Rain showers need not spell wedding day disaster. Here’s what to know.
As the author Douglas Adams immortalized in the introduction of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: DON’T PANIC.
As wedding photographers with over a decade of experience, we want to reassure you: even if it rains, you will still have beautiful photos, including portraits.
Rain on your wedding day, for most couples, isn’t ideal but if it happens, it happens... and you’ll be totally okay! Here are a few things to ease any rainy-day anxiety you may be feeling:
Let your photography team worry about the pictures. Yes, seriously. You have enough to think about. If there is a chance of rain, we’ll be sure to do some extra scouting to find a covered location or two for us to use for your first look, romantic portraits, and wedding party portraits.
We don’t need much for gorgeous outdoor photos. If it does rain, our photo team will try to take advantage of dry spells to get more outdoor photos. All I need to create outdoor portraits on a rainy wedding day is a porch or overhang. Just one overhang! (Or in DC, covered walkway. Start to look, and you’ll see a lot of them!)
Take things one step at a time. Don’t think about your entire day and what will happen if it rains. That will only overwhelm you! Definitely know the rain plan for your venue, but then don’t give it a second thought until 10 days out from the wedding day. At that point, if rain is a possibility in the forecast, check in with your vendors, but let them do the work of handling the rest of the day.
While it’s not productive to worry and stress over your photos, there are a few steps you can actively take to ensure you’re well-prepared for rain on your wedding day.
Yes, please do pack umbrellas.
These are perhaps the most important thing! If it's not pouring and only a little wet, we can still do great wedding party and couple's portraits outside.
One BIG note about umbrellas: A matched (or semi-matched) set of black, clear, or white plain umbrellas photograph the best. Someone under a pink umbrella will look pink, someone under a green umbrella will look green, etc. in photos. That said, unmatched umbrellas are DEFINITELY better than no umbrellas!
Our team has a set of black, white and clear umbrellas that we pack on rainy days, but we don't have enough room in our kit to provide umbrellas for everyone in a large wedding party or large family, so it’s very helpful and will greatly increase our photography options on a rainy day if you have a quantity of umbrellas available.
What color should the umbrellas be?
There are two main schools of thought on what color your umbrellas should be: last-minute availability, and aesthetics.
On the availability front, black umbrellas are the easiest to find at the last minute (almost everyone has one)! If you’re scrambling for umbrellas at the last moment, this is almost always the way to go. Many people have black umbrellas at home, and they’re readily available on Amazon, as well as a quick panic-sweep of your local CVS and other brick-and-mortar stores.
If you want clear umbrellas, they’re available from Amazon, but typically you’ll want to order them at least a week in advance, as large quantities of them aren’t typically available with Prime shipping. Also, as you’ll see in some of these photos, often clear umbrellas are the “bubble” type, designed for one person. In that case, you and your partner may want two matching umbrellas, rather than trying to share just one!
If you are still five days or more from your wedding, you likely have enough time to be more thoughtful about the aesthetics of the umbrellas you choose.
A collection of overhangs and sheltered spots we've used on rainy days. Top-left: Picnic shelter at Patapsco State Park. Top-right: a doorway at Mt. Airy Mansion. Bottom-left: Under a stand of trees at Crispus Attucks Park. Bottom-center: church doors. Bottom-right: A tractor barn at Linganore Cellars.
At this wedding, we had an established rain plan, and when it started POURING during wedding party portraits, we made the call to have the ceremony inside—and it turned out so well! The thunderstorm passed by the time the ceremony was over, and we were able to enjoy cocktail hour out-of-doors.
Confirm your rain plans ahead of time
Likely, when you selected your wedding venue, one of the features you considered in your choice was the venue’s contingency rain plans. But in the time that has passed, your attention has likely turned to other wedding planning matters.
Regardless of the forecast, no later than 3-5 weeks before the wedding day, confer with your wedding planner and venue point-of-contact about your rain plans and related considerations. Revisiting the rain plan—for indoor or covered ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception options—but also finer details, such as adequate space and provisions to remove and store wet jackets and umbrellas—will ensure your wedding day proceeds beautifully and your guests feel well taken-care of, regardless of the weather.
While as your photography team, we will ensure your photos are gorgeous and fun, there are some other wedding day elements that you’re including, such as transportation, lawn game rentals, and so on, that may merit tweaks in case of inclement weather.
Unmatched umbrellas are better than no umbrellas! For this outdoor ceremony, the radar was clear but a shower popped up JUST before the ceremony. Luckily, most of the family members already on-site had umbrellas with them, and we ran for shelter to wait out the shower. Within 5-10 minutes, the shower passed, and we were able to finish up family formals, while friends dried off the chairs. And then the outdoor ceremony went on as planned.
You should pack a rainy day bag—and here’s what to put into it
When there's rain in the forecast, I advise you to pack an additional "rainy day bag" with some extra essentials we might not bother with on a dry day. They can make all the difference, no matter how silly it may seem, in looking and feeling your best!
Extra shoes + SOCKS (both of you): If we can, we might make the most of a break in the rain to get some lovely outdoor portraits of the two of you! That might mean some wet walking; on rainy days I highly suggest packing a spare pair of dry shoes for each of you, whether they're awesome Chuck Taylors, a spair pair of dress shoes, or rain boots you already own! If you get wet feet during the portraits, you'll be so glad to have dry shoes for the reception!
2-3 (old) towels: Who knew, right? Great for drying off after getting a little damp, dabbing raindrops off of suit jackets, and heck, I've even had a bride stand on a towel when it's wet outside to keep her dress in better shape! As they say in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a towel is SO, SO, useful.
An attractive sweater / fur / other warm thing to put over your dress: People wearing dresses: While we may or may not take photographs with it, a brightly-colored cardigan, (faux) fur stole, or other attractive warm thing can make a HUGE difference in your comfort level on a wet day. Being damp when the sun goes down, even if we're inside, can be a real drag. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
Extra hairspray and waterproof mascara: This one probably goes without saying, but just remind your hair and makeup artists that you're going to be having one heck of a day in the humidity, and to prep you to look your best accordingly! :)
At this wedding, the guys got caught outside JUST as they were heading into District Winery for wedding party photos! They ran inside, and were able to use a steamer to dry out their jackets in time for the ceremony.
Remember your humor, and that rain oftentimes makes for photo magic you’d never get on a dry day
Seldom is a wedding day such a washout that the whole—or even most—of the day feels the impact. Yes, your transportation might change, or we might tweak photo locations. Good vendor teams working together have even been known to play fast and loose with the timeline on wedding days, to make sure the day flows as it needs to, while still sneaking the couple—or even the whole wedding party—outside for photos if the weather clears. A couple with a sense of humor, who are willing to trust in the expertise of their team, and take their day for what it will be, tends to be relaxed enough in the face of rain to make the most of the opportunities the day presents.
Beyond that, rain tends to bring out a romantic vibe. It makes for good cuddling, and snuggling close under umbrellas and overhangs. Getting damp tends to loosen the mood, and remind us all that life is an adventure. Colors look brighter, and beautiful reflections come out. And rain late at night is my favorite—it presents the opportunity for some photos that you’ll just never achieve on a clear night.
I know, rain wasn't what you'd planned. But guess what? Your day is going to be AMAZING regardless! If it does rain, your guests won't care -- they just want to celebrate you, eat, drink, and have a good time. We'll get beautiful photos regardless of the weather. Do your best to relax and know that what will be will be as far as the weather goes. You are in great hands with us. As you can see from the photos in this post, we’ve documented so many weddings with inclement weather.
Ultimately, your day is about the two of you, your love, and your family + friends. Weather be damned!