Don't Let Rain Spoil Your Outdoor St. Louis Wedding

by Haue Valley - A Charming Outdoor St. Louis Wedding Venue

What If It Rains?

Without a doubt, "what if it rains? is the #1 question we are asked on venue tours by couples who are hoping for an outdoor St. Louis wedding ceremony. 

If an outdoor ceremony is on your wish-list, how do you prep for the worst - bad weather?

Secrets to Rainy Wedding Day Success

5.  Select a venue with years of experience prepared to handle crazy Missouri weather. 

Let's face it, if you are planning a Missouri wedding, the weather can be unpredictable. For couples and venues, this unpredictability can be stressful. Before signing on the dotted line, make sure to ask your venue contact for some real life examples of how they have handled situations like tornado warnings, snow and ice storms, and floods. What is their emergency plan?  Also, don't forget to ask if they are actually accessible during a flood, and if so how? 

This is one area where experience definitely counts. 

4.  Ask your photographer and videographer in the consultation for examples of rainy day weddings.

Just like venues, it's ideal to select a photographer and videographer with experience with less than ideal weather situations. Capturing all of the moments of your wedding day beautifully is already a fast paced process. Mix in a new photographer (especially without a qualified second shooter) and a chance of rain, and stress cracks can show quickly. 

When examining a photographers or videographers portfolio ask for examples of indoor and rainy day photography. Do they know how to position couples indoors to take advance of outdoor light shining in? Do they have a great handle on flash or off camera lighting if it becomes necessary? 

It's best not to just look at outdoor natural lighting examples when selecting your vendors. Ask (nicely of course), for examples of situations where the lighting and location was less than ideal. A great photographer or videographer can literally make any situation work.

3.  Consider searching for a venue with a separate indoor ceremony space from the reception space.

Some venues are truly "pros" at flipping a space from an indoor ceremony to an indoor reception and offer a "pre-function" space for guests to mingle in a separate room during the flip in case of bad weather.

Other venues can be "winging it", understaffed to flip the space, or leave the couple and their family responsible for moving the tables and chairs from indoor ceremony to reception space. Mind you, doing so is no small job, and is very noticeable to your guests. This stress can be compounded when you are also forced to take indoor pictures following the ceremony. 

Consider looking for a venue that has a dedicated ceremony space that doesn't require the space to be flipped. Hopefully the weather cooperates and you have a beautiful outdoor ceremony, but if not, you'll know the transition from ceremony to reception will be relatively seamless. 

2. Don't be afraid to get a little wet.

Bring an extra pair of shoes (especially if yours are designer) and get outside as soon as there is a break in the rain! Lucky, even on rainy days Mother Nature usually takes a break for a bit. You'd never know from the photos featured in this blog post by Audrey Lee Photography that it was a rainy and bitterly cold day!

Check with your photographer, videographer, or venue to see if they have any pretty umbrellas you can use. If not, we think these are a pretty great option available on Amazon.

1. Don't worry about what you can't control. 

In the end, there are things in the wedding planning process that you can't control - and weather is definitely one of them.

Make informed choices in the planning process about "what happens in case of rain" - and then don't worry about what you can't control on your wedding day. Just relax and make the most of one of the most memorable days of your lives. At the end of the day you'll be married and that's what's important.

Rainy Day Wedding Video

The video below was also captured on Thomas & Erika's wedding day. Luckily the two saw a break from the rain to get plenty of beautiful outdoor shots, but as you'll see their ceremony had to be indoors. It was captured beautifully by Applause Productions, even in a little less than ideal lighting. 

Learn More About Haue Valley in 3 Easy Steps

About The Author

Kristin Binford, Co-Owner & Managing Partner at Haue Valley

Prior to co-founding of of St. Louis' most sought-after wedding venues, Kristin graduated with an MBA from Drury University and went on to spend 13 years in corporate marketing leadership roles.  She loves to share tips and tricks she's learned with couples and venue owners near and far. She can be reached at hauevalley@gmail.com.