Every happy couple hopes for blue skies and sunshine on their wedding day, but what happens when the weather doesn’t cooperate? With an average of 159 rainy or snowy days occurring in the UK each year, it’s wise to prepare for rain no matter what season you’re getting married.
Luckily, there’s no reason why your wedding photos have to be ruined by the rain. Here are five fantastic tips for wedding photography in the rain or, in fact, any time of the year!
Have Plenty of Umbrellas Available
You can never have too many umbrellas during a rainy wedding photoshoot. Your venue is likely to have a few brollies to hand, but it’s wise to invest in plenty of your own to keep the wedding party dry during the photoshoot. You can brave the rain in short bursts while the photographer captures each shot, or you can make a focal point of the umbrellas for some editorial-style photos. White and transparent umbrellas are usually best because they won’t reflect colour. However, you could capture some really fun shots featuring umbrellas in bold hues that match your colour scheme.
Bring Capes and Coats
Wet weather often brings the cold, so make sure everyone in the wedding party has extra layers on hand. Capes, coats and jackets can help everyone stay warm in between shots. However, if your wedding is set to take place in winter and rain is very likely, it makes sense to invest in outerwear as part of the wedding attire. Brides and bridesmaids could wear shawls or capes that work with their dresses. The groom and groomsmen can wear coats over their suits. Brides should be shopping for their dress around 9 to 12 months before the wedding, so think about outerwear at the same time to make sure it coordinates.
Create a Plan B with your photographer
Most couples want the majority of their wedding photos to be taken outside, particularly if their venue has beautiful grounds. The trouble with getting married in the UK is that rain is a possibility in every season, so it’s always wise to have a plan B. Chat with your photographer about where you’ll capture indoor shots in the event of heavy rain. If the weather is mixed, be prepared for plans to change throughout the day so your photographer can make the most of breaks in the weather. For example, the beautiful Crowcombe Court has some stunning indoor spaces as you can see from the photo above!
Have flats or wellies on hand
Open-toed shoes and heels are not ideal footwear for wet weather, so it can be handy for brides and bridesmaids to have flat, waterproof shoes or wellington boots available. They can wear them in between shots to keep their feet dry, particularly when treading over soft or muddy ground. It could even be fun to keep wellies on for the photos, especially if you choose boots that match the bridal gown or bridesmaid dresses.
Embrace the rain for dramatic photos
Sometimes the best way to cope with rainy weather at a wedding is to fully embrace it. Instead of being unhappy about the rain, focus on the beauty it can bring to the photographs. Gloomy skies can create a dramatic, moody atmosphere. Puddles can offer gorgeous reflections of the happy couple. Raindrops can reflect the light and look like glitter when photos are taken at night. A good photographer will embrace these stylistic elements and capture incredible shots. As long as you’re prepared to handle the wet weather with the above tips, you’re sure to get fantastic photos.
