Let’s face it.  Every couple wants picture perfect weather on their wedding day.  Or at the very least, DRY weather.  No one envisions their ideal wedding day taking place in the middle of a hurricane or storm.  However, the reality is that there is always a chance for rain on your wedding day and as much as I wish I could control the weather, I can’t.

Luckily, here in Charleston, it’s highly unusual for us to have a day where it rains non-stop.  Over the past 12 years of shooting weddings, I can honestly count on one hand the number of days where we haven’t had the ability to go outside for photos at some point during the wedding day.  Since we live on the coast, we’re more prone to isolated storms and rain showers versus full days of non-stop rain.  With that in mind, here are some tips for dealing with a rainy forecast on your wedding day:

• • Breathe… especially if you are checking the weather forecast a week or more out from your wedding day.  The weather here in Charleston is notoriously unpredictable, with weather forecasts changing all the time!  You won’t have a really accurate idea of your wedding day weather until about 24 hours beforehand – so don’t stress out if the forecast shows rain a week out.  It will (most likely) change!
  • Be flexible with your timeline.  As I mentioned before, we are prone to isolated storms + showers here, so it may just be a matter of pushing back the First Look by 30 minutes… or deciding to do a First Look at the very last minute because it will be raining after the ceremony.  Remaining flexible will help your planner + photographer work together to ensure everything runs smoothly and that we’re able to get the photos you always dreamed of!
  • Do a First Look.  Whether you originally planned on doing one or not, it will allow for greater flexibility on your wedding day as it pertains to photos – which is crucial when you’re also dealing with Mother Nature.  Instead of having only an hour of time (cocktail hour) to work with for photos, your photographer will now have a much larger period of time to work with – before AND after the ceremony – giving them a better chance at capturing some great photos for you on a rainy day.
  • Discuss alternative photo locations with your planner and/or photographer.  Most venues have alternative options for photos, like covered porches, etc.  If your venue doesn’t have enough space for indoor photos, chat with your planner and photographer about your options.  You may need to shift the timeline around, but communicating with your wedding team will ensure we come up with a great Plan B!
  • Embrace it.  I mean, at the end of the day, what else can you do?!  It’s just water after all – and think of all the fun memories you can make with your wedding party!  Buy some cute umbrellas and/or rain boots.  Resign to the fact that – yes – your dress is most likely going to get wet at the bottom.  IT’S OKAY!!  Trust me, the world will not end because your dress got wet.  Have fun with it!  This is a much better alternative to sitting around and moping about the rain.

When it comes to finding alternative locations for photos, there are two things I am looking for: a location that is dry and where there is plenty of natural light.  Covered porches, porticos, sun rooms, balconies, gazebos, awnings, tree cover… these are all great alternatives!  And as soon as the rain lets up, we will book it outside for photos outdoors.  Below are some of my favorite rainy day photos!