If you know me then you know how much I LOVE my engagement sessions in Chicago! The views, vibe, and style of the windy city make it the perfect spot to celebrate and document this new chapter of your relationship you find yourself in. That being said, no matter how much planning you put into your engagement session, you cannot unfortunately control the weather. That’s what brings us to today’s article topic, what to do when the forecast for the day of your session calls for rain! Come with me as we take a look into what you can do for a rainy engagement session as well as some of my favorite indoor locations of Chicago for photos!

How to Be Prepared

It’s the week leading up to your engagement session! You’ve got your outfit picked out, locations planned out, and everything seems to be set for a perfect session. That’s when you check the forecast and see that dreaded 100% chance of rain icon for your day. This isn’t the end of the line though! While rain may not be what you were hoping for, we can still make the most of it for your engagement session. The first step is to prepare for the rain itself. Living in the Midwest I can tell you firsthand that forecasts don’t really mean all that much. A LOT can change in the week leading up to a session, and even on the day of your session the rain can be minimal or almost nonexistent at times!

Even still though, there’s no way to know just what the weather is going to be like until we’re actually in the session. This is why preparation is SO important for your engagement session! I of course recommend planning in a backup location, preferably indoors, for these situations so you can still get THE most of your Chicago engagement session. There’s more that can be done though. Wear or pack a pair of shoes that can get wet, avoid wearing suede clothing or shoes that clearly show when they are wet. Quick side note, if you need more info on what to wear for your engagement session check out this guide! Finally, you can also use the rain to your advantage thanks to things like these clear umbrellas or your favorite cute rain gear!

The Best of Both Worlds

In the spirit of making the most of the rain for your engagement session, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret. I absolutely LOVE a rainy day session! Of course there’s limits to this, a torrential downpour with insane wind that makes the rain fly sideways is definitely not ideal. On the other hand a fair amount of rain can really add to the emotion of your session! I’m not saying you have to fully recreate the scene from The Notebook, but if you’re down I’m down! Having both indoor locations as well as outdoor photos for your engagement session in Chicago can really add to the overall variety of your album as well.

Some of My Fav Indoor Locations of Chicago for Engagement Photos

Alright, here’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Here are some of my favorite indoor locations throughout Chicago for engagement photos! Keep in mind that this of course is not an all encompassing list. I think it’s physically impossible to collect every single location throughout Chicago that you could take photos at! This is more to give you some inspiration into what’s possible for your session, and maybe even the location of your dreams if we’re lucky!

Union Station

First up we have the ever gorgeous and historic Union Station of Chicago! Union Station is in the heart of Chicago, and is arguably one of the best locations for indoor photos in the city. The building’s interior is massive, beautiful, and has incredible lighting, giving us tons to work with for your session. Its central location also makes it incredibly simple to get to, though you do need a permit to take photos within the building. It’s just that stunning though that even on a perfectly sunny day I’d still recommend some photos inside Union Station, it’s seriously that beautiful!

The Cultural Center

Also in the heart of downtown Chicago is the renowned cultural center! This space is just across the street from Millennium Park which in itself offers an insane array of locations for your outdoor engagement photos. Looking inside the Cultural Center though you’ll find breathtaking ornate artwork along the walls as well as 2 separate stained glass domes. Walking into the center for the first time honestly doesn’t feel real, and best of all there is NO permit requirement for engagement photos!

One of Chicago’s Conservatories

If you plan on having your engagement session in the spring you may opt to have it inside one of Chicago’s wonderful conservatories! This lets you ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy your session rain or shine while still getting photos amongst some of the lush greenery that the conservatories have to offer. The Garfield Park, Lincoln Park, and Oak Park conservatories are all wonderful, but will require a photography permit in order to use the space for your engagement photos.

Your Favorite Bar, Restaurant, Shop, or Brewery

Some of my favorite opportunities for indoor engagement photo locations in Chicago actually take place inside the many different businesses throughout the city! It’s something I’ve written about a few times now, like with Lexi and Anthony at Ciccio Mio, Emma and AJ at The Alderman, Natalia and Sam at Begyle Brewing, and Dovile and Johnny at Elixir. What I love about this option for your engagement photos is it allows you to showcase even more of your personalities into your session! Whether it’s a love for beer, a love for vinyl, or a love of good food, you can totally build all or part of an engagement session around it! 

While none of these locations should require a photography permit, it is a good idea to call in advance to ask the business if they’re ok with you having your engagement photos done there. In these situations I always recommend my couples reach out to the business rather than me. Think of it this way, who would you rather hear from, a random photographer that wants to use your space, or a couple that loves your space SO much that they want to document their love in it? For more information on how to plan an engagement session in a restaurant or bar in Chicago check out this article I wrote!

One of Chicago’s Unique Hotels

Similar to the different restaurants, bars, etc. that we just talked about, Chicago is also home to some insanely beautiful hotels that make for perfect indoor locations for your engagement photos! Another similarity is that there is no photo permit requirement for these hotels, but calling ahead again is a must. Using the beautiful lobby of the hotel while also snagging a drink at the bar can be the perfect way to escape the rain, or just enjoy some time inside during your engagement session!

The Riverwalk

“The Riverwalk Jayde? Like the outdoor path along the Chicago River?” Ok, yes this isn’t really an indoor location, but it still is an awesome spot for rainy day engagement photos in Chicago! That’s because the Riverwalk is partially covered, which means you can still experience the views and scenery that make the Riverwalk the spectacular place that it is, even on a rainy day. There’s no permit required here either which is another bonus. The location couldn’t be better either, with iconic spots like the Wrigley Building, Michigan Avenue, the Merchandise Mart, the Palmer House, and more. Check out Catherine and Alex’s engagement session for a glimpse at some of what there is to work with at the Riverwalk!

Other Locations

Like I mentioned before, there are basically endless locations to choose from in Chicago when looking for somewhere indoors to take your engagement photos. So many in fact that I’ve actually written an entire article covering even more of my favorites! This article features some of the same places as this one, like the botanic gardens and union station, but there are others that you’ll want to check out! It’s important to know though that if you book me for your engagement session I’ll be able to help you plan out all the details like where to have your session, what permits are required, what to wear, and more!

Reschedule Policy

One last thing I wanted to quickly mention is my reschedule policy. This is something that I like to avoid doing when possible, both for my sanity and for yours. I know you’re busy, and I know how hard it can be to find and book a date that works for the two of you as well as for me. That’s why I try SO hard to make our original date work! If the weather is extremely bad though, or even dangerous, I am willing to reschedule sessions on a case by case basis. I’ll be talking with you throughout the lead up to your session, especially so if the date approaches and it’s looking like we’ll have some rough weather. At the end of the day I know that you just want the best engagement session experience possible, and that’s what I want for you too!

Now that you have a list of potential locations to choose from if it’s looking like you’ll have some rain for your engagement photos in Chicago it’s time to plan the rest of your session! Trust me there is a LOT more that goes into the session than just where to take your photos! For some more ideas on making your session unique to you check out this article, and if you’re ready to book me as your photographer be sure to send me an inquiry through my contact page!