In Ireland, rain is an unavoidable fact of life and no matter what time of the year you decide to tie the knot, in this country it could very well rain on you in June, just as you’re likely to have blue skies in November! The point is, you cannot change the weather. But it’s worth remembering that rain on your wedding day really isn’t the end of the world and indeed in some cultures rain is even considered good luck on your big day!

If you find it does rain on your wedding day, then they key is not to panic, they are plenty of way to be prepared so that you won’t miss a beat and indeed in some cases rain can make for some truly stunning photos you wouldn’t get otherwise.

As an award winning wedding planner, I’ve seen my fair share of rainy wedding days, but with clever tips and tricks up my sleeve it didn’t impact on the day. Here’s some of my insider advice on how to deal with rain on your big day. If you’d like to chat in more detail about your wedding day planning, then please get in touch.

If you’ve decided to have an outdoor ‘I Do’ or a large part of the pre-dinner reception will be outside, then it’s important to have a proper back up plan. Discuss wet weather options with your venue from the very start. Most venues that offer outdoor nuptials will have backup plans already in place, be it alterative rooms inside the venue or tented/marquee areas. If you’re going to book open-air transport such as a horse and cart, ensure you have access to alternative wheels just in case. Also, it’s an obvious point, but check and keep checking the weather in the days leading up to the big day, as forecast really can differ greatly from day to day.

Sit down and chat with your photographer and set out your wet weather contingency plan in advance. He or she will have oodles of experience with rainy wedding days and if they have worked in your venue before they will know all the dry spots like gazebos or covered terraces that will work no matter what the weather. Also, as many photographers will tell you, it is very rare to have a day where it rained all day… it’s almost certain there will be breaks in the weather and this is when you can run out and get those vital shots. Plus your wedding venue is bound to have some really beautiful indoor spaces too, so make use of them. Also don’t forget that rain can actually lead to some truly stunning pictures which you would otherwise not be able to achieve.

Makeup and hair can take hours to complete and so if the weather does decide to turn rainy, then you’ll need to make sure you have some essentials on standby to fix any potential hair and makeup related issues! Waterproof mascara is essential, as well as having some tissues and small face towels on standby, as well as hairspray and extra pins in case the wet weather impacts on the hair. If it’s really chilly then have pocket hand warmers for the bridal party and wraps for the brides and bridesmaids too. A white sheet is always good for helping to keep the bottom of the dress dry.

It’s an obvious one, but make sure to have a good supply of umbrellas, even if you don’t think its forecast to rain, have at least enough umbrellas on standby for the immediate bridal party just in case. If it’s pretty certain that rain is forecast then look for some really prey umbrellas that are going to look amazing in the pictures. Think about colours and different fabrics. Also bring backup wellies, especially if the forecast is looking dodgy so you can get from A to B without ruining your expensive white bridal shoes! Wellies can also make for some really fun pix too!

Finally, if the heavens open, don’t panic and don’t let rain spoil this special day you’ve worked so hard to plan. Remember the day is about you and your partner and your family and friends all coming to together to celebrate your love and rain can’t spoil that! Plus as I’ve outlined with a little prep, you’ll be able to easily cope and you’ll even end up getting some amazingly pictures that not many other couples will have!