What If It Rains On My Wedding Day? - Top ideas for bad weather Nottingham, Sheffield & Derby wet wedding
What if it forecasts rain on my wedding day?
First things first, don’t panic or be disheartened!
If you have a great Derby, Nottingham or Sheffield wedding photographer with lots of experience then there’s absolutely no need to worry, everything’s fine!
Rain on a wedding day becomes an opportunity to get out the weather sealed camera and lighting kit and create some truly beautiful and unique wedding photographs.
I’m sure none of my couples will be hoping for rain, but if you do pull back the curtains on your big day to find it raining cats and dogs relax!
The creative off camera flash comes out along with umbrella or two and between us we will create beautiful and dramatic ‘wow’ shots of the two of you both inside and outside of your chosen wedding venue.
Setting up the ‘Wow’ Photographs for a Rainy Nottingham Wedding Day
The biggest rainy wedding day challenge is maintaining the balance between taking amazing dramatic ‘wow’ shots capturing all the drama and your venue but also keeping you both exposed outside in the elements for as little time as possible!
To do this I set up creative of camera flash and carry out test shots in your absence to make sure everything is just perfect and ready and checking the umbrellas are good to go before stealing you from the dance floor for five minutes and bringing you both outside.
This has two consequences:
I have lots of pictures of me looking lonely, stood in the rain at wedding venues around Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield looking like the worlds worst Mary Poppins impersonator
Chim Chim Cheree! The un-edited umbrella test shot…
2. Once everything’s all good to go I can just walk you into the shot, capture the emotion filled photograph below and then get you both back inside the venue to your guests before you know it.
Rainy day wedding photography at Hazel Gap Barn
Wedding Day Clothing Ideas If Rain Is Forecast For Your Derby Wedding
When it comes to clothing, if you have a wedding dress with a long trail check you know how to hitch it up to keep it dry and as clean as possible when walking outside in the venue grounds. We will also bring along a willing bridesmaid or groomsman to help carry the train. Your bridal boutique will be able to point out the wrist hoop and give you some pointers on the best way to hold it.
Romantic rainy day wedding photography
To show your dress at its best in your wedding photographs you will want it laid out (I have extensive wedding dress trail fluffing experience!) so it only needs to be hitched up for the walk outside and back in again. I have a large photographic umbrella which will keep you and the dress covered and wherever possible we’ll keep you off the grass.
Pouring rain dramatic wedding photography
Other helpful clothing suggestions:
Bring along a jacket you can just pop over your shoulders for the evening to keep warm ad dry whilst outside
A change of comfy shoes is a great option or even wellies, Hunters are all the rage at the moment and can either be part of a unique fun shot or hidden by your dress. It’s far easier to get around the wedding venue grounds in trainers than killer heels (I mean I’m not speaking from personal experience but… I imagine it is)
Put together some blankets, shawls or pashminas in a nice basket for you and your guests to get wrapped up and warm as the night draws in
Top Photography Ideas for Heavy Rain on your Nottingham Wedding Day
Charlie & Luke (below) were married at Hazel Gap Barn in Edwinstowe, Nottingham on a day with a Met Office Severe Weather Warning for heavy rain all day but didn’t put the slightest dampener on their amazing wedding day.
We made the most of their beautiful barn venue, I brought along professional strobe lighting to do the large group shots indoors and we used the rain to our advantage for some gorgeous unique shots of just the two of them, using reflections in standing water and the contrasting light for beautiful portraits.
The right equipment
Whoever you choose as your wedding photographer ask to see some galleries from wedding they have taken at rainy day weddings. Ensure they have the knowhow and equipment to still deliver beautiful group photographs indoors if the weather takes a turn.
There is nothing more unflattering than being blasted with harsh camera flash resulting bright white faces and backgrounds filled with harsh shadows! You want natural, flattering, diffused lighting so everyone looks their absolute best.
Go with the flow!
There is a reason some of the most memorable kissing scenes in movies take place in the rain, its because its ouses romance.
Cuddle up, love the sound of the drumming rain on the roof tiles, embrace the elements and have an amazing memorable day!
Be Prepared For a Rainy Sheffield Wedding Day With Umbrellas
Umbrellas are a wedding photographers best friend on a rainy day so I always keep two large white photographic umbrellas in the car.
You can ask your wedding venue co-ordinator if they will have umbrellas available for guests to use or to assist with your arrival before the ceremony to keep your dress or suit dry if its pouring it down with rain as you get out of the car.
It can be good to buy some of your own, umbrellas are relatively cheap so make a sensible investment just in case the weather doesn’t go to plan and group shots look great with the bridal party and some matching brollies outdoors in the rain.
There are plenty of gorgeous wedding umbrellas to choose from and you can even tie them in with your theme or have them branded with bridal party names for the day!
Have a Plan ‘B’!
It’s important though to have a backup plan ready if the forecast suggests the rain or even snow it’s going to be heavy and relentless.
As a professional Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield Wedding Photographer I have worked at most venues across the East Midlands but if your chosen wedding venue is new to me I always visit before the big day.
This gives me a chance to recce the site, look at shelters such as band stands, awnings and larger indoor areas, the lighting and think about what additional equipment I may need to bring if the forecast says the rain will not give us a break.
What If The Rain Is Forecast None Stop On My Sheffield Wedding Day?
In truth it’s not often it rains none stop all day so its often possible to make a dash for the outdoors when the weather gives us a break, often passing rain will leave dramatic skies like in the photograph below taken at Cockliffe Country House in Nottingham, and even gorgeous sunsets with up-lit clouds.
I also have the trusty Meteo Group weather app on my phone which gives me hourly updates on weather patterns so we can plan ahead to dash out in the breaks between showers and get those outdoor photographs if I know they are important to you.
Finally, remember if it really does rain heavily and all day long it an opertunity to make the most of your gorgeous chosen venue.
Beautiful wedding day snowy pictures
Snow on wedding day
And finally…. very often with a rainy day comes an awesome, dramatic, moody sunset!
