I always get excited when I get to press publish on Friday’s blog post! My September is quieter than previous months, so, I spent the week getting caught up on emails, really special projects (stay tuned, friends!!) and a bit of editing. This weekend, I’m headed to Dear Old State for a tailgate with the fam! I am counting down the seconds until I get to head out of town!

The timing of today’s post may seem a little spot on, as there is a literal hurricane making its way up the East Coast, however, it has been an entire wedding season in the making! Rain on your wedding day… not ideal, right? How on Earth does one plan for RAIN on their wedding day?!

I first want to say that, though it isn’t ideal, rain on your wedding day is not a big deal at ALL (if you prepare ahead of time!). Fun fact: I have had to deal with rain at 100% of my 2018 weddings! Rain went from being something that used to cause me to absolutely panic before a wedding day to a challenge that I don’t even mind! I’ve written before on how photographers can prep to survive rainy wedding days, but never have I written a piece for my brides! Today, I wanted to share a few foolproof ways that you can use to start preparing for the potential of rain on wedding day before it even arrives! I am a huge supporter of planning for the worst while hoping for the best when it comes to rain on your wedding day!

Let’s get started with five ways that you can prep for rain on your wedding day!

Have a rain plan that you love

Believe it or not, forming a rain plan that you love starts before you even book your venue! When you are touring venues, do be sure to ask about their various rainy options. You will definitely want to choose a venue with a rain day plan that match your vision! After booking your venue, sync up with your vendor coordinator about their potential plans for your day. Do confirm what your options are and make sure they know what your wishes are for your day well in advance. There is nothing worse than reviewing rain options the morning-of from your hair and makeup chair—talk about stress! When it comes down to it, “hoping for the best” just isn’t going to work. Make your plan well in advance! If you don’t end up needing it, you will be so happy that you had the peace of mind during your planning process.

Do make sure your venue has a covered porch or overhang option

Don’t worry! If there is rain on your wedding day, it really isn’t that big of a deal! I am confident that I will still be able to produce some beautiful images for you! However, I will say that a porch or overhang makes the biggest difference! Choosing a venue with a large porch or any kind of covered porch ensures that we should have plenty of space for outdoor portraiture with you and your boo (and your wedding party!!). This is something that not everyone realizes while wedding venue shopping but will be so grateful for if it does rain on their big day!

Add Padding to your Timeline

I am a big supporter of adding padding to your timeline, even if there isn’t rain in your wedding day forecast!! I am always so happy when we have the flexibility on a rainy day, and I can guarantee that you will be too! On certain rainy wedding days, we have completely flip-flopped portrait times, first looks and wedding party group photos because of the weather! It wasn’t a problem because we had the flexibility in our timeline. DO be sure to add a few minutes here and there. You’ll be happy on your sunny wedding day and thankful if there is rain! Either way the weather goes, you win!

DON’T check the forecast 400 times when the 10 day forecast is released

I know what you’re probably thinking: “But doesn’t this contradict literally everything I’ve ever read about rainy wedding days?!” It might, but get this: the forecast changes… quite frequently!! You truly cannot get an accurate wedding day forecast until the day-of! Even with the amazing technology we have now, Mother Nature is going to do what she wants. DO check in a few days before your wedding to start setting your personal expectations and any potential rain plans, but don’t let this freak you out! There are, of course, certain exceptions to this rule— like hurricanes and blizzards that require you to check in a few days earlier, but keep in mind, the paths of large storms change like crazy too! You truly cannot make any big indoor/outdoor calls until the morning-of (which is why it is SO important that you have already considered and crafted this plan!).

Know where you will be getting your dress cleaned

This tip applies to ALL brides, but especially rainy day brides. No matter how hard we try, your dress IS going to get dirty, rain or shine. When you add in mud, guests with muddy shoes, and water, into the mix, it DOES increase the chance of getting something on your dress! Great news for you though…. professional cleaning and dress preservation are AMAZING options that will be able to get almost any dirt stains out of your dress. I do encourage you to get it cleaned ASAP though before your stains can set in! DO know that there is a difference between dry cleaning and wedding dress preservation. Select a service that matches what your needs and desires and that has wonderful reviews to match! When you know WHO will be cleaning your dress during your wedding, you will be much less stressed if it gets a little dirty.

Prep your feet!

I love a gorgeous pair of heels, but they can be really uncomfortable if you need to walk on soft ground! If there is rain in the forecast for the week prior to your wedding or for the day-of, you’ll want to make sure that your shoes are prepared appropriately! Now… you don’t need to get rain boots or anything crazy like that, but you do want to make sure that you have something to keep you from sinking if you are planning to wear heels. Flats are wonderful for wet wedding days. Just be sure that, if you opt for flats at the last minute, you won’t be tripping over your dress if you were fitted while wearing a pair of heels!

Bonus: Breathe and know that there is absolutely nothing you can do to change the forecast.

Flexibility is key when it comes to being bride! However, rainy day brides need to be a bit more flexible than most! Do your best to prep ahead of time, but know that your day-of may look a little different than planned if there is rain in the forecast. That’s totally okay, your day will still be beautiful, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to change the weather! You’re getting MARRIED, and that is all that matters! Also, your vendors got you girl! Don’t stress. I have worked countless weddings in the rain and know that my team will be able to capture your day beautifully!

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