What Rain on Your Wedding Day Really Means

When a wedding is outdoors, brides and grooms worry about only one thing: the weather report. Rain on your day can feel like a death sentence, but the drizzling doesn’t need to ruin your day. In fact, it might be quite the opposite. Expecting a storm on your wedding day is better luck than you might think.

The Traditional Meaning of Rain on Your Wedding Day

The first thing people say when there’s rain in the forecast is that it’s good luck. It might get annoying how often you hear it’s a sign of a long-lasting marriage. People repeat this phrase because it’s long-accepted folklore. Whether there’s any scientific basis behind that belief remains to be seen, but it does make sense. 

People commonly believe rain on your wedding day is good luck and will lead to a prosperous marriage. Some people believe rain is linked to fertility, so it’s a good sign for couples who want to add kids to their families. Whether you believe in this myth or not, you should know what rain definitively means on your big day.

The True Meaning of Rain on Your Wedding Day

Folklore can’t always be regarded as truth, and when you expect rain on your wedding day, you may want facts over feelings. You can’t always ensure happiness just because it rains on your wedding day, but that doesn’t mean you should immediately look to doom, either. Here are the facts about what rain on your big day really means.

1. Plans May Have to Change

If you have an indoor wedding, you may not be stressing so much about changing plans at the last minute. Outdoor weddings might be a little different, as you have to shift to your Plan B and make allowances for changes at a moment’s notice. People spend about $34,000 on a wedding in the United States on average. As such, hearing that your plans have to change just a couple of days before the big day can be a letdown to anyone.

Still, look at it as a challenge. While it’s unfortunate that you won’t experience your wedding exactly as you envisioned, you’ll still have many people turning out to see you and your partner. Adjusting plans might bring on unnecessary stress, but just remember that you’re still going to have the wedding of a lifetime, and your guests will still be there to celebrate you and your partner tying your lives together.

2. Pictures May Need Creativity

Outdoor pictures are the go-to for wedding portraits. Unfortunately, in a downpour, you may not be able to get the shots that you want. You might have to opt for more indoor pictures — but taking photos doesn’t have to be a bad experience. If you chose an interesting, unique venue for your wedding, such as a library or a museum, you have plenty of opportunities to take creative photos that don’t involve the outdoors. Even if not, your decor and some specific shots will help your photos look amazing.

Alternatively, you could choose to take pictures outside if there’s light rain. Rain on your wedding day doesn’t have to be a painful memory — it can make for some of the most interesting, creative photos. You may choose to work an umbrella into some of your photographs, and if you planned on changing clothes for the reception anyway, there’s nothing better than you and your partner dancing in the rain, totally carefree.

3. A Little Good Luck and Practice

While there may not be any truth to the good luck myth, rain on your wedding day could promise a good future for you and your partner. If you can put up with the unnecessary stress that comes from having to change plans last minute for this expensive major event, you and your sweetheart can make it through just about anything together. Consider it a test for dealing with stress later in your marriage.

The real key to a long-lasting marriage is working through issues together and openly communicating about your emotions. When you work together to solve problems, you strengthen your bond with your spouse. Remember the love you have for one another above all else, and you’ll be able to work through any issues.

Don’t Stress Over Rain on Your Wedding Day

Rain on your wedding day is never a bad omen. While it can be disappointing that you have to rework several aspects of your big day, you can always look on the bright side and anticipate upcoming events as you celebrate your union with your partner. A little rain is nothing compared to the lifetime of happiness you’ll experience with your partner, and the weather can teach you things along the way — like to be more flexible and remember that the focus of your wedding is on you and your sweetheart, not the location!