What if it rains on my wedding day?

The weather in Pittsburgh is pretty unpredictable. I've photographed February weddings where it was warm and sunny, and June weddings where it was cold and rainy. So what do you do if it rains on your wedding day, aside from belting some Alanis Morissette? One option is to grab some umbrellas, lean into it, and take some rainy portraits.

Tip number one

Try to view this as a fun little adventure, instead of a huge inconvenience. It started out just sprinkling a bit, so we went without the umbrellas for a while and just kept shooting through it. If you know you're going to be panicking about what the rain is doing to your hair, or focused on how this situation isn't the ideal you'd hoped for, then leaning into it is not for you. This is the same tip I give folks for winter portraits, or really any kind of weather that doesn't feel like you're in Southern California. If you can have fun out in it, let's do it. If you're going to be miserable, we'll just end up with really pretty photos of you looking miserable.

Second tip

Ideally, it would be best to have umbrellas that are clear or white, because the light will bounce off of your umbrella, and that color will reflect onto your skin. When it comes down to it, we work with what we have to keep everyone comfortable and get beautiful portraits. But if you think it's likely to rain on your wedding day, and you're planning ahead, that's what to look for.

Third tip

The groomsmen were using their Power Rangers shirts to protect the bridesmaids' hairdos, which I contend is exactly what a Power Ranger would do in that situation. Investigate feasibility of hiring Power Rangers?

Fourth tip

Pretend you're in the Notebook (I've actually never seen it, but it seemed very romantic? Pretend you're on the movie poster for it, that was for sure romantic.)

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