Wedding planning advice / By Dan Pahlen / 14 November 2026
Rain on your wedding day?
We’ve still got a wedding to enjoy.
Rain changes the plan. It doesn’t cancel the good stuff.
Rain on your wedding day doesn’t mean you can’t have amazing photos. We might move the photos indoors, shuffle a few timings or grab an umbrella. You’re still getting married and having a day with your favourite people. A rubbish forecast doesn’t get to take all of that away.
That said, if you’ve pictured drinks outside and a wander through the gardens, you’re allowed to be a bit gutted when the forecast looks rubbish. You don’t need someone telling you it’s lucky while you’re wondering where everyone’s going to fit.
What helps is having a plan you’re actually happy with. We’ll find somewhere that works, keep you comfortable and get you back to your guests. Nobody booked a wedding so they could spend the afternoon refreshing a weather app.
Look at the rainy-day version before you book
When you’re viewing a venue, ask to see where the day would happen if it rained. Stand in the room. Picture your guests in it. Would you still be excited to spend the afternoon there?
Ask where drinks, any group photos and your couple portraits could happen. Check whether those spaces will be free at the same time, or needed while staff set up for food. A gorgeous room isn’t much use for photos if it’s being turned round when you need it.
If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony, agree the alternative and who makes the decision with the venue and the person conducting it. Ask about timing and any extra arrangements before the wedding morning. You can explore my wedding venue photos and stories for ideas, then check the current arrangements with your own venue.
Three ways to make the photos work
We don’t have to pick one plan and stubbornly stick to it all day. A quick portrait outside, some photos under cover and the rest indoors can all belong in the same wedding gallery.
A photo plan that can change
What feels good right now?
There’s a dry gap
Fancy a quick wander? Use a nearby spot and leave time to get back to your guests.
Light rain, and you’re up for it
Try an umbrella or a sheltered spot. Keep it comfortable, short and entirely optional.
You’d rather stay dry
Use the indoor space and available light. Nobody needs to earn their photos by getting soaked.
Comfort, safe conditions and your venue’s arrangements come first. Any of these can be the right choice.
You don’t have to go outside
We can look for a window, a doorway or somewhere indoors with a bit of room. I’ll help you find a spot, have a laugh with you and get some photos. You don’t need to stand against a blank wall doing your best school-photo smile.
When you’re choosing a photographer, ask to see a full wedding photographed in mixed weather or darker rooms. Look at the people, the colour and the indoor photos as well as the lovely sunset. My questions to ask your wedding photographer will help you work out what to ask before you book.
Don’t let the weather app become your extra wedding guest
A rain symbol doesn’t tell you what every minute of your wedding will look like. The Met Office explains that local detail becomes less certain further ahead. Use the forecast to get a sensible plan ready, rather than deciding a week beforehand that the whole day is a washout.
In the run-up, check the forecast for the actual venue, including the wind as well as the rain. On the day, pass the practical decisions to the people helping you. You’ve got enough to do without becoming the wedding’s weather correspondent.
I want you to have a wedding, not a photoshoot. You shouldn’t spend your drinks reception staring at a weather app or waiting by the door in case the clouds move.
We can leave a couple of chances for photos in the plan. If the rain eases, I’ll give you a shout and see if you fancy heading out. If you’re chatting to someone you haven’t seen in years or your food’s about to arrive, we’ll work around that. I’m not dragging you away from your dinner.
At Charlotte and Rory’s Scrivelsby wedding, rain before the ceremony gave way to evening sunshine. We headed out for another short set of portraits when the light appeared. Lovely when it happens! But I’m not going to promise a sunset every time it rains. I’ve got a camera, not a direct line to whoever’s in charge of the clouds.
An example, not a timetable
Same photo time. More room to adapt.
indoorsBack to your wedding
Gap varies10 min
later
Just an example: both options give you 20 minutes of couple photos. The gap can be as long as the day allows, and the later photos could be indoors too. We’ll work it out around your plans and the light.
