What to Do If It Rains on Your Welsh Wedding Day (From a Photographer Who’s Seen It All)
Let’s be honest: if you’re getting married in Wales, there’s a pretty good chance it’s going to rain at some point during your wedding day. Actually, scratch that, there’s almost a guarantee.
I’ve been photographing weddings across South Wales for over a decade, and I’ve seen everything from light drizzle to proper Welsh downpours. I’ve photographed weddings on the Gower in sideways rain, outdoor ceremonies that moved inside at the last minute, and couple portraits with umbrellas that turned into impromptu comedy shows.
Here’s what I want you to know: rain doesn’t ruin wedding photos. It just makes them different. And often, those rainy day photos end up being some of my favourites.
What Happens If It Rains on Your Wedding Day?
Ceremony: Moves to your venue’s indoor backup space (all Welsh venues have one)
Couple Photos: Four options:
- Embrace the rain (umbrella shots, 5 minutes max)
- Use covered outdoor spaces (porches, doorways)
- Go indoors (windows, architecture)
- Wait for a break in the weather
Reception: Unaffected (happens indoors anyway)
Photos: Rain creates dramatic skies, moody atmosphere, and unique shots. Many photographers’ favorite images come from rainy weddings.
What to do: Know your venue’s backup plan, have clear umbrellas available, stay flexible, and trust your photographer.
Why Welsh Weddings and Rain Go Together
If you’re planning a wedding in Wales, you need to make peace with the weather. The average rainfall in Swansea is about 1,200mm per year. Cardiff? Similar. The Gower Peninsula? Gorgeous, but wet.
This isn’t pessimism, it’s realism. And the sooner you accept that rain is a possibility (or even a probability), the less stressed you’ll be if it actually happens.
The good news? Welsh venues know this. Every single wedding venue I’ve worked at across South Wales has a wet weather backup plan. They’ve done this before. Many times. You’re not the first couple to deal with Welsh weather, and you won’t be the last.
What Actually Happens When It Rains
Let me walk you through a typical rainy wedding day so you know exactly what to expect:
Morning Prep (Usually Fine)
Getting ready photos almost always happen indoors anyway, so morning rain rarely affects anything. In fact, rain on the windows can create beautiful atmospheric shots.
Ceremony
If you’re having an outdoor ceremony and it’s raining, most venues have an indoor backup option. Your venue coordinator will make the call, usually a few hours before the ceremony.
Indoor ceremonies are lovely. They’re intimate, cozy, and often have better acoustics. Plus, no one’s squinting in the sun or getting blown about by wind.
Couple Portraits
This is where couples worry most, but it’s actually fine. My documentary approach works perfectly in rain! Here are your options:
Option 1: Embrace the rain
Grab an umbrella (or two), and we’ll get some shots in the rain. These can be stunning, moody, romantic, and totally unique. Five minutes max, then we’re back inside. See some examples in my portfolio.
Option 2: Find covered spots
Most venues have covered areas, porches, doorways, arcades, barns. We can work with these and still get beautiful natural light.
Option 3: Go inside
Big windows, interesting architecture, beautiful indoor spaces. Some of my favorite couple portraits have been shot entirely indoors.
Option 4: Wait it out
Welsh rain often comes in bursts. Sometimes we can wait 20 minutes and get a break in the weather. If not, we go with options 1-3.
Reception
This happens indoors anyway, so rain doesn’t affect it at all. Dancing, speeches, cake cutting, all good.
My Favorite Rainy Day Photos
Here’s the thing about rain: it creates atmosphere. Moody skies, dramatic light, reflections in puddles, intimate umbrella moments. These aren’t “backup” photos, they’re often the most memorable shots from a wedding.
Rain adds mood. It adds story. And honestly? It often makes photos more interesting than a standard sunny day would. This is where understanding different photography styles really comes into play, editorial, documentary, candid shots all work beautifully in rain.
Practical Tips: Your Rain Backup Plan
Here’s what you actually need to do to be prepared:
Before the Wedding
1. Check your venue’s wet weather plan
Every venue has one. Know what it is. Where does the ceremony move to? What covered areas are available for photos? Just knowing the plan reduces stress.
2. Accept that you can’t control the weather
Seriously, this is the most important one. You can plan everything else about your wedding, but you cannot plan the weather. Accept it now and you’ll be so much calmer on the day.
3. Don’t obsess over the forecast
Welsh weather changes by the hour. The forecast two weeks out means nothing. Even the forecast the night before can be wrong. Check it once the morning of, then let it go.
4. Have umbrellas on hand
Clear umbrellas are best for photos (you can see faces), but any umbrella works. Your venue might provide some, but bring a few nice ones just in case.
5. Talk to your photographer
Tell me you’re worried about rain. I’ll show you examples of rainy day weddings and talk through exactly what we’ll do. Seeing the plan helps so much.
On the Day
6. Trust your venue coordinator
They’ve done this hundreds of times. If they say move the ceremony inside, they’re making the right call. Don’t second-guess them at the last minute.
7. Stay flexible with timing
If we were planning outdoor couple photos at 3pm but it’s pouring, we might wait until 3:30pm if there’s a break coming. Or we might just do them indoors. Trust your photographer to make the call.
8. Embrace it
If it’s raining, it’s raining. You can either stress about it or lean into it. Couples who laugh about the rain and just go with it always have better photos (and more fun) than couples who spend the day upset about weather they can’t control.
