Along with the many joys that come from planning a wedding are the inevitable worries. Paramount among these—particularly when planning an outdoor ceremony—is the fear of rain on your wedding day. While there are many things you can control about your big day, the weather will never be one of them, but that’s no reason to worry.
Instead of fearing the possibility of poor conditions, you can embrace what the world gives you and make the best of it. You might be surprised to find that dealing with rain on your wedding day could be a desirable mishap, thanks to gorgeous lighting for perfect photos, an excuse for you and your guests to get cozy, and an unexpected perspective to begin your marriage with.
To put your mind at ease, we asked brides to share what happened when it rained on their wedding day (and why they wouldn’t have had it any other way).
The Pictures Will Be Gorgeous
“Once we got our pictures back, the light was beautiful, and it was so fun walking around huddled under an umbrella together. Plus, our ceremony was outside, and everyone had blankets and cuddled together.”
It Can Cool Down a Summer Night
“Luckily we were already under a tent eating when the major downpour occurred. When dinner was over, the rain had ended, and the beautiful, foggy sunset was perfect for pictures and dancing. Considering our wedding was in July, I was happy that the rain brought a cooler night instead of scorching sunshine.”
The Perfect Ceremony Isn’t Always What You Had Planned
“It rained on my wedding day, and it ended up being a great surprise. I had an outdoor ceremony planned, and instead, we got married in front of our venue’s beautiful fireplace. Our planner and florist brought in the arch and still decorated. It ended up being so pretty, and the rain stopped just in time for us to take photos outside. It was the perfect ceremony for us, and our guests loved how cozy it was.”
Your Guests Will Get Cozy
“Aside from optimal lighting for outdoor photos (and making all the flowers and trees more vibrant), it got everyone a lot more cozy at our backyard reception. We were so happy to see both of our families and friends mixing it up, where they might have otherwise spread out into their separate cliques.”
You’ll Learn to Let Go
“There was a torrential downpour on my wedding day in July 2015. Our ceremony was scheduled to be outdoors, and we had to scrap everything last-minute and move the ceremony inside. At the time, I thought it was the worst thing that could happen, but what I didn’t know is how much the experience would change my perspective on things. I used to need control over every aspect of my life and couldn’t deal when things fell out of line. Since then, I am so much more laid-back, less rigid, and happier.”
Everybody Loves Dancing in the Rain
“My husband and I have been together for 22 years and married for 14. We were married at our 1915 farmhouse here in Colorado. The day before the wedding, I had my silk gown cut to tea length but left the train. I had a hunch it was going to rain. People were sitting around hot as sin not doing much. As soon as the skies opened up, and it rained, people began dancing like fools to our bluegrass band. My dress miraculously stayed clean, and people had a blast in the rain, and they say it was the most fun wedding.” —
It Makes for a Great Story
“It poured on my wedding day (along with the day we got engaged, and the day of our engagement pictures), but it was perfect. Our venue was an old factory, and the dark moodiness made the day-of pictures amazing. But mainly, we chose our venue so we didn’t have to worry about the weather, so it was almost meant to happen.”
The Day Will Feel Magical
“Our wedding was at Momofuku Daisho in Toronto. We did it all on the terrace that connects the restaurant to the Shangri-La Hotel. It was tented with string lights everywhere and potted herbs on the table, and when it started raining, it was so enchanting. And it made sure it wasn’t too hot for any of our guests. Not to mention, we got the most amazing photos before it started raining because of how cloudy it was. It worked out perfectly.”