What to do if it rains on your wedding day
Wet weather wedding planning guide
Updated Feb 2021.
“life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”
Contents
When is the best time to get married in Northern Ireland?
Have a wet weather plan
Essential items for a wet wedding
What to wear to a wet wedding
Do group & family portraits indoors
How to brave the elements on your wedding day
When is the best time to get married in Northern Ireland?
The sad reality is with all the will in the world we can’t control the weather. It’s going to do what it’s going to do regardless of how much we hope, stress or pray. Northern Ireland is beautifully green for a reason - it rains - a lot! But don’t let that dampen your wedding day excitement or experience. In many cultures rain on your wedding day is actually a symbol of good luck. Rain symbolises fertility, cleansing & was believed to strengthen the bond during traditional knot ceremonies. Rather than worrying about the possibility of rain, embrace the adventure & get yourself rainy day prepared with my tops tips.
Have a wet weather plan
Whether you’re planning an outdoor ceremony, a garden drinks reception, a wedding day photo walk or garden games it’s a great idea to have a wet weather backup plan. Speak with your venue & ask about wet weather options. Most venues will be able to offer you a wet weather alternative & have it available for your use if the worst happens. It might mean moving indoors or might be as simply as using a temporary roof to provide shelter. I highly recommend visualising your wet weather day & falling in the love with your wet weather plan as much as your dry weather plan. That way when your wedding day comes you’ll be happy to embrace whatever the weather brings.
Essential items for a wet wedding
Umbrellas are awesome! Wether you want to persevere with your plan A or move to your plan B the chances are there will be at least one occasion on your wedding day where you want or need to be outdoors. That’s when the humble umbrella will be worth it’s weight in gold. The great news is that you can use your choice of umbrella to add to the overall feel of your wedding. The colour options & styles are endless. You can pick umbrellas that tone in perfectly to your wedding colours, you could get a selection of different colours to add a quirky colour pop to your photos or keep it simple & understated & opt for large plain golf umbrellas. Ideally you want to have umbrellas for yourself, your bridal party & your guests. It’s worth checking with your venue to see if they have any umbrellas that you can borrow on the day, it’s a great way to keep your expense down. It’s also a great tip to ask your bridal party & close friends & family to bring along spare umbrellas which can be put into stands for guests to grab if needed.
What to wear to a wet wedding
The last thing you want on your wedding day is cold wet toes so get yourself some wet weather shoes. It could be a colourful pair of wellies, some high-ups or your trusty hiking boots. Don’t forget that even if you get a break in the rain the ground will still be wet & potentially muddy. I love stealing couples away for some quiet time on their wedding day & it’s lovely to do this outdoors whatever the weather. When it comes to alternative shoes don’t forget the boys. Mens dress shoes are often slippery & the last thing you want is to have anyone slipping or worse yet falling on your wedding day. The chances are your dress will get a bit muddy but muddy washes out & you’re only going to wear your dress once so enjoy the moment.
Do group & family portraits indoors
There’s nothing better on a wet miserable day than being cozied up to the one you love & your wedding day is no exception. If your wedding day is a wash out your bridal party will thank you for doing group portraits indoors. Think about your loved ones, the last thing you want is to drag family & friends outside if it’s pouring down. Put their needs first, you wouldn’t want their lasting memory of your wedding to be getting soaked in the rain.
embrace the rain
For your bridal portraits dare to be brave. Wet weather brings an extra touch of romance & atmosphere to your wedding photos so embrace the adventure. If it’s a summer wedding it’s worth heading into the trees for a bit of natural shelter & if it’s a winter wedding grab a beautiful wooly blanket & throw it over your shoulders. Cosy up close & cuddle under your umbrella! You can’t control it & you can’t change it so the best you can do is embrace it. Stay focused on what the days is really about & have fun whatever the weather brings. If it’s a wash out it will make for brilliant stories to tell your grandchildren in the years to come & if it clears up you might get treated to a beautiful wedding day rainbow.
