Rain, rain, go away – Especially on your big day

Rain, rain, go away - following numerous calls for help from distressed brides to be, The UK’s best Wedding Ideas magazine has brilliant advice on how not to let this summer’s awful weather dampen spirits on your big day. “Despite the grim weather, you can still have the day of your dreams”, says Rachel Moschke, editor of Wedding Ideas magazine. “First and foremost, you should remember that the wedding is about making a lifelong commitment to the one you love, not the weather.”

She continues: “And even if it does rain on your big day, it needn’t be a washout. Here are our top tips for a wet wedding.”

1. Don’t worry about the weather. There is nothing you can do about it; it’s the one thing that you can’t control. We hear from hundreds of rained-on brides every year, who almost all say that they were so happy on the day that they hardly even noticed it was raining. Rain won’t ruin your day, but you walking around looking miserable will.

2. Be prepared! Treat yourself to a trendy pair of wellies from funky-wellington-boots.co.uk or even some bridal specials from marshahall.com – you can change into your proper shoes once you’re safely inside.

3. Arm your ushers and bridesmaids with some plain white or some brightly coloured umbrellas to fit in with your colour scheme and encourage them to accompany your guests from their cars to the venue door with them. The umbrellas will look stunning in your wedding photos!

4. Make sure that you can hitch your train up with a loop over your finger, or that your bridesmaids are well rehearsed in carrying it – you won’t want it ruined during your walk up to the church. Take a big white sheet to stand on the grass, so that the bottom of your dress doesn’t get too filthy. But again, don’t worry, your dress can easily be dry cleaned after the wedding.

5. Choose a venue with some interesting indoor backdrops – and formulate a wet-weather plan with your photographer in the weeks leading up to your wedding. Shots against walls, sitting on the bed in the bridal suite, standing at the top of a staircase, or looking out of a window into the garden can be stunning.

6. Ring round your guests to warn them to bring wellies a few days before the wedding if the forecast is bad. Keep your eye on the situation using metoffice.gov.uk. Better still – give your groom the job! The wellies themselves will make for great photographs.

7. It rarely rains all day, constantly. Keep checking what it going on, and make the most of sunny spells! Be flexible with the timetable of your day.

8. Don’t panic if you have organised a barbecue for your wedding breakfast. Barbecues can take place under cover and your caterers will have a wet weather contingency plan in place. Ask them about it when you book them.

9. If the worst comes to the worst, and you had set your heart on outdoor photos at the venue, you can always recreate the scene with your photography on a sunny day after the event. It’s a chance for you to wear that dress again, too! Your photographer should offer you a hefty discount on your second shoot, if not do it for free.

10. In some cultures, wedding rain is seen as a blessing. For example, in Italy they have a saying: "Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunate," which translates as “a wet bride is a lucky bride.”

Wedding Ideas is published 13 times a year and is packed with down to earth, friendly advice on how to get your dream day. Best for brides on a budget and number one for real-life weddings, it’s no wonder that Wedding Ideas is the UK’s favourite fun-sized wedding title.

For more information, visit wedding-ideas-magazine.com.