6 Tips to Prepare for Mother Nature on Your Wedding Day

Filed in general, planning, portraits, weddings shot by Ayres Photography on May 19, 2019 at

When it comes to planning your wedding day, or any special day for that matter, you have control over a lot of things. You can pick the invites, the colors, the flowers. You can create a schedule to perfectly camouflage your family’s constant tardiness (because they’re ALWAYS 45 minutes “fashionably” late). You can select the perfect venue, perfect date and, most importantly, the *perfect* dress (oh, and the perfect fiancé, too). Unfortunately, the one thing you cannot pick is just what Mother Nature decides to do on that oh so perfect date. Try as you may, your wishing and hoping and chanting and acts of superstition are all no match for her, but with just a few tricks, a little extra preparation and a youthful sense of adventure, rain/snow/any kind of precipitation on your wedding day becomes a whole lot less intimidating. In fact, it can actually make your special day that much more special! Here are our 6 tips to prepare for whatever Mother Nature might throw at you! :)

1. Have a Backup Plan. It’s important to have a rain plan. Whether you’re concerned with your portraits being outside or your entire day is scheduled to take place out in the fresh air, come up with a back-up plan. Talk to your venue(s) about what options they have for unpredictable weather. Many outdoor venues have an indoor option as well, and they can often move you inside at the last minute if needed. No indoor option available? No worries, consider renting a tent! Aside from giving you peace of mind if it rains, it can also provide shade for your guests if it ends up being a beautiful sunny day. Tents can also be super pretty! Think twinkle lights and paper lanterns :)

More concerned about your outdoor photographs? If you really don’t want to risk the weather, there are tons of amazing indoor or covered spaces around our beautiful city of Buffalo that act as unique and stunning backdrops to your photos, whether on your wedding day, engagement shoot or family session. Talk to your photographer about your concerns and they will help you brainstorm a rain plan for portraits based on the location of your venues. That’s what we do for all of our Ayres couples! We can also make recommendations for some gorgeous indoor venues around the city that you can pre-reserve in case of inclement weather. These locations do have a fee associated with them, but the resulting photos are so unique and amazing that we think it’s totally worth it! A few of our local favorites are:

Silo City (shown above).

Hotel Henry (shown above).

Ellicott Square Building (shown above).

2. Umbrellas! Simple enough, right?! Right! We suggest these awesome clear umbrellas. Not only are they super functional, but they go with any color scheme, aren’t at all distracting and can add a real touch of class and whimsy to your special day! Plus you can get photos THROUGH them. AMAZING! Purchase umbrellas for yourself, your party members and even your ushers (to help guests stay dry while they’re coming and going).

3. Waterproof Your Look. Not necessarily just your face, although that is important too! It’s always a good idea to make sure that the products used on your big day are able to hold up against the elements, whether that be sweat, tears, precipitation or wind. If you’re having your make-up done professionally then your make-up artist should have all the right tricks and tools to get you safely through the day unscathed, however it doesn’t hurt to check in with him or her beforehand and voice your concerns. If you’re doing your own make-up there are plenty of great products that can really make a huge difference in whether or not your make-up stays in place. Waterproof mascara is a no-brainer, but don’t forget about a good face and eye-shadow primer, waterproof eyeliner, and a setting spray to keep your face looking flawless from sun up to sun down! When it comes to your hair it’s always best to work with it instead of against it, regardless of the weather. If your hair typically doesn’t hold a curl well, can get frizzy easily or if you’re just afraid of it possibly losing it’s shape from things like wind and rain (and sweat, too) then consider choosing a hairstyle that’s mostly pulled up and secured versus something down and vulnerable to the elements. Bring a hairdryer with you to the venue just in case (even to dry your dress if needed! Hey, those things come in handy for more than just hair!) and when it comes to footwear, a back-up pair of flats or wedges are much more dependable than stilettos when you’re dodging rain drops and puddles, and stomping through rain softened grass or slick pavement. Or just go all in and find yourself a cute pair of emergency rain boots!

4. Keep your guests informed. If you’re planning part or all of your day outside, let your guests know ahead of time so that they too can be prepared for whatever nature sends your way that day. It’s no fun to show up to a wedding or party thinking you’ll be safe from the rain drops indoors only to arrive and find out that you’re actually going to be hanging out under the darkening clouds all day, just waiting for them to open up and dump buckets on your freshly styled coif (and after all that time you spent on it, too!!). Save your guests from the regret of leaving their umbrellas at home by simply making a note of your intentions on your invites. They’ll be grateful for the heads up.

5. Trust your photographer. It’s really just that simple. More often than not, your photographer has been doing this long enough to know how to get the shots they need regardless of what Mother Nature has in store. They’ve seen it all and they’ve made it all work. Wind, rain, snow – whatever the case, your photographer will make it look beautiful and memorable. Some of the best shots come out of unexpected and unpredictable weather situations.

And that leads us to our last tip…

6. Have a sense of adventure. Yes, it’s okay to get a little wet!! Laughter and a positive “roll with the punches” outlook can truly make or break your day. It’s all about mind set and if you simply tell yourself that you might get a little wet but you’re going to have fun doing it, then not only will your photographs be amazing but you’ll look back on your day with fondness and lightheartedness rather than regret and frustration. Like we said, you can control a lot of things but you absolutely cannot control Mother Nature. So rather than fight her and let her get the best of you, make the choice to have fun with her instead!