What if it rains?
This is probably the most common question we’re asked by our wedding photography clients and its kinda understandable as with very few exceptions our bride and grooms want nice warm sunny weather for their wedding day but it’s one of the few things none of us can control or even predict, this video was shot on the 1st August 2009, right in the middle of the British summer!
Rain on a Wedding Day from Nick on Vimeo.
It doesn’t really matter what time of year your wedding is though of course, the British climate is capable of throwing pretty much anything at you in any season and with what seems to be (in recent years anyway) even greater unpredictability. You would think that in the summer months your chances of sunny or at least a dry day are greater than at other times of the year but unfortunately that’s not always the case, in recent years some of our wettest days have been in July and August.
So if it does rain on your wedding day what can you do about it? here’s a few of our tips for Bride and Grooms along with some of the things that we do to make the most of a wet day.
1. Bring a brolly – Even during periods of good weather we assume it could turn at any time and so we take gear to weddings that will help us with wet weather. Rain umbrellas and lighting gear for interior group shots often don’t get used but its reassuring knowing that we have them with us. For Bride and Grooms renting or buying a white umbrella for your wedding day is definitely one of the most prudent purchases you can make.
2. Be Flexible – A Summer wedding doesn’t guarantee you good weather but one thing it does guarantee you more of is daylight and that in itself gives you a better chance of having some photographs outside because it rarely rains solidly all day and our full day coverage ensures that we are there with you to take advantage of breaks in the rain to grab photos outside.
3. Accept that your wedding dress will get dirty – Whether its a wet or dry day if you have a full length wedding dress that trails on the floor its going to get grubby at the bottom no matter what you do. On a wet wedding day its going to get a little bit wet as well as dirty but if you accept this at the start of the day and don’t fret about it or let it restrict you then you will enjoy the day more and get photos that show this enjoyment.
4. Use the inside areas – Many venues have great interior areas that can get overlooked for photos if the weather outside is good so wet wedding days are a great excuse to make the most of these areas for some different photos.
5. Have fun with brollies – We are always happy to shoot outside in the rain so if we get a Bride and Groom who are happy to join us outside like Sophie and Andrew in the video above its a good opportunity to have fun with brollies which are a great accessory for photographs.
6. Have some spare shoes on hand – If you have a full length gown then the shoes wont show in the photos so if the grounds wet and soft underfoot consider having some alternative shoes or even wellies to walk around in when outside.
Last but by no means least – Remember that it’s good luck if it does rain on your wedding day because a wet knot is harder to untie than a dry one!
by Nick
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