How to own a rainy wedding day!
The day we were married, our ceremony had an uninvited guest - a big stormy rain cloud off in the distance waiting for its moment to downpour all over our guests during our outdoor ceremony. We were announced ‘husband and wife’, and shortly after the rain fell down and we with all of our guests ran up to the veranda of the Queenslander home on the property and watched as it poured and poured. Next minute, our dads had taken off their jackets and shirts and ran in front of our guests - hairy chests on display - getting saturated. All to rescue the sound equipment used for the ceremony! We took family photos in the rain while our guests ravaged a grazing board in a rainy rustic shed. When the rain finally passed we went off with our photographer to take bridal portraits. We were lucky enough to have the most beautiful rainbow in the background.
That’s our rainy wedding story.
Our wedding was not ruined by rain, but rain definitely made it memorable. Here’s a few photos to paint a picture!
During the summer months, weddings are at risk of being a little bit damper then you may like. The occasional winter wedding may get hit with a pour too. It is always a good idea to be prepared for rain, then to have it hit and you feel like ‘the day is ruined’. If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail, right? We’ve been to many rainy weddings (and ours was one), so we know how to manage one. Here’s the tea:
Firstly, you need to know that your day won’t be ruined. We are all waterproof and we are not made of sugar. You will walk away married to the love of your life, and your guests won’t get upset with you for something completely out of your control! Just take a deep breath, and what will be will be.
If you’re getting married at an official wedding venue, they will have a wet weather plan. Check in with them what that is! It’s smart to consider wet weather plans before you book a venue - some venues wet weather plans are just as stunning! Some… aren’t pretty. If you’re going to need to utilise a wet weather plan, you want to know it’s still going to be stunning, right!?
If you are doing a DIY wedding at an AirBNB or on a private property you will be in charge of the wet weather plan. Look ahead into a marquee or teepee - see how far in advance you will need to hire one as a backup plan. You’re better off spending a little bit extra to have a shelter than to have a moment of panic on the day!
EMBRACE IT. No one can control the weather. A ‘no-rain dance’ won’t work, you’ve just got to roll with it. Buy a bulk amount of blankets from Kmart, get some cheap and cute clear umbrellas for your guests and bridal party, have a hot chocolate and tea station ready. Or maybe even mulled wine! Delish. You guests will admire that you were able to adapt and it will make your wedding so memorable!
BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR PHOTOS!? Leave the stressing to your photographer on this one. Their job is to solve this problem for you. When you meet with them, talk about a plan B location way ahead of time. A lot of venues will have beautiful indoor locations on site ready to go. If they don’t, your photographer will know of or be able to find a back up. Also, buy some clear umbrellas and have some fun with your bridal party in the rain! The photos after a moment like that are always so stunning!
Have a rainy day kit! Rain can affect your makeup and hair, so there’s a few things you need on hand to keep you looking fresh:
Spare makeup and lipstick
Handheld mirror
Brush/comb
Bobby pins
A small towel
Have a backup pair of shoes for when you’re tackling the weather. There’s nothing worse than walking around in soggy shoes, especially beautiful and expensive wedding shoes! Get some birks, converse or some good ol’ Aussie thongs to get you through the puddles.
Now, here’s why you should welcome rain on your wedding day! And not just because rain is supposedly ‘good luck’. Prepare to hear that line a billion times…
Your photos will be stunning! It is a lie that a sunny day is what you want - it's actually the opposite! Photographers cheer when it’s a cloudy day, and a few sprinkles here are there doesn't phase us. There will be no squinting in your photos and you won’t get hot and sweaty!
It will be far cooler - especially if you’re having an Australian summer wedding!
Who doesn’t love the sound of soft pitter pattering rain? What a beautiful sound to have in the background of your day.
No one can control the weather. If it’s going to happen, you may as well embrace and feel prepared rather than stressing and refreshing the weather forecast every five minutes the week before. Look for the beauty in it, and live in the moment. It poured on our day, and we survived. You will too.
