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New Zealand weather is constantly changing.
The famous Kiwi/Aussie band Crowded House had a song titled Four Seasons in One Day that could easily describe the weather on any given day in New Zealand.
New Zealand weather is famously inconsistent and constantly changing —in the middle of winter there can be beautiful warm and sunny days, in the middle of summer there can be windy and wet days. We basically don't trust the forecast until 1-2 days before the photoshoot day!
Even within a 24hr period; you can easily have thunderstorms, followed by scorching sun and a brisk southerly gale. The silver lining about it always changing, is that even in the worst case scenario, we often only have to wait 15 mins for the worst weather to pass or to find a gap that we can shoot in.
This changing nature does mean that the more flexible you can be to the conditions the better! This might mean being prepared for the photo time to move around slightly (we will always check this with you and give you options!), or having a cute warm option (such as a wrap or jacket) in case the breeze picks up!
The best weather app/website for New Zealand.
As we mentioned, New Zealand weather has some quirks which has forced to become super weather nerds!
The most important thing you should know is that, no matter which weather app you use, you cannot fully trust the forecast until 1-2 days before the day!
4-5 days before the photoshoot day, we are starting to get an idea of what the weather can be, but is still very much a matter of probability. This is why our favourite weather app is Windy.com (the locals from the Chatham Islands introduced it to us, so you know it's good if fisherman trust it!).
We like that it doesn't just show you weather icons for a given area (although you get that too!), but you can see the actual weather systems forming in the southern ocean and making their way across New Zealand. It helps give you a real intuitive sense of the probabilty of a weather system and helps you imagine "what if"; e.g. what if this front travels a bit faster? Maybe it will pass our location in the morning rather than the afternoon... etc.
What to do if it rains on your wedding day.
In the extremely rare occasion the rain is expected to be heavy at the planned photo time, we will likely know the day before and so can make a plan B. This might mean bringing the shoot forward earlier in the day, looking for sheltered/indoor options, or moving the session to the next day/morning. Of course, these are our last resort options, and we have only needed to use then on a handful of occasions in the last 10+ years of shooting, but it's helpful to know that even in a literal thunderstorm we can create some magic.
If it looking like this will be the case, we will be in contact with you the day before the photoshoot to discuss what options might be best. Maybe the place you are getting ready is cute and we can shoot there? Maybe we can shift some events around and bring photos earlier? There are a lot of possible options and we can help guide you through them.
How to prepare for a windy wedding day!
We often shoot in Wellington, famously one of the windiest cities in the world. So we are no stranger to a gale! One of the things we actually love about wind, is how dynamic it is and the energy it can bring to photos! That said, if you are expecting a bit of wind and this concerns you, there are a few thing you (and we) can do!
- Consider your hair style; in strong winds a glamour wave is unlikely to hold up long, but an up-do has a much better chance. Chat with your hair stylist before the photoshoot and discuss what options you have in different weather (you might want to consider humidy too!)
- Have something warm to wrap around you; leather jackets, fur shawls or even a dress with sleeves can all make a big difference to countering the wind chill factor!
- Let us know if you love (or hate) the wind swept vibe. We can help find locations that might embrace or minimise your time in open areas.
Conclusion.
If you have been watching the weather leading up to your photoshoot —you are not alone! We know it can be nerve-wracking not to have certainty about what the conditions will be, but you should also know that we have years of experience doing this, and we know how to create amazing work in any weather.
Because let's face it, you can't control the weather, but you can control your attitude and have an amazing time no matter what Mother Nature throws your way! 🙌✨