How to Live Stream a Wedding if It’s Raining

It’s raining, it’s pouring, the flower girl is snoring. Is that how that song goes?

Rain on your wedding day is thought to be good luck – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause some added stress! You just spent a ton of money on an outdoor venue, you spent money on your outfits, and you even might have paid someone to expertly do your hair and makeup. And now it’s raining!

If you’re live streaming your wedding, that adds an extra layer of concern because historically, water and technology aren’t the best of friends. That said, we do have some tips to share to handle some unexpected weather.

Umbrellas

Sometimes the best solution is the most obvious one. If it’s raining, have your day-of contact hold an umbrella over the streaming device. If you are using multiple cameras, see if any other guests or service staff can help out and shelter each device.

Be sure you are using clear umbrellas that won’t affect the lighting, and hold the umbrellas well above the device so that it’s not blocking the shot.

Tissues

Have tissues or microfiber cloths on-hand to wipe off any water droplets that land on the camera lens. A small droplet can completely distort the image for your at-home guests who are watching the wedding live stream.

Waterproof Devices

If you can’t find umbrellas or you don’t have enough to cover all of the devices, be sure the devices you’re streaming from have some degree of water resistance. The latest models of most smartphones, including the iPhone 11/12, Galaxy S20/21, and the Pixel 4/5 all have great water resistance ratings. Just be sure to check your own specs before exposing these devices to water, and never have a phone plugged into a power source if it’s exposed to water.

The above are just a few ways to handle unexpected rain when attempting to live stream your wedding. The biggest things to watch out for during this are water on the streaming devices and how the rain might affect the sound quality of the stream. As a general rule, if the rain is loud for you at the wedding location, it will pick up on the streaming device. Using a high-quality microphone might be able to reduce background noise, but if the rain is significant, it might be best to try and wait it out to see if it lets up.

All that said, we’ll be sending good vibes and sunshine to you on your wedding day!

Photo credit: Rob + Kristen Photography