“Will it rain on my wedding day?”

This is one of the most common questions that NIWA meteorologists get asked.

To help anxious couples plan for their wedding day, NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino and his forecasting colleague, meteorologist Ben Noll have come up with 13 tips to ensure the best chance of a fine sunny, outdoor wedding.

Chris Brandolino says the tips, which are based on Ben’s own wedding forecasting experience, is focused on New Zealand and but can be adjusted to any location around the globe.

It covers all stages of wedding planning from checking out dominant weather patterns before booking venues 12 months in advance, to adjusting your wedding day layout for prevailing winds in the hours before the bride and groom turn up.

There are even tips on how to tap into NIWA’s farmer-focused high-resolution drought forecasting tool, or nominating a friend to take the weight of weather planning off your own shoulders from day one.

Whatever you do, Ben Noll knows firsthand that forecasting the weather for your own wedding is a tough ask.

After proposing during a live NIWA weather broadcast, Ben faced a two-year battle, overcoming a pandemic and the remnants of a tropical cyclone.

“A cyclone on a meteorologist’s wedding day? It’s a story that almost writes itself,” says Ben.

So did Ben finally get the forecast right, and did it actually shine on Ben and Kate’s big day?

Find out in this video and discover the meteorologist’s 13-top tips for predicting good weather on your wedding day.