Visit Martha Stewart Weddings Weddings Wedding Planning & Advice How to Get Amazing Wedding Photos—Even if It Rains By Jess Levin Jess Levin Facebook Website Jess Levin is the founder & CEO of Carats & Cake, a premier network representing the best in the wedding industry. A native of Laguna Beach, California, Jess attended the University of Pennsylvania before heading to New York to work in venture capital at Burch Creative Capital, where she helped manage investments and brand development for a portfolio that includes Poppin and Tory Burch, LLC. After nearly three years identifying aspirational consumer-centric opportunities and strategies, Jess departed as an associate to pursue her MBA at NYU's Stern School of Business. While studying finance and entrepreneurship at Stern, Jess saw an opportunity to build upon her past experience as an investor and change the way local wedding vendors do business. The Carats & Cake network was built to connect affluent couples with elite vendors and venues, and is now supporting premium vendors with elegant business tools, exclusive media opportunities, and targeted cross-channel exposure. Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 20, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Anthony Vazquez Unfortunately, perfect weather isn't always a given on your wedding day, but that doesn't mean you can't get great wedding photos. Jess Levin, founder of Carats & Cake, asked top photographers their best tips using Mother Nature to your advantage on your big day. "Use the crazy weather to your advantage. In this case it was windy and pouring, but I made my clients comfortable so that I could get the shot." —Anthony Vazquez, owner Anthony Vasquez Photography Things Photographers Wish You Knew 01 of 07 Be Patient Melani Lust "Sometimes the weather gives you an opening. We were in the middle of the reception when the heavy rain lightened a little and the fog rolled in for this gorgeous atmosphere. I knew that if I gelled the light, the background would turn a beautiful blue." —Melani Lust, owner Melani Lust Photography Summer Wedding Photo Tips 02 of 07 Experience Matters Brian Dorsey "I don't actually think there is much you can do to prepare for rain, or the myriad other variables, except work with experienced people. An experienced photographer or planner, or other wedding vendor has the resources, confidence, and know-how to deliver the desired results when things don't go according to plan. It is probably impossible, and certainly too costly to try and anticipate everything that could go wrong." —Brian Dorsey, Founder and Principal Photographer Brian Dorsey Studios Best Photographers on Instagram 03 of 07 Be Resourceful Charlie Juliet Photography "There was a downpour the entire day and I knew the rain wasn't going to stop anytime soon. We really needed to get more photos of the bride and groom regardless so I had my assistant hold the largest umbrella around me I could find so that my equipment would stay dry, and we gave the couple the other largest umbrella we could find." —Charlie Juliet, owner Charlie Juliet Photography 04 of 07 Brave the Elements Liz Banfield "The day before Christina & Alex's wedding in La Crosse, WI, a blizzard moved through the region, turning highways into virtual parking lots. In this picture, the sun had peeked through but as everyone in the Midwest knows, sunshine usually means bitter cold. The temps did not crack zero that day but the bride and groom still braved a quick outdoor session." —Liz Banfield, owner Liz Banfield Photography 05 of 07 Go with the Flow Sabine Scherer "One of the side effects of rain is copious amounts of mud that do not pair well with wedding shoes or dresses. We had several plan B's for the couple on their rainy day, but the bride's heart was set on getting some nature shots. So rather than donning her fine shoes, the bride picked up her best friend's combat boots and trudged out into the mud for all the couple shots." —Sabine Scherer, owner Sabine Scherer Photography 06 of 07 It's All About the Attitude Beale & Wittig "When it comes to bad weather, the most important thing is attitude. It's about how people react to the weather that makes or breaks a photo. This starts with setting the right expectations. Photographers can't control the weather, or the millions of other factors that can influence a day. But, we let our clients know that regardless of what happens we will get the best possible photos. If the client is happy, then rain only makes the photos better." —David Wittig, Beale & Wittig 07 of 07 Embrace the Obstacles Sara Wight "This couple got married at Battery Gardens the day before Hurricane Sandy, when all of Lower Manhattan was being evacuated. Rather than fight the obstacles, we decided to embrace the circumstances and incorporate the sandbags into the photos!" —Sara Wight, Founder and Principal Photographer Sara Wight Photography Majestic Photo Backdrops Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit