Anyone who has planned a wedding knows the fear that impending rain can strike in a bride-to-be’s heart. In a place like Nashville, the weather can change on a dime. I’ve seen bright, sunny days overtaken by thunderstorms in a matter of minutes. You can’t control the weather, but you can control your approach to the possibility of wedding day rain! 

 

Plan Ahead

If you book an outdoor venue, make sure you have a rain plan! And no, praying for sunny skies does not count as a plan. Rent a tent, even if you don’t plan on using one, or coordinate with your venue to figure out if there are any indoor options. I was once at an outdoor wedding when a massive thunderstorm erupted a few minutes before the ceremony. The bride and groom had planned with their venue to move everything to inside a barn in case of an emergency, so they were able to act quickly. And the candle lit barn ceremony ended up being incredibly romantic and intimate!

 

Buy Clear Umbrellas

You know the ones I’m talking about! Those cute, clear bubble umbrellas that you’ve inevitably seen in someone’s photos. If you schedule your wedding during a particularly rainy season, or you notice that heavy rain is predicted a week or two before your wedding date, go ahead and invest in these accessories. The clear umbrellas allow a photographer to clearly see your face, and they won’t distract from your hair and makeup. Some of the cutest wedding party photos I’ve seen are those with clear, bubble umbrellas! And if you really want to go all out, buy color-coordinating rubber rain boots for your bridesmaids! 

 

Be Patient

Even the worst rainstorms usually break at some point. I’m not a professional meteorologist, but I am pretty skilled at watching a radar to find a few dry moments to sneak in your photos! It’s also best if you go ahead and plan to do a first look so we have maximum flexibility in your wedding day timeline.

 

Embrace the Romance of the Rain

If you don’t believe me that rain can be romantic, you need to stop what you’re doing and go watch The Notebook right now. If you end up with a super rainy day, you may want to just give in to Mother Nature and go for the full-on rain photos. You may need to fix your hair or touch-up your makeup afterwards, but you’ll end up with some gorgeous, super romantic rainy portraits. If you’re really worried about messing up your bridal look, you can always wait until after your ceremony and traditional elements of your reception (cake cutting, first dance, toasts, etc.) are over, and then run out into the rain! 

 

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