Wedding Tips Wednesday

Everything is going as planned till it doesn’t. You can plan for months and months, then out of nowhere, the week before your big day the weather can change. Your wedding week + wedding day forecast could turn from a bright pretty day, to one filled with showers or thunderstorms. Now your glued to your weather app hoping and praying it can hold off until your wedding.

I know exactly how you feel!! I was a bride who wanted the outdoor ceremony but sure enough the day of the wedding, those dark rain clouds and morning showers came. I thought that we’d have to use our reception area for our ceremony. In our advantage, my prayers where answered. A few hours before our ceremony, the  sun came out and we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful October wedding. This sadly isn’t the case for everyone.

 

There are 3 forms of weather to approach on a wedding day.

1 Dark Overcast

2  Light Showers

3 The Down Pour

 

These weather status can be tens but approaching a wedding day, with these in mind will keep things running smooth! I am able to plan out where the images will be shot at and what all will be going on, during your day based on one of these three things.

I say this to you because of the, “what if’s.” Our day could have easily taken a turn for the worse with the weather and so can yours. I’m not saying this to stress you brides out, I want to share this with you because, there are things you can do right now to prepare yourself if this where to happen!

 

Below I have put together the top 5 things to prepare yourself for if it where to rain on the wedding day!

 

 

#1 Your venue

One very important thing to think about when looking at venues, is what your back up ceremony option is. You will want to have a covered back up option, that will fit the amount of guest’s you’re inviting. As a photographer and lighting guru, the venue was extremely important to me. I know I wanted the outdoor ceremony but having a good backup option was just as important! The White Sparrow venue was my ticket!! I knew that with this stunning white venue, if it where to downpour, A. the idoor area could fit our guests and B. It would still be beautiful with great lighting from the large white room filled with windows! When you’re searching for a venue keep this on the forefront of your mind because this is the #1 thing you can do to plan ahead.

If you’ve already booked your venue no worries! The venue coordinators know what works and what doesn’t work for their facilities and can give you some helpful advice!

 

 

#2 Additional Light

On a rainy day, light is scarce so get creative! Many couples string lights or have lanterns for the ceremony/reception! Doing this can add additional light to the room which will give your images that brighter look. Having my gear flash’s and lights are great, but when you can add additional lighting for the ceremony and reception, this is always a win! It helps in order to get those brighter pictures!

 

 

#3 Clear Umbrellas

As a photographer, I keep two clear umbrellas on me at any wedding regardless of rain or shine. One for the couple and the other for myself to cover. With light being so scarce on a rainy day, using a dark umbrella will only shade you more.  Clear umbrellas in a since, can disappear into the image. Colored or dark umbrellas, will stand out.

Also, be thinking about your wedding party. If there is rain in the forecast, order clear umbrellas (one per couple)! This will allow them to be covered for the portrait time as well!

 

 

#4 Shoes

Okay women, this is for you! If it’s pouring rain, you most likely aren’t going to want to wear your heels or really nice shoes. If your the bride or maybe even a bridesmaid/mother of the bride, have a backup shoes. If you’re in a long dress, your shoes wont show often. Wear shoes that still complete your look but that you don’t mind getting wet or dirty.

 

 

 

#5 Be willing to get adventurous

Finally, be willing to get a little bit wet + adventurous. If it’s down pouring, I will find something for you to stand under that’s covered but if it’s sprinkling, then we simply have to work with what we’re given! As a natural light photographer, the outdoor images is where I can get you the best light! I am so thankful that AOP couples trust me as their photographer. Trusting your photographer with these situations is one of the most important things that in hopes, will relieve you of stress as a bride.

 

 

 

 

Lets face it, no one wants rain on a day that they plan so long for. Rain can be one of the most stressful situations on the day of a wedding. It’s one of those things though, that happens often. It’s best to prepare yourself in advance, so you aren’t caught off guard if or when it happens. I hope these 5 tips will help you as well as prepare you for the possibility of rain!