Believe it or not, rain on your wedding day can be an incredibly epic and magical experience. Even though a rainy wedding most likely isn’t what you initially planned for, you may be surprised at how it can totally elevate your photos!
As a wedding photographer, I’ve been lucky enough to experience the beauty of a rainy wedding firsthand. From the epic rain shots to the potential beauty of a rainbow at the end of the story, there really is a beauty that lies in these days.
Here is everything you need to know about rain on your wedding day and why it can actually be a good thing!
If It Rains on Your Wedding Day…
Your Flowers Will Pop More
Say goodbye to wilted flowers! A rainy wedding means that the color in your flowers will pop a lot more than they would on a regular, sunny day. It’s one of the most overlooked advantages to rain on your wedding day.
Sure, you may not think of this as a huge deal, but there’s such a beautiful contrast that gets created with flowers set against any backdrop on a rainy day. It almost adds an extra layer of elegance to your wedding day that you didn’t even know you needed.
In addition to your flowers popping more with vibrant color, you’ll find that there’s an overall higher color saturation that’s created in the rain. Even the dresses of your wedding party can be seen as much more vibrant than they would be on a sunny day, which makes for some incredibly unique photos.
You’ll Have Good Luck for Years to Come
Many people don’t know this, but it’s actually good luck if it rains on your wedding day. Think of it almost like the ladybug of rain on your wedding day symbolism! Various cultures have their own beliefs about a rainy wedding, but they all pretty much lead to the same thing… good luck.
For instance, in Ireland (even though it always rains there), it’s believed that rain at any point during your wedding day signifies that your marriage will last. They believe it even more so if your wedding happens to have been planned to be outside versus inside!
Rain has also always been seen as a blank slate of sorts, symbolizing that you’re starting fresh on your wedding day as you begin this new chapter of your life.
The Lighting Will Be Immaculate
Though this may not be something you’d necessarily think of, overcast cloudy days are some of the best conditions to shoot photos in. That’s because the clouds can help to diffuse the light, making the outdoor lighting look super flattering and evenly lit up.
Clouds help to eliminate harsh shadows that can typically occur on a regular sunny day. If anything, this makes your photos look even more magical and makes my job as a wedding photographer that much more easy and fun!
The couples I shoot on rainy days are always ecstatic when they see how absolutely breathtaking their photos are.
Temperatures Will Be Perfect (usually)
This might be more of a personal preference, but often the temperatures can be even more perfect on a rainy day. This is especially true in the summer months if you had planned on having your wedding day on what was initially supposed to be super hot or muggy.
Having great temperatures will help your guests focus more on your actual wedding instead of how overheated they are! Plus, it means everyone can tear up the dance floor without sweating their buns off.
Creativity Will Flow
One of the most challenging parts of a wedding day is allowing yourself to let go, relax, and enjoy your day. Believe it or not, having unexpected rain during your wedding can help you to release control and just go with the flow, ultimately allowing you to focus on the people and your day even more.
Plus, by having that release of control, some of the most creative solutions often come about. If, for instance, you were going to have an outdoor photo wall with props, now there’s some fun creative thinking that takes place to come up with something different to solve how to have that station still set up with the rain.
This control release can also allow for some fun and spontaneous things to happen during the day, including some incredible photos, which brings me to the next section…
Rainy Day Wedding Photo Ideas
I’ve luckily shot quite a few weddings with inclement weather, so if you’re worried about rain on your wedding day, check out these incredible photo ideas. These are just some suggestions to help to get you thinking creatively if it happens to rain on your wedding day!
Note that most wedding photographers will help you with wedding photo ideas the day of, too, especially in instances in which rain wasn’t planned. All good wedding photographers will help guide you along the way to help you have the least stress possible!
Need help finding out how to book the perfect wedding photographer? Click here!
Romantic Detail Shots
Good wedding photographers will be photographing moments and details throughout your day that tell the story of your day. From the buds starting to bloom on the venue trees to the leftover dew drops falling off the tall grasses, these are the photos that string your story together in your wedding photos.
Luckily, on days when there’s rain, these detailed shots become even more extraordinary and romantic. Rainy days will give more movement, emotion, and life to those story-telling-detail photos.
Hilarious Candids
Naturally, there are going to be some moments that are super candid on a sunny wedding day, but when there’s rain, there are some things we can’t help but do.
For instance, guests may run from the rain for cover, they might put their hands over their head or make funny faces as they walk through it. These make for some of the most comical and best candid shots of the wedding!
Wedding photographers will be looking out for these moments to capture them on camera so that you can remember them forever, including those funny little moments that your guests might not even remember doing. These often end up being some of the most memorable photos of the entire wedding!
Intimate Moments
One thing that naturally happens during a rainy day, no matter the circumstance, is that everything tends to be a bit more intimate. People naturally want to stay warm, cozy, dry, and comfortable, especially in the rain! This is true whether the guests will be indoors or outdoors.
This creates some incredible photo opportunities for intimate shots amongst the couple getting married as well as the other guests at the party. Naturally, everyone will start to get closer together, which will make for some lovable photos.
Umbrellas as Props
This one might seem like a given, but if you have a rainy wedding, some people will definitely bring umbrellas, resulting in some super unique shots! Whether it’s a clear umbrella or a super colorful rainbow one (which I’m a huge fan of), these can be such a fun touch to any photo from the wedding.
A great wedding photographer will also help you pose to make sure that the umbrellas aren’t obstructing anything important in your shots and instead will add to the overall vibe of the photo without much distraction.
Fun Pops of Color
If you’ve looked around my site, you’ll know I’m a photographer who loves color. Luckily, one of the best times to add fun pops of color (that aren’t distracting) to your photos is on your wedding day if it happens to rain!
Some fun color pops to add include rain boots, rain jackets, and more. This can create a super joyful and youthful moment, especially if someone is in a beautiful suit or dress for the wedding day paired with rain boots splashing in the water. It creates one of those moments that you’ll never forget.
If there’s rain on your wedding day, the photos will be incredibly epic and magical.
Don’t believe me? Check out these photos from past rainy day weddings that I’ve had the pleasure of capturing!
Vender list for gallery – Venue: Historic Shady Lane York | PAPlanner: Taryn Blake Events | Flowers: Woodland Floral Design | Hair and Makeup: Sarah K Beauty | DJ: Mixed Up Productions | Caterer: Tasteful Occasions | Bar: Lancaster Bartending | Baker: Flouretta Sweet | Rentals: Carolines Rentals | Bridal: Everthine Bridal Boutique
Now you know why rain on your wedding day can be magical and a good thing! Truthfully, even if you end up having rain on your wedding day, you might enjoy it even more than you would if there was no rain at all.
Psst… if you’re looking for a photographer to shoot your wedding, check out my wedding day services here. I have experience shooting in all types of weather, so if it happens to rain on your big day, your wedding photos are one thing you won’t have to worry about at all!
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