Keep your people comfortable
I usually aim for six to eight group photos and get them done early, normally straight after confetti while everyone’s together. If it’s raining, we’ll use a suitable indoor or covered spot, or talk about shifting them to a better moment. We won’t stand everyone outside getting wetter while I insist on the original plan.
I’ll usually organise the groups and call out names, but give the list to someone who knows your guests too. They can spot who’s missing while I get the next photo ready. The faster we get them done, the faster everyone gets back to the bar. Always a useful bit of motivation!
Think about anyone who needs a seat, a step-free route or a bit more time getting around. We can plan smaller groups and keep people nearby instead of sending everyone across a wet lawn for one picture.
Confetti needs a plan as well. Ask your venue what’s allowed and where it can happen if it’s wet, then let the people helping organise it know. Keep it somewhere dry until it’s time to throw it. A covered spot only works if there’s room and the venue is happy for you to use it. There’s more on quantities and organising the throw in my confetti photo guide.
Pack a few useful things, not a second wedding
- An umbrella you’re happy to be photographed with. Clear ones can be handy for keeping faces visible. Check it opens properly and is comfortable to carry.
- Shoes you can move around in. A spare pair can make getting between buildings easier. You can change back when you’re settled.
- A small towel and a dry layer. Useful for drying hands or warming up after a short trip outside. Leave them somewhere easy to reach.
- A plan for getting from place to place. Check the route from the car, between buildings and to the loos. Tell guests if they’ll need to bring a coat or suitable shoes.
You don’t need matching umbrellas for every guest just because you’ve seen them on Pinterest. Start with what would actually help you and your people.
And if the wind’s making umbrellas impossible or the ground isn’t safe, we change the plan. A photograph is never worth someone slipping or feeling miserable.
Let it be part of the day, if you fancy it
Amy and Callum’s umbrellas and wet Hull streets are part of their wedding photos, alongside the colour, the details and the party. You can see the whole mix in their wedding story at Social on Humber Street.
Rain doesn’t have to become the subject of every photograph. There are still hugs, speeches, food and your mates doing whatever your mates do when they’re all in one place. I’ll still be photographing all of that. A bit of rain doesn’t stop your mates being your mates.
If you fancy a few pictures in the rain, brilliant. If you’d rather stay inside with everyone, also brilliant. You don’t have to prove how relaxed you are by getting your outfit soaked. Tell me what you fancy and we’ll go from there. There’s a wedding to get back to!
Umbrellas, indoor moments and getting on with the day
A few photos from weddings I’ve photographed, including Chloe and Aaron’s festival wedding at Pitch 21, Amy and Callum in Hull, and Charlotte and Rory at Scrivelsby.
A few more rainy-day questions
Can we still have photos after dark if it rains?
Potentially, yes. Rain and lights can look brilliant together, but it depends on the conditions, a suitable spot and how your photographer works after dark. Ask to see examples and discuss evening coverage beforehand. There’s no need to head outside if it isn’t comfortable or safe.
Should we move the wedding timings around when rain is forecast?
Check with your venue, ceremony provider and photographer before changing anything. Portraits may be flexible, but the ceremony, food and suppliers have their own arrangements. Agree a workable alternative rather than rewriting the whole day around a forecast.
Can our photos be edited to look sunny?
I’d rather make the most of the day you actually had. Rainy photos can still have colour, warmth and atmosphere, but changing the weather completely is a different editing request. If you have a particular expectation, discuss it with your photographer before booking.
What if we’re worried about keeping our clothes dry?
Tell me. We can prioritise indoor photos, suitable covered routes and short moves between spaces. You tell me what you’re comfortable with. You don’t have to agree to wet shoes or a muddy outfit to get lovely photos.
Your wedding. Whatever the weather.
I’m Dan, a wedding photographer based in Hull, covering Yorkshire and further afield. If you fancy relaxed photos, a laugh and plenty of time with your guests, tell me what you’ve got planned. I’d love to hear it.
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