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Wedding planners and pros from across the country reveal the messy side of making your wedding day unforgettable. Here's what they wish brides knew.

They say it's good luck to have rain on your wedding day...but we know that's little consolation to the bride who always dreamed of having an outdoor wedding and has to move it inside at the last minute. On the plus side, though, there's something so beautiful about a photo in the rain. As we gear up for yet another rainy weekend here on the East Coast, we asked two of our favorite photographers to share how they work with the rain to achieve stunning wedding pictures.

Don't Be Afraid to Get a Little Wet

Photo Credit: Hoffer Photography

"If you're trying to take photos in the rain while keeping your dress dry, you might as well forget it," said Tony Hoffer of Hoffer Photography. "The reality is that if you're going to get cool photos in the rain, you're going to get a bit wet. That's the fun part! Get out and act like you're on the poster for The Notebook. It looks way more interesting that way anyway!"

Photo by: Leo Evidente Photographers on Leo Evidente Photographers via Lover.ly

Q. My fiancé and I live on the West Coast, as does my entire family. However, his relatives live on the East Coast. We both want to marry near our families and can't agree on the location. What should we do? 

A. Unfortunately, there's no easy solution. I do understand your fiancé wanting to have his members in attendance and undoubtedly, traveling across country would be difficult for many of them. However, weddings are traditionally held in the bride's hometown, and since you — and most of your relatives — live on the West Coast, this would seem to be the logical choice. Also, if your parents are helping to pay for part of the wedding, you need to take that into consideration.

Lena Dunham of Girls fame shared a revealing childhood sketch with her Twitter followers detailing what her dream wedding would consist of someday. I don't watch the acclaimed HBO series so I don't know too much about her, but anyone who wants a pasta bar at their reception is a girl after my own heart! The White Stripes were slated to make a live performance so she must have had an inkling that her comedy-drama TV pilot would eventually get picked up by a major network. 

Photo Credit: Lena Dunham's official Twitter account

This glimpse into the actress' private life poses a fascinating question: When you were a child, what did you think getting married would be like? If I were to unearth the drawings from my elementary school keepsake box, I'd be hard-pressed to find a poufy white dress and handsome Prince Charming anywhere. The one thing I remember thinking as a little girl was that I absolutely had to arrive to my wedding in a horse-drawn carriage, just like my cousin did on her big day in the '90s. Other than that, I was too busy doodling my future apartment, where I'd go to Harvard, drive a red Mustang and own an adorable cocker spaniel just like the one in Lady & the Tramp. None of those things came to pass (sorry, past self!). 

A couple of months ago, a bride asked me how to incorporate a wedding theme without sacrificing any style points. It's a not-so-secret fact that I'm not the biggest fan of wedding themes in general, but I must say that a golf-themed wedding (which is what she was proposing) was especially hard for me to comprehend. It was a design conundrum!

In an effort to help her, I sourced ways that she could incorporate her fiancé's passion. In the process, I became in tune with the idea that adding a few meaningful details can turn an ordinary theme into a wedding that is a celebration of everything the two of you love together. Now that I've officially converted into a theme-loving gal, I thought I'd share some of my favorite wedding shoots that don't scream kitsch.

Ever After
Ever After is my favorite movie because the storyline hit incredibly close to home. If you've ever dreamt of having your fairytale moment, then get inspired by this beautiful shoot inspired by the film. Incorporate your favorite quote about love on a mirror, chalkboard, or even throughout your paper products to tie them all together.

This shoot was originally featured on Le Magnifique.