Advice from those who have experienced a rainy wedding day.

I think you just have to be prepared to embrace whatever it is. Be prepared with suitable shoes or bridal wellies, big umberellas. Maybe a throw or blanket for additional warmth. If the forecast is heavy rain you could consider where you could have some indoor pics taken. Definately have some outside. Look on pinterest on rainy weddings. Some lovely pics. And if it's cold and wet either serve hot chocate or have a hot chocolate station as someone on here did.

What Jayne E said above^^^ you really shouldn't worry about if it will rain but then again all the rainy weddings I have photographed its never rained constantly all day, just plan ahead.

I went to my sisters wedding in May and it poured all day but it didn't spoil anything (except that we had to go to the hair salon and running around Liverpool in full makeup and "up do's" in the rain is not ideal!). She got some gorgeous dramatic pictures though.

Just remember to plan whatever the date as it could as easily rain in July as April. Things to think about include:

* Can the hair/makeup stylist come to my location so I don't have to go out before the ceremony in the rain?

* Does my venue have a plan for wet weather if part of the ceremony/reception is due to take place outside?

* Does my photographer have specific ideas for wet weather shots to make the most out of the situation?

Consider getting a nice bridal umbrella (they're not expensive); it'll keep you dry and your pictures will be nicer if it's wet.

Hope that helped! I'm getting married next May and I hope the weather is better than it was at my sisters, but once I'm walking down that aisle I'm pretty sure I won't care!

Like Bruce said it very rarely rains all day - although I have had some close calls with just a 10 min

window ! of dry !

This could be something to think about if you are worried about rain especially if you are wanting any group shots, yes the venue may suggest Oh you can do them here" and show you an empty room BUT dont forget that is where your 100 guests will be with their drinks so there wont be much room for anything.

Yes embrace the rain - take your wellies and have some shots splashing.

Also consider having your photographer for the whole day instead of half day and that gives plenty of time for a gap in the rain - even if just the two of you for some outdoor shots.

This shot only looks like it does because of the rain and I was only able to get it because I was staying for the first dance (see sun setting) the rain had stopped and there were giant drips from the tree being back lit by the sun and it only lasted 5 mins before the sun was lots behind another cloud.

An umbrella tip is not to bother with the dome see through ones as they don't cover much, a plain white one will let in light in the day and makes a good reflector at night.

And just like the winter wedding advice ask any potential photographer if they can show you weddings that they have photographed in the rain/ indoors because its too easy to showcase weddings on a beautiful day, you need to see what they can do when the going gets tough. I keep a rain/ indoors gallery on my website here

It chucked it down all day at ours. I think you just have to embrace it. My dad spent all morning trying to persuade me not to arrive on the mode of transport we had planned, but we did it anyway, see below.

You should also ensure you have a creative photographer who knows how to make the most of the moody lighting you get when it's overcast

I've been to one rainy Summer wedding, which was at a great venue, but unfortunately all the 'great' bits were outside. The grounds, views etc. The only room inside for the wedding party to use was a smallish conference room, with no views of the grounds (it overlooked a car park instead!). It rained all day, and the wedding party were almost completely constricted to that room. And they still all seemed to have a great time! That proved to me that bad weather really will never stop the fun

I always discuss wet weather options with the couple during the pre-meets. That way, there is a fall back plan. In over 30 years of weddings, I have only lost one wedding due to rain, where phots had to be done inside or under cover.......and even then we created a chance to make it look like we were outside.....

One recommendation to brides.......your dress is going to get dirty. Its a fact of life. Don't worry about putting it on the ground for photos where reasonable. This way, despite the weather, you will still have great photographic memories. *some* brides want to hold their dresses up....this will only remind you of the weather......in the hands of a photographer who knows what they are doing, rain, poor light etc is never a problem(OK, thunderstorm apart)

At the end of the day, whatever the weather, you will still be married.

