What to do if it rains on your wedding day
Well there are some things you can’t do – you can’t stop it raining – and some things you can do – you can be properly prepared:
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It’s a good idea to choose a time of year when it is unlikely to rain. This, obviously, isn’t always possible or desired – Dan and I got married in winter because that was when we first met. We expected it to rain on our July wedding in Cape Town. But even so, a summer wedding in Cape Town could still bring unexpected rain.
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Get married indoors and have an indoor reception. And if you really can’t stand being cooped up on your big day:
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Have a backup plan if you’re getting married outside. Make sure you either have full access to an indoor venue or that you get married under a Bedouin tent (one that has side flaps that come down to protect you from directional rain). Unfortunately, many venues will charge you to hold an additional indoor space for ‘in case it rains’, but some of the smaller venues (ones that can only accommodate one wedding or function at a time, won’t, and will be happy to hold an indoor venue for you if it does rain). I’ve seen one or two couples who didn’t have a backup plan and on the day there was a mad scramble to replan their wedding that morning – it’s not a position I’d wish on anyone!
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Your backup plan should include umbrellas and transport. If it rains (especially if it’s unexpected rain) make sure that your wedding party have umbrellas. And that there is transport organised for them – someone who can ferry them to and from where they need to be so that dresses and hair and make-up don’t get ruined. Also make sure that the back-up transport isn’t just a “Will you drive us if it rains?” scenario. Make a headcount of people in the wedding party, figure out how many vehicles you’ll need and then have specific people ready to be at specific times and places to offer transport. Make sure your wedding party know your backup plan.
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Make sure you have an indoor venue for photographs. Most people will make sure that there’s an indoor backup for the ceremony and the reception but then will forget about having indoor photos. Having indoor photos is not the end of the world – at all. I’ve shot magnificent indoor pics, either because it was raining or because the couple were happy to trust my judgement when I told them that the indoor areas would (in their case) work better than the outdoor areas.
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Shoot in the rain. If you’re comfortable with it (remember your hair, dress and make-up will be under threat from the rain) and your photographer is comfortable with it, then shoot in the rain. To do this you’ll need umbrellas, wellingtons or sturdy shoes and a photographer who’s prepared to wrap their gear up tightly in plastic and brave the elements. Shooting outside can be done like this for short periods of time. But the moisture in the air can still be damaging to the camera gear. If your photographer has expensive and specialised underwater equipment then it shouldn’t be an issue
Otherwise you can shoot outside, under a mild rain, for about twenty to thirty minutes. I generally use large see-through plastic bags that I tape to my camera, obviously letting the lens stick out through the plastic. I keep the lens hood on to prevent drops of water on the lens and then my assistant carries a large golf umbrella over my gear. Not over me. Over my gear. What does moisture do to camera equipment? It shorts the electrics – I once saw a fellow photographer’s flash ‘explode’ while shooting outside. It wasn’t raining, it was misty and the moisture in the air made its insidious way into her uncovered flash head. -
Go with the flow. These last four words should actually be the golden rule for any wedding: go with the flow. On the day there will be all sorts of things (from the big to the small) that could and might and will go wrong. Go with the flow. Remember that the main reason you are there is to pledge your love and your life to your partner. If your cake is ruined: “So what?” If your hair flops – “So what?” If everyone you love and care about is there, safe and sound in one piece, and the man or woman you love is standing opposite you saying, “I do”, then that, really, is all you need for a perfect wedding!
