt for a first Look.
• Purchase blankets, rain boots, and umbrellas. We are all down to take photos in the rain! Make yourself and your guests comfortable with a few simple items. Heck, they can even double down as a wedding favor!

Trust Your Photographer

I have photographed weddings in all sorts of weather conditions. I have seen grey skies, sprinkles, and full downpours. No matter what, we will get photos of you on your wedding day. But that means that you, the couple, will need to meet us halfway. There are places we can’t go. This is due to safety or gear reasons. But there are still plenty of options in play if it rains on your wedding day.

• Covered Spaces. At nearly every wedding venue, there is a covered walkway, courtyard, porch, or tree that we can place you and your partner under. We will look for spaces that offer shelter and natural light.
• Head Indoors. If the weather is not cooperating or the lighting is just not up to par, we will head indoors. We will look for windows and blank canvas spaces. All we needed was just a simple window to create some intimate photos. If we don’t see any natural light indoors, we will flash you! No, seriously. We have plenty of flashes and gear to grab some great photos still.
• Umbrella-ella-ella. Clear umbrellas are going to be your friend. Grab some up in your town, or snag some off Amazon!

Hire Professional Wedding Vendors

Dwelling on the hiccups is literally a death wish for a wedding. Well, you can’t say that, Erin! It didn’t rain on your wedding day! You’re right. It didn’t. But guess what? It rained and rained and rained for days, about three weeks before my wedding day, which caused the Nashville Flood. Three weeks before my wedding day, my entire wedding venue was underwater.

The flood was a major last-minute challenge. Obviously! But guess what? The wedding vendors that I hired were already on the ball. They called around to numerous other locations in the Nashville area, and in no time, my wedding day was saved. If you find yourself facing last-minute weather challenges, your amazing wedding vendors will be your lifeline. So you must find the right people for your day.

Here’s the thing. We have seen a LOT of rainy wedding days. From torrential downpours at the start of the ceremony to monsoons at the reception. If you feel I am the right professional wedding vendor for you, please get in touch with me at any time. I would love to photograph your wedding, rain or shine!