Some wedding days test you, and this one certainly did. It rained from the moment I arrived at the church until the light finally softened into evening, and it’s still one of my favourite examples of wedding photography in the rain that I’ve ever taken. Wellies were essential. So was a sense of humour. What we got in return was a day full of laughter, two very muddy black labradors, a bride on horseback, and some of the most honest photographs I’ve taken all year.
The Ceremony
I joined the day at the church, where guests were already arriving under a sea of umbrellas. The bride arrived looking radiant despite the weather, and the vicar held an umbrella over her as she stepped out of the car. Inside, the ceremony itself was warm and unhurried, right up to the moment they were announced married and stepped back out into the rain to a guard of umbrellas and confetti.
Arriving at the Marquee
By the time everyone reached the marquee, the rain was heavier than ever. Water streamed off the roofline in sheets, and guests huddled together, laughing at just how wet the day had turned. The couple’s two black labradors joined them inside to shelter, tails wagging despite the downpour, and it turned out to be one of my favourite moments of the whole day.
Family Photos and a Very Special Guest
This is the only wedding I’ve ever needed wellies for, and I certainly wasn’t the only one wearing them. Also it’s the only one where the bride got on a horse in her dress. Between family photos, her piebald horse made an appearance, and she climbed straight up without a second thought, dress and all. A small guest fed him a carrot in the drizzle, and the whole thing felt completely natural, exactly the kind of unplanned moment I love capturing.
The Speeches
Inside the marquee, the speeches definitely weren’t dampened by the weather. The best man had the place in stitches, and the bride’s father clearly wasn’t holding back either, judging by how hard she was laughing into her hands partway through.
The Wedding Breakfast
The couple’s flowers were some of the best I’ve seen all year, they were so abundant. Cosmos, zinnias, sweet peas, dahlias and amaranthus in deep, rich colours that suited the cottage garden feel of the tables perfectly. Later, the pea shooter favours came out, a small, silly detail that summed up the mood of the whole day.
Golden Hour in the Fields
True to form, the rain finally eased as evening approached, and we made the most of every gap in the clouds. We headed out across the farm, through the sweetcorn and down the muddy lane, chasing whatever light we could find. After a day like that one, having any golden hour at all felt like a small miracle, and the couple were more than happy to dash out between showers to make it happen.
The Evening Party
The evening brought the party the day had been building towards all along. The dance floor filled quickly, and the first dance ended in a dip that got the whole room cheering. My favourite shot of the night might be the one of the couple wrapped up with both their parents on the dance floor, everyone still glowing from a day that had thrown everything at them and somehow been better for it.
If you’re planning a marquee wedding of your own and worried about wedding photography in the rain, don’t be. Take a look at my marquee and at home wedding photography page to see more, and get in touch.
