Call me partial, but I think Vancouver is one of the most stunning cities on Earth. I haven’t always been able to remember that during these past few weeks, in which the clouds have given us a healthy dose of classic “Vancouver weather”: rain, rain, and more rain! With wedding season fast approaching, I got to thinking about rainy wedding days–truly the bane of the existence of all couples planning outdoor weddings in wet climates, right?
Wrong! Why not plan for a rainy wedding day?
Parasols from Bella Umbrella
Countless well-meaning family members, guests, bridesmaids and groomsmen have reassured many a happy couple, “It’s good luck to have rain on your wedding day!” But with a little clever planning, I think that a rainy wedding day can be more than just a good omen. It can make for a whimsical, truly unique celebration that not only acknowledges but embraces the fact that there will always be rainy days in life.
So, grab your wedding-planning magazines, pop a copy of Mira Nair’s fabulous film Monsoon Wedding into the DVD player, and get inspired by the joyousness of a wedding in the rain!
Choose a really vibrant colour scheme to contrast with the greys and blues of the day. Find local vendors to help keep your guests dry–for example, Seattle’s Bella Umbrella provides fabulous parasols that can be rented for all sorts of events. Turn your guests into a sea of colour on a grey day!
One thing you absolutely MUST do, whether you’re planning for rain or just worrying about rain, is to make sure you see photos your photographer has shot in the less-than-ideal conditions presented by a rainy day BEFORE you book them! Not all photographers are terribly comfortable in the rain–you want one who’ll be inspired by the crazy cloud formations, the shaft of light breaking through the clouds, the reflections in a pool of water on the beach… you get the picture (pardon the pun). I could keep explaining, but isn’t a picture worth a thousand words? Take a look at these absolutely breathtaking photos taken by Campbell River’s Erin Wallis:
Erin Wallis Photography
Here are some more fun ideas: Oregon Du Drops will take rain collected at your celebration and create an ornament to commemorate the day. Or, you can DIY it with a recycled lightbulb, like this one posted by omam on Flickr. Treat your bridesmaids to some fabulous gumboots to match your colour scheme (photo by Shutterbug Photography). Just about any kid’ll tell you, the best thing about a rainy day is… rainbows! And if all that doesn’t inspire you, channel Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and be so in love that the rain doesn’t matter.
