A couple walking across a wet wooden bridge holding clear umbrellas on a rainy day in nature.
Two people holding clear umbrellas stand facing each other on fallen leaves wearing pink colored clothing.
A couple shares a clear umbrella while standing on a wet wooden bridge in a rainy outdoor setting.

 

Rainy Engagement Photos at the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum in Sioux Falls, SD



When planning a photoshoot outdoors, there is always an element of praying that the weather holds up when it comes time to capture the photos. Most couples don’t plan on rainy engagement photos—rain usually means rescheduling to get the perfect shots they envisioned. However, as rescheduling is not always possible, there may be some instances where a couple will choose to embrace the chaos of a wet spring day and venture out in the gloomy weather. 


This was exactly the case for Jason and Allison. Since I was traveling from Minneapolis to meet Jason and Allison in Sioux Falls, rescheduling wasn’t really an option when the forecast threatened to rain on our parade during a Saturday in early April. As I was driving to the session in Sioux Falls at the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum, Allison texted me in a panic asking if I had looked at the weather. I’ll give you a hint, I had not. I quickly pulled over and checked the radar and saw nothing but green flashing on the screen. “Oh no. This cannot be happening. What should I do?” I thought to myself. 


I personally have never minded the threat of rain during a photoshoot as long as my clients are comfortable with proceeding as planned. However, I normally have the luxury of giving them the option to reschedule for a different date in the event of inclement weather in case they are not as fond of running around and getting soaked, even from under the comfort of the adorable clear umbrellas I keep in the trunk of my car. 


For this session, however, I had traveled 4 hours from Minneapolis to Sioux Falls and my remaining weekend dates were dwindling quickly with the wedding season approaching, making rescheduling nearly impossible. In addition to this, having not been from the area, I had little ideas for a backup plan. The few indoor locations I found online all had closed already for the day with us having planned the session for golden hour. Luckily, Allison and Jason decided they were on board with embracing the rain after I assured them that I have proper protection for my gear and had done sessions in the rain previously. My own wedding photos were taken in the rain and we received a plethora of compliments on how adorable and unique the clear umbrellas looked in our photos. 


I’m so glad to have clients that are willing to go with the flow because these rainy engagement photos have turned out to be some of my favorite photos I have ever taken. I got to be creative in posing and even found a cute little shelter from an old train stop to take some photos in when we were tired of getting poured on. Allison and Jason had the most positive attitude about the whole situation and at the end of the session, we ditched the umbrellas and they chased each other around in the rain which truly felt like a free-spirited scene from a romance movie. While I’ll always offer rescheduling when possible (and will absolutely never shoot in lightning!), there’s something magical about couples who lean into the unexpected. Rainy days can make for the dreamiest, most romantic sessions—proof that imperfect weather can still lead to perfect memories.



 

Arboretum Engagement Photos
A couple with an umbrella walks across a wooden footbridge during a moody autumn day.
A couple with clear umbrellas holds hands on a lawn in front of tall cypress trees on an overcast day.
Rainy engagement photos
A couple shares a romantic moment under a clear umbrella on an overcast day by tall grass.
A couple share a playful moment on a pathway surrounded by tall brown grass on an overcast day.
Two people with umbrellas stand on a deck overlooking a landscaped area with stones and trees on an overcast day.
A couple holding hands while joyfully walking together on a concrete path through a grassy outdoor area.
Two hands wearing wedding rings reach for each other in tender moment against pink background.
A romantic couple kisses beneath a clear umbrella in the rain while wearing pink and floral outfits.
Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum Engagement Photography
Two people sit together on a rustic wooden picnic table on a covered porch, looking down at something between them.
A couple shares an intimate moment while sitting together on a wooden bench on a covered porch.
A couple shares a romantic moment on a rustic wooden porch, creating a series of affectionate poses.
Two people playfully interacting on a covered wooden porch with a grassy field visible in the background.
Two people share a romantic moment under a white umbrella in a rainy outdoor setting with bokeh background effect.
Playful couple balances and holds hands while leaning away from each other in a grassy park setting.
Romantic couple sharing an intimate moment beneath willow trees in a natural outdoor setting.
Engagement photos in the rain
A romantic moment between a couple surrounded by evergreen trees in a moody, misty forest setting.
A playful sequence of dance moves captured in black and white photography against a forest backdrop.
Dancing couple spins and twirls together in a scenic wooded park area.
Two people engaged in a playful dance move outdoors with pine trees visible in the background.