What Happens if it Rains on my Wedding Day at Tigh Na Mara?
If it rains on your wedding day at Tigh Na Mara, rest assured your day is going to remain the best day ever. The reputable Parksville resort is equipped to shift for weather, and has a variety of backup ceremony and photo locations. I have photographed many weddings here over the years, in a variety of weather conditions including snow, power outages, immense rain, sunshine and overcast. I am always impressed with the flexibility of Tigh Na Mara, who can adapt to quickly changing weather conditions in order to provide the best service and comfort for their guests.
Ceremony Settings
The most popular setting for wedding ceremonies at Tigh Na Mara is the gazebo. If weather permits, this is the top choice for weddings. Typically, the bride and groom, bridal party and wedding officiant stand in front of the gazebo, and guests are seated in the field before the stairs. It’s incredibly beautiful. Overlooking the ocean, this is also where a hidden weather camera is displaying a live-view 24/7. However, in the event that it does rain, snow or hail, the wedding can be pivoted to an undercover option, either inside the gazebo or in the outdoor covered patio. Tigh Na Mara also has propane heaters available to warm you up in case of cold weather!
View the live-view beach camera here: https://www.geocam.ru/en/online/tigh-na-mara/
The Gazebo
This beautiful log gazebo is quite large and can fit up to 35 seated guests, or 50 standing. If your guestlist can fit underneath, this option is quite popular. From a photographers perspective, the ocean background is impossible to capture without flash setup. This is unfortunate. I opt for natural light to avoid bringing strobes into the intimate ceremony site, and just blow out the background to expose the couple. There is a decent walking path around the gazebo, allowing beautifully lit photographs. ♥
Outdoor Covered Patio
For larger guest lists, you can move your ceremony to the outdoor covered patio area. 150 seated guests can be accommodated here. This location is set right beside the banquet rooms, so your guests will never need to step into the rain. There are rows of Edison lights strung up, making a beautiful ambient light which is bright enough even at night to illuminate the scene. It’s really such a beautiful space, you may opt to choose this location even with a smaller guest list like Natalie and Steve did on their Chrismas Eve elopement.
Formal Photo Settings
Shooting at the beach in stormy weather may not be your first choice on a rainy day. Alternative formal photo locations at Tigh Na Mara include small forested patches using clear umbrellas, the gazebo, covered patio area and even in your cabins. Take a look at the photos below to view some successful formal photos taken during rainy days at Tigh Na Mara. Oftentimes, rain will subside during the day. On Vancouver Island, it may rain for a solid hour and then be shining bright the next. When it comes to formal photos, you may very likely have it timed during a period of very light rain, or even none. Your photographer can watch keenly for this and use the opportunity for some umbrella-free shots if this occcurs.
