A challenge for brides and grooms

Everyone dreams of the perfect wedding but this season brides and grooms across the Western Bay have felt the wrath of wild weather on their special day.

Since the wedding season kicked off in November, the Western Bay has fallen victim to unpredictable weather patterns which swung from torrential rain to long periods of sunshine. It's been a mixed bag and celebrants have been forced to find inventive ways to combat the ever-changing weather.

Tauranga marriage celebrant Wendy Barton hosted a wedding rehearsal in fine weather but the following day it poured down at the ceremony.

"It's been really variable this year. I've done quite a few ceremonies under umbrellas. It actually turns out quite nicely - the clash of umbrellas when [the bride and groom] kiss."

A rainy wedding day can be quite spectacular, said wedding photographer Steve Brown. Mr Brown said the key to great wedding photographs was having a back-up plan in case the weather wasn't favourable. "With a bride who's not too precious about the rain, you can do the most spectacular shots under an umbrella," he said. "The rain can really make the most beautiful photos so we try and make the best out of what the day brings."

It rained on Diane Dohnt's wedding day, thwarting her plans for an outdoor service on the lawn at Bella Vista Lodge.

"We couldn't see any view at all because of the rain and thick fog."

Mr Brown said he favoured relocating the wedding shoot to a barn or cafe, and using umbrellas as props.

Mr Brown's wife Jackie, who is a celebrant, said if it rained during a ceremony, she would turn it from a negative into a positive. "I do the music for weddings and I've got Gene Kelly's Singing In The Rain so if it's a wet wedding I'll get the audience to sing along before the bride walks in and it turns the whole atmosphere around."

But more often than not, wedding parties heavily relied on their dream, outdoor venue and did not have alternative arrangements. Ms Burton said: "I'm astounded at the lack of back-up plans and people under-estimate the variation in New Zealand weather."

Often, it was the groom who got were more upset when the weather turned sour, Ms Barton said.

How to survive rain on your wedding day

• 
  Go crazy with hair spray - you'll be grateful for it when everyone else gets a case of the frizz.
• 
   Have back-up wedding shoes if you're planning to marry on grass. You'll be glad to not have sinking heels if rain has made the ground soft.
• 
   Embrace the old-fashioned and have your head bridesmaid hold your train as you walk up the aisle.
• 
   Incorporate umbrellas or parasols that are the same colour as your bridesmaids' dresses into the photos.
• 
   Have a pair of back-up gummies to hide under your dress if you're planning to trek across sand or fields to get to your photo destination.
• 
   Buy cheap plastic ponchos and give them to the wedding party to wear between the wedding cars and reception venue.
• 
   Forget the confetti. In the rain it'll only stick to your wet skin and look disastrous.
• 
   Embrace the mud. After all, when are you really going to wear the dress again?
• 
   Relax. A cloudy day is a best case scenario for photographers as they don't have to deal with shadows. However, a stressed bride shows through in wedding photos.
• 
   Look for rainbows - a bride who gets married on a sunny day has no chance of being photographed with a rainbow in the background.