Rain on the wedding day in Cincinnati

The Madison Event Center rain and umbrella wedding photo.

Checking the weather nervously before a wedding weekend can be filled with more questions than answers. Even meteorologists often get it wrong because it is hard to predict. As your photographer, I prefer to watch the radar the night before and the morning of the wedding to see what is coming our way. If it looks like rain is possible the week of your wedding, here is what I suggest: purchase cute rain boots in your size and cute umbrellas for your wedding party. Keep the tags on and put rain-x on your windshield. Then go on Google images or Pinterest and fall in love with the wedding photos in the rain. You know, the cute ones with the reflection in the puddle or kissing under an umbrella. Before each event, I pack a few different umbrellas so we have options (clear, big black double golf, and collapsible ones for us to stand under with our gear). I also bring a pair or two of rain boots and some flip-flops. And let’s put a rain backup plan in your list of locations. Does your ceremony or reception venue have a great area in the front that is covered? Or what about your favorite date night spot? Would they be open to photos for a few minutes of just the two of you? We have ducked into some really cute coffee shops and breweries. Calling ahead for permission is always a great idea. Some popular spots like Krohn Conservatory and the Cincinnati Art Museum do require a permit ahead of time and a fee.

Sometimes I’ll even put the couple under the covered part and put me in the rain with an umbrella. Or we can have us both under the canopy and photograph back toward the greenery of trees and shrubs.

The Muhammad Ali Center balcony in Lousiville with fog rising off the Ohio River is so romantic.

Also, a couple of parks can be a good option with cover. Let’s pick one that is close to your reception location. Mt. Airy has a treehouse that is really fun and a gazebo both close to parking.

Bride and Groom at the treehouse in Mt. Airy Forest Park.

Wedding couple at Mt. Airy Forest Park.

A classic silhouette of a couple at Mt. Airy Forest Park’s Meyer Lake Gazebo.

The Bride and Groom kissing under a black umbrella on the steps of downtown Cincinnati’s St. Xavier Church.

And if all else fails and there just isn’t enough dry time during the wedding, I always offer to photograph you two as a couple at a later date. I recommend before the dress has been cleaned so we can be a little less careful. This could mean going to a different area or to one of the parks you originally wanted. Usually, in the Cincinnati area, we can find a window of time and run out and get great photos. Sometimes it is while the guests are finishing dinner. Or we can even take a photo at the end of the night (cue romantic sunset). I always offer this session if I think it will be helpful, but only a few have taken me up on it. The couple usually sees the quality of the photos I have taken (on the back of my camera) and end up loving them more than they could have imagined. Some of my all-time favorite photos were actually taken in the rain. Maybe it makes us be extra creative. Heck many of them have won awards given by other photographers! 

Taking a moment under a clear umbrella to create a unique image.

A rainy celebration at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park.

Remember that every wedding is perfectly imperfect – meaning something may not go exactly as planned (don’t worry they make great stories later) and at the end of the day, you are marrying your best friend. 

A winter wedding at The Bell Event Centre with snow is so pretty. The couple is under the cover of the buildings.

Sunset wedding image at Lake Lyndsay in Hamilton Ohio.

And sometimes those clouds make the most colorful sunsets.