Photography & perspective
What if rain changes the wedding day you pictured?
An indoor ceremony can still feel like your wedding. A few thoughts on photographs, expectations and leaving room for the day that actually happens.
It is hard not to keep looking at the forecast when you have spent months imagining your wedding outside. You know exactly where the ceremony was meant to be, how the garden would look and which photographs you were looking forward to. Being disappointed about a change of plan is understandable.
Before Steph and Alex’s wedding at Fitzroy Inn, the forecast included persistent rain, flash flooding and damaging winds. The ceremony and reception were held indoors as a precaution, and they were still able to have all their portraits taken. Their day is a useful reminder that a difficult forecast and a wedding’s photographs are not the same story.
01
An indoor ceremony deserves your full attention
Once the decision has been made with your planner or venue, give yourself a chance to picture the ceremony in the space you will actually use. Where will you see your partner? Which people will be close to you? What are you most looking forward to hearing? Those details can help bring your attention back to the part you have been waiting for.
From our side of the camera, the room becomes part of the story. We are looking at the light, the people around you and the way you respond to each other. A closer view might hold something lovely that a sweeping photograph of the original setting would never have shown. There is still room for considered photographs without asking the indoor ceremony to imitate the outdoor one.
02
Separate the portraits you want from the location you imagined
You might have pictured a particular garden, but what draws you to that photograph? Perhaps it is having a quiet moment together, seeing the whole shape of your dress or making a portrait with a little movement. Knowing that helps us think beyond one exact spot.
Tell us which photographs matter most, and let us look at the options available on the day. A sheltered space or a different backdrop might suit them. Sometimes an outdoor opportunity is possible; sometimes staying inside is the sensible choice. We would never want a photograph to depend on you being uncomfortable or taking a risk in severe weather.
03
Leave room for a short opportunity, without spending the day waiting
At Steph and Alex’s wedding, moving the ceremony and reception indoors did not mean losing their portraits. That is what happened on their day, rather than a promise about what every wet-weather wedding will allow.
If the conditions change, a brief portrait opportunity can be enough to add another feeling to the gallery. It helps to be open to that possibility, while still enjoying the celebration in front of you. You should be able to settle into a conversation or sit down with your guests, rather than spend the afternoon watching for a break in the clouds. Your planner, venue and photographer can talk through what is sensible together.
04
The whole gallery matters more than the missing backdrop
A wedding gallery holds more than the portraits. There are the people getting ready with you, the way your partner looks at you during the ceremony and the conversations that happen once everyone relaxes. An indoor day still has its own changes of pace, expressions and atmosphere.
When you are choosing a photographer, it is useful to look through a full wedding gallery, including the indoor photographs. Notice how people are photographed in a room, how the evening feels and whether you are drawn into the celebration. That tells you more about the experience you might recognise in your own photographs than a collection of perfect outdoor conditions.
05
You can be disappointed and still have a wonderful day
There is no need to pretend you never cared about the original plan. You can miss the ceremony setting you imagined and still feel completely caught up in saying your vows. Both things can be true.
We want you to have enough space to immerse yourselves in your wedding. Sometimes that means giving the revised plan a little time to feel familiar, then letting the celebration take over. The photographs can hold the day as it unfolded, with all the people and choices that made it yours.
A little confidence before the forecast arrives
If you are planning your wedding, we would love to hear what you are looking forward to and which photographs matter to you. Explore our photography and approach, then get in touch to tell us about your day.