The other day I was thinking about how much time I spent worrying about RAIN in the months leading up to my wedding day…I felt mostly in control when it came to planning out the day, but one thing that I obviously had no control over was the WEATHER. And that was really stressful to me. I started praying MONTHS before my wedding that God would hold off the rain on June 18, 2011..and you know what? He did! It rained for four days BEFORE my wedding day and three days AFTER my wedding day…There was even a DOWNPOUR during my rehearsal, but it did NOT rain on my wedding day. Not even a drop. Hallelujah! I was so thankful.

Maybe your opposite from me and are a really chill bride and you’ve decided to have your wedding, from ceremony to the end of the reception, entirely outside…you might be thinking, what are the chances that it will ACTUALLY rain on my wedding day…I probably wouldnt use my backup plan and it would be a waste of money…

But what happens if it does rain?? When I first started shooting weddings, I would get EVEN MORE stressed out about the forecast than when I was a bride..afterall people were paying me to capture important moments in their lives and I didn’t really know how to handle a rainy wedding day. I’ve learned that it really doesn’t have to be a stressful thing when you know how to handle the rain! But both bride and photographer need to know how to plan for it…

As a bride:

1. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony. This is crucial in my opinion and will relieve you of so much stress.

2. Rent a tent! If you’re having an outdoor reception, a tent could protect your details, food, etc. from a little rain. Tents are expensive, but are usually worth it. Or choose a venue where the party could be moved inside if necessary! I chose a venue with both indoor and outdoor spaces for this reason…it was also helpful for people to go inside to get a break from the summer heat…

2. Be willing to be flexible…I spend a substantial amount of time emailing back and forth with a bride about the wedding day schedule…It’s so important to me to help brides create a good schedule so that the day can run smoothly…but if it’s raining during a wedding day, you may have to move things around in the schedule to try and capture portraits, etc. during the times that it’s not raining during the day.

3. Consider doing a first look…This gives you an extra chance to capture portraits during a time that it’s not raining!

4. Invest in a cute umbrella that matches your wedding colors if the weatherman is calling for rain the week of your wedding! And maybe some fun rain boots?

5. Write up a plan for communication in advance just in case…you want someone else to be able to direct people on what to do should the rain change any plans for the day.

5. Go with the flow! This one is easier said than done..but make sure you enjoy your wedding day to the fullest even if it does rain! It will still be an amazing day!

As a photographer:

1. Be calm and embrace the pretty overcast light! Rainy days can provide some of the coolest lighting for portraits!!

2. Pay attention and learn to make important decisions on the fly…For example, if it stops raining when you are scheduled to be shooting family formals inside, quickly ask if it’s okay to take the bride and groom/bridal party portraits outside first instead to make the best use of the time that it’s not raining!

3. Never let your stress show…even if the weather is stressing you out, focus on encouraging and supporting the bride! This is HER wedding day and our job is all about helping to make it the best day of her life!!

4. You might need an umbrella too! Transporting gear in the rain can be tricky…

5. Be creative: a rainy day could allow you to get some really fun and unique shots! Utilize porches, overhangs, parking garages, hotel lobbies, etc!

If you have any other tips on rainy day weddings for brides or photographers feel free to leave them below in the comments! I am always looking to add to this list of things I’ve learned as a bride and a photographer…

Happy Wednesday!!