WEDDING PLANNING · THE WEATHER BIT
What to do if it rains on your wedding day
Rain changes the plan. It does not ruin the wedding.
The useful bit is deciding what happens if the weather turns before you are standing there in wedding clothes, refreshing three forecasts and trying to make a decision.
A rain plan is not pessimistic. It is what lets you stop thinking about the weather and get back to the actual wedding.
THE SHORT VERSION
“Look. Mother nature's confetti.”
I overheard somebody say that to a bride at a very wet wedding years ago. Everyone smiled, the couple carried on, and the day was still completely theirs.
IF RAIN IS IN THE FORECAST
Six things I want sorted before the wedding, so you do not have to sort them on it.
Make a rain plan you actually like.
Know where the ceremony, drinks, confetti and photographs move if the weather changes.
Stop treating the forecast like a verdict.
Use it to make practical decisions, then let the day happen.
Build flexibility into the timeline.
If the best dry ten minutes arrive during dessert, we can use them.
Decide how wet you are willing to get.
Some couples happily run through drizzle. Others want to stay immaculate.
Have umbrellas that photograph well.
Clear, white or soft neutral umbrellas are usually kinder to skin tones than strong colours.
Then let the professionals do their jobs.
You should not be running weather operations in wedding clothes.
THE FORECAST BIT
Check it. Do not move into it.
The old version of this guide told you to download Dark Sky. That app is long gone, so let us retire that advice with dignity.
For a UK wedding, the Met Office app is the useful place to look. I care much more about the hourly forecast, rain map and weather warnings than one dramatic little cloud icon five days out.
Make the proper decisions close enough to the wedding that the forecast is useful, while still having Plan B agreed long before then.
RAIN + YOUR TIMELINE
Do not throw out the timeline. Let it bend.
I love a wedding timeline. I just do not love one that becomes more important than the wedding.
If portraits were planned for 3:15 and it is absolutely hammering down, we can do something else. If there is a gorgeous dry pocket later, we can use it.
This is why I prefer short portrait pockets throughout the day rather than one enormous block you have to complete come rain or shine.
The plan is there to protect the day. The day is not there to obey the plan.
YOUR ACTUAL RAIN PLAN
Six boring decisions that buy you a much calmer wedding.
The goal is not to plan every raindrop. It is to remove the decisions that are stressful to make while the wedding is already happening.
Where does the ceremony move?
Ask the venue what Plan B actually looks like, how quickly they can switch it, and when the decision has to be made.
Where do drinks go?
Rain matters more when 100 people suddenly have nowhere comfortable to be. Make sure the wet-weather drinks reception still works.
Where can we do family photographs?
A doorway, hall, staircase, covered terrace or bright room can all work. I would rather use a good indoor spot than make Nan stand in sideways rain.
What happens to confetti?
Some venues have a brilliant indoor alternative. Bubbles can also be fantastic where paper or petals are not allowed inside.
How do people get between buildings?
Think about parking, gravel, long paths, church-to-reception travel and anyone with limited mobility.
Who actually makes the weather call?
Venue coordinator, planner, photographer, one of you? Decide the chain of command beforehand.
THE PHOTOGRAPHY BIT
Clouds are not the photography disaster people think they are.
Cloud cover is often beautiful for photographs because the light is softer and more even. It gives me freedom to work from directions that can be much less flattering in hard midday sun.
The rain itself is another variable. We can photograph indoors, use doorways or covered spaces, wait, use umbrellas, or make the weather part of the story.
I am not going to drag you into a downpour just to prove I can photograph rain. The question is always: what gives you photographs you love without making you miserable?
WHAT IS ACTUALLY WORTH PACKING?
Useful things. Not a weather-prepper bunker.
Umbrellas
Clear, white or pale neutral umbrellas usually photograph beautifully. Ask whether your venue already owns matching ones.
Shoes + ground
A spare pair of shoes, wellies or something you do not mind getting muddy can make a quick outside wander much less precious.
Towels + wipes
Useful for shoes, hems, chairs and anything else that meets wet ground.
A backup outfit
This does not mean buying another wedding dress. A hen-do dress, engagement-party outfit, honeymoon outfit, spare shirt or trousers can be an emergency escape hatch.
Hair + makeup touch-ups
Ask your hair and makeup team what they recommend for your hair type and products.
Your attitude
If the plan changes, give yourself permission to enjoy the version of the wedding that actually arrived.
CEREMONY + CONFETTI
Plan B does not have to look like the sad version.
An indoor ceremony can still feel incredible. Indoor confetti can still be chaos in the best way. The trick is not treating every wet-weather alternative as a consolation prize.
Ask the venue what they have seen work well before. They have almost certainly done this in rain and often know the exact doorway, room or transition that keeps the day moving.
WHEN THE RAIN STOPS
We only need a little window. Not a whole new weather system.
Couple portraits do not need an hour. If there is a lovely ten-minute break in the weather, that can be plenty.
I am always watching what the light and weather are actually doing rather than following a portrait time blindly. We can use the dry pocket when it arrives, then put you straight back into your wedding.
RAINY WEDDING FAQ
The questions people usually ask me once the weather app starts looking threatening.
Does rain ruin wedding photographs?
No. It changes where and when some photographs happen. Cloudy light can be extremely flattering, and a good photographer should be able to work indoors, under cover, with umbrellas or around short weather windows.
What colour umbrellas are best for wedding photographs?
Clear, white and pale neutral umbrellas are usually the safest choices. Strong colours can reflect onto faces when the umbrella is held close.
Should we move our outdoor ceremony inside if rain is forecast?
That depends on the venue, the type of rain, ground conditions and how comfortable you are taking the risk. Agree the decision point with your venue beforehand.
Can we still do confetti if it rains?
Usually, yes, but the format may change. Some venues allow indoor petals or paper, some have covered areas, and bubbles can be a brilliant indoor alternative.
Should we buy wellies for our wedding?
Only if you would actually wear them. A sensible spare pair of shoes can be enough.
What if it rains all day?
Then we use the wedding you actually have. We photograph indoors, use covered areas, work with the available light and make any short outside windows count.
KEEP PLANNING
A few useful things to sort while you are already in practical mode.
PLANNING A WEDDING IN SUSSEX OR BEYOND?
Want a photographer who can quietly re-plan around the weather while you stay in the wedding?
Tell me what you are planning, who your people are and what you want the day to feel like. I will take it from there.
Rain, timing changes, disappearing buttonholes, muddy shoes and all the other bits nobody puts on Pinterest are part of photographing weddings properly.
The goal is not to control the wedding. It is to protect the feeling of it.