May 18, 2022

Rain on a Wedding Day: How to Prepare

bride and groom kissing under umbrella | rain on a wedding day

There is an old adage that rain on a wedding day is good luck. This is because when you get married you are “tying the knot” and knots are much harder to untie when wet. While that might be true, it won’t help you stay dry during your wedding photos. Let’s talk about how to plan for and deal with rain on a wedding day.

Understand the weather in your area.

Particularly if you are throwing a destination wedding, take some time to research the typical weather patterns for the area and season in which you’re getting married. Here in Nashville, we typically have a lot of rain during transitions between seasons and a lot of ups and downs in temperature. Not to mention very hot and humid summers. In places like southern California, you’ll see a seasonal drop in temperature in June. Coastal wedding venues may see daily rainstorms.

If you know anyone local to where you are getting married, ask them what the weather is normally like around your wedding date so you can better prepare.

Ask your venue how they handle rain on a wedding day.

Most venues have a rain plan for inclement weather. Before booking your venue, ask what they typically recommend to deal with rain on a wedding day. The plan may be as simple as moving indoors or to a covered] pavilion on-site.

Occasionally, venues may not have a good indoor option for ceremonies or receptions of certain sizes. In these instances, they might recommend adding an outdoor event tent, which will be an additional cost to you.

Take note of indoor areas you like for photography.

While on your venue tour, take photos of or notes on indoor areas you like the look of. This can help your photographer game plan if there is rain on your wedding day. Photographers can make covered areas, indoor areas, and umbrellas work on a rainy day.

Invest in clear umbrellas for rain on a wedding day.

If your wedding day is looking like it might be a rainy one, check with your photographer to see if they have clear umbrellas they can bring. I and most experienced wedding photographers I know keep a couple clear umbrellas in their car in case there’s rain on a wedding day or during a session.

If you think you might want them for your bridal party as well, check with your venue to see if umbrellas are something they have in storage or buy some of your own. They can make for really cute photos.

Keep updated with extended forecasts.

Staying on top of the weather is the best way to prepare for rain on a wedding day. Websites like Accuweather and Weather.com have daily forecasts up to 90 days in advances and monthly forecasts even further out. Keeping yourself informed about possible weather events can help you make decisions leading up to your wedding day.

Conclusion

If it rains on your wedding day, it certainly can be frustrating but it isn’t the end of the world. With a little preparedness and planning, you can ease the stress of potential weather events and focus on enjoying your wedding day. Remember to educate yourself about local weather and use extended forecasts to guide your decision-making. Your venue and planner can help mitigate any uncertainty about how to handle rain or storms during your wedding. And, your photographer can help you find beautiful indoor spots to make your photos rain-free.

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