Almost everyone wishes their wedding day is nothing but warm and sunny all day long, even your photographer! Most of the time, that is the case. But once in a while, I wake up and it’s either rainy or overcast outside. Rain on wedding days can be SO stressful. The photo above, for example, was taken just after it stopped HAILING, and you can’t even tell!
Over the past three years, I have learned a few tips to help the wedding day continue to run smoothly and how to work with the weather to allow me to capture the best portraits possible for my couples.
#1 Pack umbrellas in your car.
I ALWAYS keep clear bubble umbrellas in the trunk of my car, even if I don’t have a wedding that weekend. I don’t take them out because I never know when I might need them! It could be sunny for hours and then right as it’s time for portraits, the sky is full of dark clouds and the rain begins to fall. I don’t just have one umbrella in my car, or two umbrellas…I have 10. This allows me to hand an umbrella to not only my couple but each couple in the wedding party as well! I recommend purchasing clear bubble umbrellas to look clean and simple in portraits as well as to allow a bit of light to filter through.
#2 Keep a clear plastic shower curtain in your camera bag!
This was a tip I learned from my friend, Natalie Franke, and it has been SO helpful on rainy wedding days. It’s something you would never think about using! If the ground is extremely wet or muddy and you do not want to ruin the bottom of your brides wedding gown, lay a clear shower curtain over the area and have her stand on top of it! This prevents the fabric and lace from getting ruined and as long as you tuck away the excess curtain, it’s completely unnoticeable!
#3 Use a reflector.
When the sky is overcast, there is a lot less lighting to work with. Using a reflector allows that limited light to be redirected onto the couple. The reflector I love to use is the Neewer 5 in 1 portable 60 x 90 reflector. This reflector has handles which allows me to still shoot with one hand while holding the reflector in front of my couple with the other.
#4 Be prepared!!
It is extremely important to be prepared for a rainy day. This not only makes the day less stressful for you, but also less stressful for your bride and groom. The last thing that should be on your brides mind is a reminder that the weather is bad and wondering if she’ll be able to get good portraits, she should be enjoying her day with her new husband and loved ones! Come into the wedding day with a positive attitude and assure the bride that she has nothing to worry about. If it is raining during portrait time, try to find a porch or some sort of covering to keep out of the rain, or do some research beforehand for potential indoor locations that have natural lighting and can serve as a backup plan (Remember though to take into account the travel time to get there). Don’t feel intimidated by the rain, embrace it! The rain has become a part of your couples wedding day whether we like it or not, so be creative with it and tell their story!