9. Protect your dress getting in/out of cars
This is really the only practical concern. Someone should hold an umbrella while you’re getting out of the car. If you’re camera-shy or anxious about photos, rain can actually help, it gives you something to focus on besides the camera. That’s it. That’s the whole problem solved.
10. Remember: guests don’t care
Your guests aren’t there for the weather. They’re there for you. I’ve never seen guests upset about rain at a wedding, they’re usually just excited to celebrate with you.
Best Indoor Photo Locations at Welsh Venues
Since I photograph all over South Wales, here are some types of venues that have fantastic indoor/covered options for rainy days:
Venues with great covered outdoor spaces:
- Barn venues (most have covered areas)
- Hotels with porches or covered entrances
- Historic buildings with arcades or cloisters
Venues with stunning indoor spaces:
- Castles (dramatic windows and architecture)
- Country houses (multiple elegant rooms)
- Converted barns (high ceilings and natural light)
- Hotels (grand staircases, lounges, lobbies)
Coastal venues: These are tricky in rain, but venues like those on the Gower often have indoor spaces with ocean views. The stormy sea in the background can be incredible.
I know these venues inside and out. I know where the best light is, which rooms work for photos, and how to make indoor spaces look amazing. Rain might change the plan, but it doesn’t limit what we can create.
What If It’s Not Just Rain, But Proper Welsh Weather?
Wind, rain, cold, the full Welsh experience. Here’s the approach:
For wind:
Short veil or no veil for outdoor photos. Hair tied back or embrace the windswept look (which can be gorgeous). Keep outdoor time brief.
For cold:
Bring a nice coat, wrap, or jacket for couple photos. We can take some with it on (can look very chic), then a few without for 2 minutes max, then back on. No one needs to freeze for photos.
For proper storms:
We stay inside. Simple as that. I’m not making you stand in a storm for photos. Your safety and comfort matter more than any photo.
The Photos You’ll Still Get
Even on a rainy day, here’s what we’ll capture:
✓ Beautiful getting ready shots
✓ Emotional ceremony moments
✓ Family group photos (usually indoors or covered)
✓ Couple portraits (indoor, covered, or umbrella shots)
✓ All the reception details, speeches, dancing
✓ Candid moments throughout the day
✓ Unique rainy day shots you wouldn’t get on a sunny day
The only thing you might not get is outdoor couple photos in perfect golden hour light. But you’ll get something different, often something better.
Things That Don’t Help
Stressing about the forecast weeks in advance
It will change. Multiple times. Don’t torture yourself.
Buying expensive weather insurance
Most policies don’t cover “I just don’t like rain.” They cover actual disasters. Read the fine print.
Planning an entirely outdoor wedding with no backup
In Wales? Come on. Have a plan B.
Hoping really hard that it won’t rain
Unfortunately, hope is not a weather control system.
Being upset on the day if it does rain
I promise you, this will not improve the situation.
Things That Actually Help
Having a solid backup plan
Know it. Trust it. Relax.
Good umbrellas
Clear ones are best, but any nice umbrella works.
Flexible mindset
“We’ll figure it out” is the best attitude.
Trust in your photographer
I’ve done this in every weather condition. I know what works.
Sense of humor
Rain on your wedding day is either a disaster or a funny story. You get to choose which.
The Silver Lining (Literally)
Here’s something couples don’t realize until after: rainy day weddings often feel more intimate and special. There’s something about everyone cozying inside together, dealing with the weather as a team, that creates a particular atmosphere.
Also, after rain? If you get even a 10-minute break in the clouds, the light is often incredible. That post-rain light, with dramatic skies and everything looking fresh and saturated, that’s photography gold.
My Actual Advice as Your Photographer
I’ve photographed weddings in every weather condition Wales can throw at us. Sunshine, rain, wind, fog, even snow once. Here’s my honest advice:
1. Have a backup plan and then forget about the weather
Seriously. Know what the plan is if it rains, then stop thinking about it. What will be will be.
2. Trust that I’ll handle the photos
Rain doesn’t scare me. I know how to work with it. I know your venue. I’ve been photographing weddings for over a decade and I’ve got this.
3. Focus on the day, not the weather
You’re marrying your person. Your friends and family are there. That’s what matters. The weather is just weather.
4. Be ready to be flexible
If I say “let’s wait 10 minutes for this rain to pass” or “let’s do photos inside instead,” just trust the call.
5. Bring an umbrella, just in case
Clear if possible. Then if we use it, great. If we don’t, also great.
The Bottom Line
It might rain on your Welsh wedding day. It probably will at some point. And that’s completely fine.
I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings in all weather conditions, and I can tell you with absolute certainty: rain does not ruin wedding photos. It just changes them. Sometimes for the better.
Your photos will be beautiful whether it’s sunny or raining. The emotion, the love, the joy, the celebration, none of that depends on the weather. That’s what my documentary wedding photography captures.
So yes, have a backup plan. Bring an umbrella. Check the forecast once on the morning. Then let it go and focus on getting married.
The weather will do what the weather does. Your job is just to show up and marry your person. I’ll handle the photos. Rain or shine.
What’s Next?
Getting married in Wales and worried about the weather? Let’s chat. I can show you examples of rainy day weddings I’ve photographed and talk through exactly what we’ll do if it rains on your day.
No stress. No panic. Just a solid plan and a photographer who’s seen it all.
Planning a wedding in South Wales? Check out my full wedding galleries to see how I work.
