Alternate Title: It’s like rain on your wedding day.  (Because I could not miss an opportunity to quote Alanis Morissette.)  

It does not rain often here in Arizona, so when it does we tend to think the sky is falling.  But thankfully, rain does not have to ruin your wedding day. In fact, I think rainy wedding days in Arizona are fun!  How many other people will have those amazing clouds in their wedding portraits? If you are getting married during the rainy season, here is how to prepare to make sure your day is amazing.

Have a Backup Plan (Tent or 2nd Location)

80% of the weddings in Arizona are ‘outdoor weddings’.  So make sure that you have a backup plan for where you can have your ceremony if it does start to rain.  Most established venues will have a secondary location or some sort of backup plan. This is a great question to ask when touring venues.  If you are doing a DIY venue (think state park), consider putting a tent on hold. You can usually cancel within 2 weeks of the date without losing a deposit.  

Fun Umbrellas 

Buy fun umbrellas for you and your bridal party.  A clear umbrella makes for unique and fun wedding photos of you and your new spouse.  And having fun colored umbrellas for the bridal party will make sure that your bridal party photos are amazing.  You can also have your bridal party’s names embroidered into the umbrellas or something special from your wedding day for a personal touch.  

Shoes

Most wedding shoes are a little problematic for the rain.  So have a backup pair for you and your bridesmaids and mom’s.  Basically anybody who will be walking down the aisle or for pictures that are planning on wearing high heels.  A nice pair of cute flats will do wonders. For the bride, I would suggest grabbing a waterproof pair of shoes, as you will probably be walking through wet/muddy areas the most.  Don’t worry, your shoes will be covered by your dress. (And will make for some fun photos!)

Trust Your Photographer

Your photographer will be able to capture your day beautifully no matter what the weather is.  If it is rainy, you will get unique photos that most other Arizona couples miss out on. Your photographer will also utilize other areas of the venue that sometimes get overlooked for spacious outdoor areas.  Like cool patios or walkways.

Remember to Breathe and Have Fun

The great thing about rain in Arizona?  It doesn’t last for very long. It will come down like cats and dogs for an hour or so, and then a drizzle, and then nothing.  So, there are still plenty of opportunities to get amazing photos!