The five best weather apps to keep your eye on it leading up to the big day

Wedding jewellery experts Austen & Blake have listed some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on in the lead-up to your big day.

The UK weather has been anything but predictable lately, with September set to be a particularly rainy and unsettled month, according to The Met Office. Top-rated apps help to track and plan your wedding day accordingly.

Weather apps are invaluable when it comes to planning your nuptials, but sometimes there's no avoiding the inevitable. That's why, along with listing the best apps for tracking grey skies, the jewellery experts have teamed up with a professional wedding photographer to provide tips on how to get the best rainy snaps.

Even when the weather's a washout, it doesn't mean your wedding photos have to be! Here are some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on and how to strike the perfect pose if rain is predicted:

The Met Office
One of the most trusted sources of weather information is The Met Office. A place where brides-to-be can accurately plan out the course of their day, that's completely free and without ads. It's a no-thrills app, but it's definitely up there as one of the most reliable!

AccuWeather
AccuWeather is a visually uplifting and colourful app to download in the run-up to your big event, providing daily and hourly forecasts. The screen display allows you to track sunshine hours, rain probability, UV and cloud coverage. Well-known for providing global, accurate readings, the app can be downloaded for free on the App Store.

BBC Weather
BBC Weather is one of the most widely-used apps in the UK, showing users hourly forecasts up to 14 days ahead. With popular features such as its 'feels like' temperature gauge and ability to predict the chance of precipitation, it's the perfect weather source for couples with a ceremony that's right around the corner!

Not Boring Weather
Not Boring Weather presents the forecast in a completely unique way, offering 3D fonts, animations and accompanying sounds. It uses a simplistic and modern design, along with offering a reliable weather update with features such as cloud coverage, wind speed, and visibility all factored in. It's a super creative way to check up on the sunshine!

Carrot
Boring weather updates are also unfamiliar to Carrot, which offers unique features such as hearing the rain and feeling the thunder when scrolling its weather forecast. The app allows you to choose from five different weather bot personalities to keep you updated on the forecast too, and is known for its humour and sarcasm. The app even provides top tips such as, the best hours for photography - perfect for any wedding day preparations!

Aimée Rumsby, owner of AIR Photography, shares some rainy wedding day photography tips:

Use umbrellas to enhance shots - Umbrellas are a great way to be prepared for anything the weather might throw at you on your big day. Start with one umbrella for couples shots, and add extras for photographs with family, bridesmaids and groomsmen. There are plenty of clear umbrellas with coloured handles and stitching available - this creates beautiful shots that are completely unique. For this, I recommend finding umbrellas that match your colour scheme for shots to really stand out.

Strike the right poses for dramatic skies - Take advantage of the dramatic backdrop that dark skies and rain can bring. Walk hand in hand with each other, stand with your backs towards your photographer and look up at the skies, and if you're really not afraid to embrace the rain, get carried away by your partner in the downpour. This creates a romantic, impactful shot that you'll treasure forever!

Protect the dress - If you're letting loose and embracing the rain outdoors, there are things you can do to prepare for showers ahead of time. A clear shower curtain on the floor will keep your dress away from any mud or mess the rain may create whilst posing outside. You could also purchase some bright rain boots for everyone to save shoes from getting dirty and create some entertaining images, where focus is drawn to fun pops of colour.

Find shelter - Identify the sheltered areas at your chosen venue that you'd love to be photographed in. Many wedding venues have bandstands, outdoor seating with umbrellas and pergolas that will allow for romantic outdoor scenes with minimal rainfall. Additionally, explore the venue from the inside. It will be your space for the day, so enjoy it. Head to the stairs, windows, and hallways and you'll be surprised what wonderful compositions can be created.