Marquee in the rain?

I went to one wedding in a marquee when it started raining during the reception. This meant the doors needed to be closed. It was a bit stuffy but it certainly didn’t ruin the day. What time of year are you getting married? (Although I know that’s rarely a guarantee of good weather). If you go for a marquee I would try to ensure it had decent flooring as, if it does rain, you don’t want a slippy, muddy floor at the marquee entrance.
Also, are there any venues slightly further away from the church? Maybe 45 minutes?

I see your bio says your wedding is at the beginning of June. I have shot weddings in plenty of marquees and they can get stuffy but no so much in the summer when its warmer outside.

The floors are usually wooden beams and then plywood sheets on top which keeps the floor off the ground but it is the entrance area that gets soggy, unless that area can be extended with the same floor until it reaches a hard surface area.

Not sure what to say to reassure you but this is the UK and if everyone tried to plan their wedding around having perfect weather then no one would get married .

View quoted message

Thank you thats interesting insight! I guess im thinking that if it does rain, being stuck in a building/ house is more interesting than being stuck in a tent, although im sure we would have a great day anyway. Im just not sure if I want to worry about it in the run up! Yes I might have to widen my search area!

View quoted message

Thank you that is good to hear! and good point to look out for some matting/ flooring at the entrance. As a photographer, is it difficult to get nice pictures at a raining marquee wedding? im not sure what the backdrop would be....

View quoted message

In some respects its easier to get nice pictures in a marquee because there will always be an element of natural light and when you do need to give it a lift with flash there is lots of white around to bounce off.

The main challenge in a marquee is that its a 1 room layout and everyone will be in there so its difficult to get any space apart from the dance floor area (if you have one ) and that will have a background of dj scaffolding !

Shots of the wedding couple can be done almost anywhere outside - under a tree - archetcual element.

Having the photographer there all day is also a bonus because anything that the weather put a stop to earlier can be re visited after the meal in the Summer.

But rain is the biggest challenge and its in those conditions that it really pays to employ the services of a time served professional wedding photographer - as almost anyone one can take photos in perfect weather. Have a look at shooters websites and not often will you see examples of what they can do in crap weather.

Here's my examples Rain on your wedding day