How to Get Wonderful Wedding Photos on a Rainy Day

Little did I know when I moved to Pittsburgh several years ago that this lovely city gets a lot of rain! Not only that, Pittsburgh’s wettest months are May, June, and July, which are definitely popular times to get married. So, chances are, it’s going to rain on somebody’s wedding date. In fact, of the seven weddings I photographed starting in May, four experienced periods of rain!

So what can you do when it rains on your wedding day? How can you still get beautiful wedding pictures?

Although it seems like something completely out of your control, there are several things you as a bride and me as a photographer can do to ensure beautiful photographs no matter what. Speaking from experience, here’s some suggestions on how to prepare for a rainy wedding day.

1. Decide beforehand that you’re wedding day is going to be AWESOME (and it will!) no matter what. Sounds hokey, I know, but if you are excited and happy on your wedding day, your photos are going to reflect that–rain or shine. Conversely, if at the first sign of rain you panic and despair, your photos will probably reflect that.

2. Buy umbrellas. If it’s only drizzling or raining lightly, nothing could be cuter than some matching umbrellas with your bridesmaids’ dresses. Be creative and have fun! Bring a pair of flip-flops or “wellies” so you don’t mess up your pretty shoes. And even if you forget an umbrella, I always bring several myself. Some of my favorite portraits have been taken in the rain.

3. Have an alternate location for photos. If it’s pouring cats and dogs, lighting and thundering, and in general not safe to go outside for photos, have an alternate inside location. This is something I can work with you on. Believe me, I can create incredible portraits in not-so-amazing-looking locations if you’re up for the challenge. The key is to have a place that has good natural lighting—ie, large windows. A lot of times hotels have great windows and clean backgrounds, but even if you don’t have access to a nice hotel, any place can work if we’ve got some windows or doors.

For Kerry and Josh’s wedding, we had planned on taking some group photos outside at her parent’s house, but it was pouring. So, I just stepped out the front door and had the girls huddle together in the front hallway. It worked!

By the time Erin and Zack’s ceremony was over, the sky had opened up. So instead of going to locations around downtown Pittsburgh, we headed back to their reception site, the Westin Hotel. We were able to create incredible images all inside with natural lighting.

4. Be flexible with your time. The thing with rain in Pittsburgh is that it usually doesn’t rain all day. And I’m sure that’s the case in many parts of the country. So, while it may be raining when you had planned on taking outside photos, if you can be flexible, we can try to wait it out. Even if it’s just taking 15 minutes during a slow time at your reception, the wait can be worth it!

5. EMBRACE the rain! Honestly, some of my favorite images have been taken in the rain. While I will never push you to do something that may leave your dress a bit wet, I am totally up for creating incredible photos in the rain if you are. Hey, it’s your wedding day, make the most of it and have fun!

So, if the forecast says rain on your wedding day, don’t worry! We can still create some beautiful and lasting photos of your gorgeous day! Just have fun with it!