What If It Rains on Your Wedding Day in Copenhagen? 6 Ideas for Beautiful Rainy Wedding Photos
Wondering what to do if it rains on your wedding day in Copenhagen? In this blog post, I share practical ideas for beautiful wedding photos, from Copenhagen City Hall, cosy cafés and covered outdoor spots to rooftops and indoor locations.
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They say Copenhagen isn’t really Copenhagen if it doesn’t rain, right?
Well, perhaps. But when you have spent months planning your wedding day and suddenly see rain all over the forecast, I know it can feel a little less romantic. A little drizzle can make Copenhagen look incredibly cinematic, but I am going to be honest with you: a proper storm is not ideal for wedding photography. Heavy rain, strong winds and soaking wet clothes are not exactly what you dream about when you imagine your wedding photos.
So, what can you actually do if it rains on your wedding day in Copenhagen and you still want beautiful photographs?
This is not a blog post telling you to simply “embrace the rain” and hope for the best. Sometimes, yes, we can embrace it. We can run through the rain for a few photographs, get a little wet and have fun with it. But if the weather is genuinely terrible, there are plenty of practical things you can do to make sure you still get photographs you love.
Here are some of my favourite options.
Take Your Wedding Photos Inside Copenhagen City Hall
If you are getting married at Copenhagen City Hall, you have a lovely advantage on a rainy day: you can make the building itself part of your wedding photography.
Instead of rushing outside between showers, you can spend more time exploring the different floors, rooms and corners of the City Hall. There are plenty of architectural details and little pockets of space that can give your photographs a completely different feel, especially if the rain is heavy and you don’t want to spend your entire portrait session running between doorways.
I also think there is something quite special about photographs that tell the story of the place where you actually got married. Your wedding photos do not always need to be taken in a famous outdoor location. Sometimes, the building itself becomes part of the memory.
So, if you are getting married at Copenhagen City Hall, speak to your photographer about making the most of the interior spaces before immediately looking for somewhere else to go.
Stay In: Take Your Wedding Photos at Your Hotel or Airbnb
Your accommodation can be a fantastic place for photographs, particularly if you have chosen somewhere with a beautiful interior. You could spend some time taking getting-ready photographs, open a bottle of champagne, have a little celebration together or simply slow down for a moment after the ceremony.
These photographs can be a lovely addition to your wedding story because they show what the day actually felt like. Sometimes, the photographs that happen in between the big moments become the ones that bring you back to the feeling of the day.
If you are getting married during the warmer months, you could also check whether your hotel has a rooftop or covered terrace.
Make a Café Stop Part of Your Wedding Photostory
One of my favourite alternatives for a rainy day is to find somewhere cosy where you can actually do something together. Copenhagen has no shortage of beautiful cafés and restaurants, so why not make your wedding photos part of the experience?
You could sit down for a coffee, share your first bite of wedding cake, open a bottle of champagne or simply enjoy a quiet moment together. These kinds of photographs can feel incredibly natural because you are not standing in the middle of the street trying to pose while the rain blows sideways.
Instead, you are doing something that feels like you. Maybe it is the way you look at each other over your coffee, a little laugh when you try your first bite of cake, or simply the two of you sitting together after the excitement of the ceremony.
A few café ideas to consider ..
When it comes to choosing a café or restaurant, I would think about the overall atmosphere you want in your photographs. It all depends on your aesthetics and the kind of story you want your wedding photos to tell.
For example, you could consider somewhere like Dinafor a more relaxed and intimate feel, or Grand Teatret’s cafe f you are drawn to something with a little more character and atmosphere.
Look for Covered and Sheltered Places in Copenhagen
If you still want to be outside, there are places in Copenhagen where you can get some shelter while keeping that feeling of being in the city.
The area around Christiansborg Ridebane can be worth considering, and you could also look at quieter railway or metro stations for something a little different. Other possibilities might include places such as Københavns Byret, Jorcks Passage, Axel Towers or outside the Church of Our Lady, depending on the weather, your plans and whether professional photography is permitted.
There are actually so many interesting options in Copenhagen if you have an eye for detail. You might find a beautiful covered passage, an interesting piece of architecture or a sheltered corner that would never appear on a typical list of wedding photo locations.
Looking for your wedding day inspiration? Explorethe galleries from real couples
Rainy-Day Wedding Photos Inside Copenhagen’s Beautiful Buildings
This option can be a little more difficult to arrange, but it can also be incredibly beautiful.
If you have your heart set on an indoor location with a real sense of Copenhagen history and architecture, you could look into getting permission to photograph inside places such as the Palm Garden or Glyptoteket.
Another place worth enquiring about is the University of Copenhagen Library. If you love grand architecture and beautiful interiors, it could make for a very memorable setting for wedding portraits.
The important thing to remember is that you cannot always simply arrive at these places with your photographer and start taking photographs. You will need to plan ahead and check the current photography rules with the venue, museum or institution.
Permission is not always guaranteed, and some locations may have specific requirements for professional photography.
Thorvaldsens Museummay sometimes be a little more flexible, but again, always check the current rules before making plans. If you manage to arrange it, though, you could end up with something really special.
Ask your photographer if you can reschedule your portraits
This is perhaps the simplest solution, and one that couples sometimes forget is even an option.
If the rain is expected to be particularly bad for a short period, ask your photographer whether you could move your couple’s portrait session to later in the day. Your photographer could document the ceremony as it happens, and then you could have your photowalk once the weather has calmed down.
Depending on your schedule, you could even consider taking your portraits the following day. Of course, this will not work for every wedding, and it depends on your photographer’s availability, but it never hurts to ask.
Sometimes, the weather changes much faster than you expect. You might have heavy rain at 2pm and a completely different sky an hour later.
Having a little flexibility in your wedding timeline can help here. If your photographer knows that you have some room in your schedule, you may be able to wait for a better window of weather rather than feeling that everything has to happen at exactly the planned time.
My final two cents as a Copenhagen wedding photographer
If your wedding day forecast is showing clouds, or even a little drizzle, I honestly would not be discouraged. Cloudy weather can be perfect for wedding photography. The light is soft, the streets can be quieter, and you can move around the city without constantly worrying about bright sunlight and harsh shadows. You also won’t spend the entire time squinting at the camera. Haha.
I actually sometimes pray for clouds.
If you are dealing with a proper storm, then yes, let’s have a plan. Maybe that means spending more time inside Copenhagen City Hall, using your hotel, finding a cosy café, looking for a covered corner in the city, arranging permission for a beautiful indoor location or simply moving your portrait session to a later time.
There are plenty of ways to create beautiful wedding photographs without standing outside in the middle of a downpour.
And if the rain does arrive? Well, we’ll figure it out.
After all, this is Copenhagen. A little rain was always a possibility.
Congratulations once again! I hope you found this helpful and that it gave you a few ideas for what you can do if it rains on your wedding day in Copenhagen.
And remember: a cloudy wedding day can still be a beautiful one. Sometimes, it might even give you the kind of photographs you never expected to have.
If you’re thinking of hiring a photographer for your wedding in Copenhagen or Denmark, I’d be honored to be part of your celebration! Get in touch with me here or scan Whatsapp QR code above.
About the author:
I'm Ieva Vi - a wedding & elopement photographer, based in Copenhagen. When I'm not behind the lens capturing beautiful moments, I love to explore new places and share my experiences with readers. Take a look at my portfolio, and feel free to reach out for collaborations.
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