Peter

You mean like this one ?☂️

The beauty of a British summer thunderstorm - when we came out of the Church you would barly know it had rained

We're getting married on NYE so poor weather is pretty likely. Our photographer said that the weather is as much a part of the day as what we're wearing, where we're getting married, etc. and it can't be changed so should be embraced and documented. i liked this way of looking at it.

You can tell he's had to calm a lot of wailing brides on rainy wedding days over the years!

What month are you looking at getting married?

March and April are the worst offenders with August being typically unpredictable. If ever I've had a rainy wedding it's always been in August.

Smart money is on May, Sept, Oct months as if it rains it tends not to be all day. Those are the best times to get married at least from my experience. July seems too hot and August feels more stressful because everyone is doing so much in that month.

People worry about rain but honestly you can deal with that, what you should worry more about is the wind. You can't combat that as it's quite invasive.

There are lots of lovely features you can make out of a rainy day. Personalised brollies and wellies!!

If having a marquee wedding, think about the quality of the flooring that you opt for.

I worry about rain too, our ceremony and breakfast should be indoors but the evening bbq and reception will be outdoors with campfires etc... so not sure what our back up could be, mostly worried about mud and everything being wet and slippy

The worst weather day I have had in over 30 years was an August day.......NOTHING is predictable when it comes to UK weather.....

Peter

Oh my goodness thank you so so much for all your replies!!! I feel a lot better having heard people's experiences of rainy wedding days. It's easy for people to say "It'll be fine!" when they've never actually experienced it first hand but these messages have made me feel a lot more at ease.

I'm going to save these messages so if I feel nervous nearer the time at least I'll have these as reassurance.

Thank you so much everybody!

Oh my goodness thank you so so much for all your replies!!! I feel a lot better having heard people's experiences of rainy wedding days. It's easy for people to say "It'll be fine!" when they've never actually experienced it first hand but these messages have made me feel a lot more at ease.

I'm going to save these messages so if I feel nervous nearer the time at least I'll have these as reassurance.

Thank you so much everybody!

Oh my goodness thank you so so much for all your replies!!! I feel a lot better having heard people's experiences of rainy wedding days. It's easy for people to say "It'll be fine!" when they've never actually experienced it first hand but these messages have made me feel a lot more at ease.

I'm going to save these messages so if I feel nervous nearer the time at least I'll have these as reassurance.

Thank you so much everybody!

THANK YOU so much for this post! I'm getting married tomorrow and according to all forecasts I will experience a wet wedding day. I had thought about this in the run up to the wedding, if it rains, it rains ... ce la vie. We have two lovely wedding umbrellas. I'm marrying OH and that makes the day wonderful. I still believe that but I'm not pleased by the prospect of awful weather. Our photographer is great so no worries on that front. We only need to be outside for a short space of time and breaks in the rain are forecast.

Bill, you always say the right things, I love you, will you marry me?! Peter I want to cry, I fear my dress will get dirty but I won't take it lying down. Thanks for all the posts on this thread, they'll help me put tomorrows' rain into perspective.

BJNL

aka Soaking Wet Bride

Well clearly you are busy tomorrow and I have a wedding on Sunday, but I am free on Monday if that's any use to you.

I think that you may be supprised about how much you were able to do outside----- please come back and let us know.

Peter is right about the dress, even after just walking down an otherwise clean looking Church isle it will have lots of black underneath. It will get dirty and by the end of the day it will have caught up within it.---------

Dead (and living )flies

confetti

Ants

twigs

leaves

and the odd lost child

There was a short fad of "trash the dress" shoots were you would lay in the mud etc. I say you don't need to do that but just be a little less precious on the day itself.

But you don't have to drag it everywhere - especially in the wet, If I am doing a shot like the one below then you can pick it up and then place it down when you are ready.

It is also a good example about trying not to be too precious about the dress AND the shoes because to get to that spot we first have to walk across wet grass and then a road - up a slope and then stand in the mud.

Give your photographer the best chance and go for it if they suggest something that may make a good shot.