So much effort goes into planning your perfect wedding day and it can be devastating to have uncooperative weather. The best defence you have against wet weather on your wedding day is to prepare, plan and embrace!
Prepare
We always advise our couples to have a wet weather back up plan for their wedding day, especially if they've planned for an outdoor ceremony or reception. Have a few discussions with your venue on what their wet weather plan is as most will have one and can probably offer you a great alternative, should the weather be miserable on the day.
If you choose to have a backup venue, make sure you tell your guests!
In general, most couples will have a tent or marque option that can be set up the night before or morning off if the weather isn't going to be great. You can still create a lovely atmosphere and most themes or styling plans can be altered to work under these sheltered options.
Added tip; think about also buying some clear umbrellas - these not only protect you from the rain but look great in photos because you don't lose any details.
Plan
It's good to be prepared for wet weather but you should have an actual plan in place so you know what will happen, your wedding planner or coordinator knows what you would like to do and the venue can help make it happen. In general, you will be talking to your wedding planner/coordinator in the days leading up to the big day, and they will always have an eye on the weather for you.
Don't just think about your reception and ceremony plans - talk to your photographer and have some backup photo locations in mind that might be more weather appropriate should you need it. If your dress has a long train or many layers, keep that in mind as outdoor photos could get muddy. A pair of flat shoes never goes astray on your wedding day and should be part of your Wedding Day Emergency Box anyway but you should also keep some on hand in case of wet weather - no one wants the bride to slip in her heels! Don't forget to pack a jacket or something to cover up so you don't get cold.
We also highly recommend keeping your hairstyle in mind - if you are prone to fizzy hair the moment there's a bit of moisture but wanted to have your hair down, talk to your hairdresser and come up with some ideas that will work.
Embrace
While rainy weather might seem like it will ruin your day, our best advice is to embrace the weather and make the most of it. Your wedding day is still going to be special and memorable and your photographer can get some absolutely stunning photos that they can only get with stormy backgrounds or rain. For example, try taking some night shots in the rain with some well placed lights - they can look so unique.
