Rainy weddings = gorgeous weddings
Advice, Wedding Porn
By
on July 09, 2008
34
It's that time of year when all the outdoor wedding brides are FREAKING OUT over the idea of rain.
Believe me, I remember the panic: I spent the week leading up to my wedding reading the NOAA weather report every half hour, freaking out over impending precipitation.
But here's the thing: rainy weddings can be awesome, if you're prepared. In the case of cutie mcbriderson here, that means the most adorable polka dot umbrella evar! Look at that gorgeous diffused light. Look at those polkadots! Look at that green shrug! LOOK AT THAT SMILE!
So rainy wedding brides ... fear not. Your day is going to be awesome!
(Thanks to uberbabe8 for the photo!)
About Ariel Meadow Stallings
Author of Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides, Ariel acts as the publisher of all the Offbeat Empire websites. She lives, loves, and dorks out hard in Seattle, WA.
blablover5 said
I'm kinda hoping it rains, or at least the day before so we can get in and decorate the reception site early (golf course).
But if it does rain I got some great picture ideas.
Hollie said
My sis suggested the day before our outdoor wedding we go buy ~30 umbrellas, if it doesnt rain we return them! My sis is brilliant!
Lily said
Preparation and backup plans are vital for outdoor weddings, in my opinion. If for no other reason than to give some peace of mind to the wedding party leading up to the event. Our venue has indoor and outdoor areas which has really put my mind at peace (early evenings in Colorado are the primo time for thunderstorms
).
*Runs off to try to locate a pokadot umbrella just to have.*
Lily said
=O! Check out this one I just found:
http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.…2010_24679
How much fun would that be for some rainy couple's pictures?
jessamyn harris said
and actually, rainy/ cloudy/ foggy/ overcast skies can be lovely natural diffusers for photography. I can't tell you how often I hear apologies for there not being sun (this is the SF Bay Area after all) and I'm like, "I wouldn't have it any other way!"
i4detail said
I had a fairly traditional couple get married in Vancouver, BC in February. For the outdoor shots they bought (again, fairly traditional) black and white umbrellas.
The day came, and it was bright and sunny. Boo. I was looking forward to taking pictures of a couple in the rain. I faked a couple, but it just wasn't the same….
Lauren said
I am actually hoping for cloudiness. I always think the weather is a lot nicer when it's cooler, cloudy and breezy outside. I wouldn't mind the rain either.
island_monkey said
i4detail – I'm getting married on Vancouver Island in Nov, and will be somewhat sad if it doesn't rain! I'm planning gumboots for all the girls, and some kind of fun umbrellas. Ah, the west coast…you just never know!
Chantal said
We're having an outdoor wedding on August 5th, on beautiful shore side of Lake Nipissing. I am prepared for the possiblity of rain… I bought umbrellas (which is also our wedding favor) for each couple who has been invited. So snuggling is a must if the rain makes an appearence!
shelly said
I love your green shrug, did someone make it for you or did you buy it? Do you happen to know what pattern was used?
thanks, shelly
Stephanie BP said
They can make for the most beautiful photos. Harsh sunlight can make for issues if you're the photographer, particularly if the bride wants to be shot in the sun.
Maggie said
I would also love to know where that beautiful green shrug is from.
Ariel said
For everyone asking about the green shrug, click the picture and read the comments to get more information from the bride herself.
uberbabe said
hi ladies! the green shrug was knit for me by my awesome sister!! it was really a mixture of patterns. it's basically just a rectangle that we seamed up the ends to make sleeves. it's one pattern for the main body and then a lace edging around the edges.
Sabrina said
I spotted your green polka-dot shoes in one of the photos! Absolutely adorable
Jenn in WMBG said
We got married a week and a half ago on a farm in Western PA in an outdoor ceremony. Right as I started walking down the hill to the pond where the ceremony was going to take place it started raining! Luckily it stopped long enough to exchange our vows but right as we made it into the barn (where the reception was) the sky opened up and it started pouring and thundering and lightning. The bonus? The photographer got some rad lightning shots and after it stopped we had a double rainbow! I can't wait to get the photos back. It was much more memorable than if it was just sunny all day.
Cate said
Rent vintage umbrellas and parasols at:
vintage.bellaumbrella.com
Bella Umbrella has a great selection, old fashioned white ones, lace ones, colors and patterns. They mail them to you and you mail them back. Or pick them up in person if you live in Seattle.
babymonkey said
You can also clear umbrellas (so people can still see at the ceremony!!) with a logo on them for about $10 each… that's the first website I priced. I just googled for clear umbrella.
Liz said
Growing up in Seattle, I was so used to getting wet that I almost never bothered with an umbrella. But they're obviously a must for outdoor weddings, and I haven't seen one as cute as that in a long time!
Small caveat, though: in my experience, clear umbrellas tend to rip much more easily because they're made of a flimsier plastic material, instead of that nylon that most umbrellas seem to be fashioned from. Fine for a one-time event, but I wouldn't expect it to last – though I'm sure you get what you pay for, like always.
Butterbean said
I fear the mud resulting from rain, but I see that everything worked out at this wedding. Very nice and a lovely necklace.
jennifer chernoff said
Great post. I wish I could move back to the NW NOW so that I could take advantage of the rain. I am SO ok with rain. As the late Shannon Hoon put it "and I start to complain when there's no rain" some people just need it.
Lucy said
It rains quite a bit at our wedding on coming out of the registry office. My mum had found a really cute white umbrella with a shape like this http://www.simplyumbrellas.co.…9g2ms45iq5
Some of the best photos were of me and Mr L under that umbrella
I wouldn't go mega Bridal Crazy and buy 50 umbrellas like the magazines recommend but a cute one for photos is WELL recommended
kellY said
famous famous… even more
hope you 2 are having fun up north!
Rebecca said
I just had the most lovely outdoor wedding and it had rained all day and the day before. During the ceremony it let up and was just sprinkling a little bit, but the pictures turned out fabulous and the guests were all cool (since it was a Florida wedding). I thought it was ideal. They even offered to do it inside for us, but we chose outside and braved the weather and had a great time.
salwa said
congrats! How did you keep the ceremony chairs dry? or did you just have everyone stand?
Anusha said
My wedding day was also overcast, as it had rained heavily the night before and also in the early morning. This made for the most AMAZING light for the photographer, and the photos came out really beautiful, as a result.
Our wedding was in Sri Lanka (my native country), which is a tropical island that's close to the equator. The light there can be very strong and harsh. But, the slightly overcast conditions that morning made all the difference.