The weather in New York is absolutely unpredictable. And sometimes it rains on your wedding day. In some cultures, rain is a good symbol of prosperity and blessing for the couple. In others, it is a bad omen. And while the rainy day wedding was not in your plan, Mother Nature has its own plans and the best you can do is just to be ready for the day to hit differently. So how to prepare for a rainy day wedding?
How to elope on a rainy day?
- Discuss plan “B” with your partner and planner.
First of all, discuss with your partner if the rain would be a deal-breaker for you. Can you move the ceremony to another day? Another location? Or should you initially look for the covered location?
If you are planning a small elopement ceremony in a park with immediate family members you can always move to another covered spot within the park. For example, in Central Park, The Ladies Pavilion, Wagner’s Cove, and the Bethesda Terrace would provide a cover in case of rain.
If you know that a rainy day wedding is not what you had in mind, the best option would be to secure a venue that has both inside and outside options. Always ask your planner what is plan “B” in case the weather would be acting up. Include that information in your invitations, so that your guests know in advance where they need to go. - Embrace the rain
If you know that it’s going to rain on your wedding day, the best thing you can do is to embrace the rain and come prepared. We always recommend getting those clear umbrellas as it’s perfect for the pictures and looks amazing in any setting. Get a white or clear raincoat and don’t forget the rain boots. From experience, the rainy day pictures actually look much better than the sunny ones, because there are no harsh lines. Overcast brings soft lighting and images look moody and more interesting. Plus the umbrellas make the images more interesting. So from the photographer’s point of view, rainy day ceremonies are more romantic. - Transportation
Make sure you have a preassigned car that will bring you to the ceremony location and back. There is nothing worse than waiting for an uber for 20 minutes under the pouring rain. If you have a group of 10 people or more, it is better to get a limo, so that everyone can be transported at once. Please note that no cars are permitted in Central Park, so if you choose a location which is far from the entrance, you will have to walk there. In this case, always come in your rain boots and change to the shoes on the spot.
Overall, light rain is not a big deal and it won’t change your wedding plans. The more harsh rain might be a problem but again with the right attitude and preparation, it won’t be the end of the world. Just don’t stress out too much about it and be ready to change your plans. Once we had a couple who refused to get umbrellas and by the end of the ceremony, they took off their shoes and just danced in the puddles. It was such a pure intimate moment, we all cried and admired this couple’s attitude. So if you can’t change it, embrace it.
If you are planning to get married this summer/ fall season and don’t know where to start contact us now and our experienced team will help you create the wedding day of your dreams.