Planning a wedding can be stressful, and one thing that can add to that stress is the possibility of bad weather. Cumbria is the wettest county in the UK; we get an average of 200 wet days a year (and another 20 of snow!) and January tends to be the wettest month of them all. My experience is that most couples planning a wedding in the Lakes District tend to have considered bad weather as part of their planning, and are generally ready to embrace it. However if you’re worried about the possibility of a rainy Lake District weddings, it’s important to have a wet weather contingency plan in place. Here are some tips to help you plan for wet weather on your wedding day.

RAINY LAKE DISTRICT WEDDINGS

Choose a venue with indoor and outdoor options. This will give you the flexibility to move your ceremony or reception indoors if necessary. Look for venues that have beautiful indoor spaces, as well as outdoor areas for your guests to enjoy. Is there space large enough for your drinks reception inside while your ceremony space is turned around or will guests be crammed into the bar? Does it have a covered outdoor space that people can spill into if it’s warm but wet? Don’t be afraid to ask your wedding venue about their wet weather contingency plans.

Consider renting a temporary structure. If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony or reception, a tent can provide some protection from the rain. Consider stretch tents, tipis as well as more traditional marquees and look for options with clear sides so that you can still incorporate the views even if you have to be inside.

WHAT DO I DO IF IT RAINS ON MY WEDDING DAY?

Have backup plans for outdoor activities. If you’re planning outdoor activities, such as lawn games or a photo booth, have a backup plan in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. For example, you could move the activities indoors or have indoor games and activities ready to go. For alternative wedding activity ideas, check out this blog post.

CAN I HIRE WEDDING BROLLIES IN THE UK?

Provide umbrellas for your guests (and yourselves). If it does rain on your wedding day, having a stash of umbrellas at the ready can really make a difference, particularly if you need to move guests between locations. It also might make the difference between you getting out for portraits or not; a couple of white or clear brollies, or even coloured ones to match your wedding colour scheme look great in photos and will keep the worst of the rain off you. I really believe it’s worth embracing the rain for your wedding photographs; ultimately it’s part of the story of your day and you don’t need to be out for long for some great pictures.

If you buy brollies the resale value always seems good in local selling groups, alternatively you could consider hiring your wedding brollies.

Consider alternative footwear for getting out and about; a fun pair or wellies each or some trainers for dashing about in will save expensive shoes from getting wet or ruined. If getting out despite the weather is your thing you might even consider changing into walking boots. These will keep your feet warm and dry, stop you slipping and the photos of footwear changing can be cute! 

Overall, planning for wet weather on your wedding day is important to ensure that your big day goes off without a hitch whether you’re getting married here in the Lake District or anywhere else in the uk.  Have a chat with your wedding photographer about your wet weather plans too and be prepared to be spontaneous and work around the weather; I have regularly popped into dinner between courses because the rain has eased and we’ve made a quick dash for it! By having a contingency plan in place and being prepared for the possibility of rain, you can enjoy your special day, no matter what the weather brings.

Perhaps you ended up here because you’re planning a wedding in the Lake District

(and maybe you’re looking for your perfect photographer too..?)

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