Worried About Rain on Your Wedding Day? Here’s What We’re Gonna Do.

Unless you’re dying to have your wedding ceremony be as dramatic as a romance movie (I fully support it), most people dread the thought of even a chance of rain on your wedding day. Queue Alanis Morrisette singing “IT’S LIKE RAIIIIIIIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAYYYY!!!!”

Anyway, so you wake up on your wedding day and see gray skies. Then you think…oh shit, I planned the outdoor ceremony. You pictured your photos. You've been checking the weather forecast approximately 700 times a day, and now there's a little rain cloud sitting directly over your wedding date.

But here’s the thing: none of us can control the weather. What we can control is what we do with it.

Rain on your wedding day doesn't automatically mean your ceremony has to move inside. It doesn't mean your photos are ruined. It doesn't mean your entire timeline gets thrown away. It means we figure out what you want to do, we make a plan, and we pivot when we need to. And as your photographer? I'm along for the ride with whatever decision gets made.

I've Photographed Pretty Much Every Version of This

I've photographed weddings where rain completely changed the plan, weddings where it barely changed anything, and weddings where everyone basically told the rain to eff right off.

Recently, I photographed a backyard wedding where it poured on and off throughout the day, and there wasn't really an indoor ceremony option. When it became clear that the weather wasn't cooperating with the original ceremony time, the couple decided to push it back and wait.

Eventually, we got a break from the rain for about an hour. Everyone quickly moved outside. People were cleaning off the seats, getting all of the details prepped as fast as they could. They held their ceremony, and it went beautifully. The sun started to peek through right after the couple had their first kiss and walked down the aisle; it was honestly magical.

I've photographed another outdoor wedding where it rained through the first look, entire ceremony, the family photos, the reception- everything. Everyone was under a tent, the rain kept coming, and the ceremony happened anyway.

And then I've had the complete opposite.

Everything was set for an outdoor ceremony when rain came seemingly out of nowhere. We had 15 or 20 minutes to prepare. The planner talked to the couple; they decided they'd rather move the ceremony inside, and everyone got to work. The ceremony took place indoors, and it was beautiful.

Three weddings.

Three completely different decisions. And all three were the right decision because they were what the couple wanted.

Your Rain Plan Doesn't Have to Be "Move Everything Inside"

When people talk about having a rain plan, it can sound like you need an elaborate backup wedding waiting in another room or moving to a completely different venue. You don't. You need to know what your options are and what you're comfortable with.

Your venue might have a beautiful indoor ceremony space, and you're perfectly happy moving everything inside. I'm good with photographing indoors; don’t stress about it. There could be a tent, a covered patio, a porch, or another protected space we can use too. Maybe you're willing to push the ceremony back a little and see if the storm passes. I’m down for that too.  Shoot, maybe there's a drizzle, and you are the type of person who doesn't give a shit. Or maybe it's absolutely pouring, and you look at everyone and say: Eff it. We're doing this. There isn't one correct answer. It's your wedding, and you get to decide how much the rain changes it. Whatever you are comfortable with, I am comfortable with.

I'm Not Afraid of Getting Wet

This is probably the part I want couples to understand the most. You do not need to make decisions about your wedding based on whether I'm comfortable photographing in the rain. I am. I keep a rain jacket in my car. I have an umbrella. I have rain protection for my camera gear. And I have clear umbrellas because, yes, they're practical, but also because rainy wedding portraits with clear umbrellas are hella cute.

So, if you want to stay completely dry, we're staying dry. If you want to run outside during a break in the rain, I'm coming with you. If it's drizzling and you're okay getting a little wet, let's go. If you want to stand in the rain and kiss like in The Notebook while I get soaked behind my camera? I'm there.

My job is to make sure you get beautiful photos no matter what the weather decides to do. I'm not going to be another person stressing you out because the forecast changed. You decide what you're comfortable with.

I'll figure out how to photograph it.

Your Photos Aren't Ruined Because the Sun Isn't Out

At times, I think that this is one of the biggest fears couples have when they see rain in the forecast.

What about our photos? We're still taking them.

They might look different than what you originally pictured, but different doesn't mean worse. Cloudy skies give us beautiful soft light. It’s honestly my favorite kind of light. Wet pavement can create very cool reflections. Dark clouds can make for some dramatic-as-hell portraits. Rain can look incredible when the light hits it just right.

And sometimes the weather gives us something we never could have planned. We can photograph inside. We can use windows, doorways, porches, and covered areas. We can watch for breaks in the weather and haul ass outside when we get one. We can grab my clear umbrellas and embrace it. There are options. That's why you're hiring someone who knows how to pivot.

If Rain Is in the Forecast, Bring a Few Things

You do not need to panic-buy $400 worth of rain gear because your weather app showed a 40% chance of rain ten days before your wedding.

But if rain is looking increasingly likely as we get closer, a few things can make the day easier:

• Shoes you don't mind getting wet or dirty

• An extra pair of shoes and socks

• Hair and makeup products for quick touch-ups

• A couple of towels

• Umbrellas

• A general idea of how much rain you're willing to deal with

Because maybe we swap two parts of the timeline, or maybe we take family photos inside while the rain comes down and then we go outside for couple portraits when it stops. Maybe we wait 20 minutes, or maybe we don't wait at all and just embrace the weather as it is. But there’s one thing for sure: we'll figure it out.

Also, Rain on Your Wedding Day Is Good Luck

Listen. Do I believe the universe is checking the radar before determining the success of your marriage? No. Do I absolutely eat up some cheesy wedding symbolism? Hell yeah I do.

One of my favorites is the idea that rain can symbolize unity, since a wet knot is harder to untie. If you're literally "tying the knot," rain will make that bond even stronger. Rain is also associated with new beginnings because it washes everything clean, giving you a fresh start as you begin this next part of your lives together. And we cannot forget the best one… because rain helps everything grow; it's also associated with growth, abundance, and the idea of building a full life together. So if it's raining while we're standing there waiting to see what happens next, congratulations because I'm probably going to hit you with some aggressively optimistic rain symbolism. Not even sorry.

You Can Be Bummed About the Rain

I am not going to stop you, and I’ll be upset with you. Because I also don't want to give you the "OMG RAIN IS ACTUALLY BETTER!!!" speech. Because if you spent a year picturing yourself getting married outside and you wake up to thunderstorms? You are allowed to be disappointed. You don't have to decide that the rain is magical immediately. So, be annoyed, swear at the weather app, have your moment, crash tf out a little, and then we'll figure out what we're doing because rain can change the plan without ruining the day.

Embrace the Shit

Your wedding doesn't need perfect weather to be a fucking great wedding.

I've watched couples wait for the rain to stop. I've watched couples move their entire ceremony indoors with 15 minutes' warning. I've watched couples get married outside as rain fell around them. They all still got married. They all still had their people there. And they all still got wedding photos. That's what I want you to remember when your forecast starts looking questionable.

We have options. We can wait. We can move. We can grab an umbrella. We can get wet. Whatever you decide, I'll stand by you and make it work.

Because my job isn't to give you a wedding day with perfect weather; my job is to photograph the wedding day you actually have. And if Mother Nature decides to bring a little chaos? Screw it. Let's take some cool photos.

Rain, Shine, or Whatever Michigan Decides to Do

If you're planning a wedding in Michigan, you already know the weather does whatever the hell it wants. You don't need a photographer who'll panic when the forecast changes; you need someone who's prepared to pivot with you. So if you're looking for a wedding photographer who will grab the clear umbrellas, throw on a rain jacket, and roll with whatever your wedding day brings, let's talk about your wedding.