There are a lot of variables that are taken into consideration when putting together your wedding. When 100% rain is forecasted for the day of your bridal, session schedules can be changed . Flowers can be put in on ice, hair and makeup artists can move your appointment. On the other hand when planning an outdoor wedding, there is no rescheduling.
What’s your plan in case of rain?
When Jessica and I were married in January 2008, we had planned for an outdoor ceremony on the grass at Cedar Grove Tchoupitoulas Plantation. We knew we were taking a gamble as January in New Orleans could be pleasant or dreary and as we got closer to the 19th, things were shaping up for a nice day with a cold front coming through late that evening.
Saturday arrived and the cold front came through a day early saturating the ground and bringing wind gusts which made for a blustery day. Waking to the sound of a thunderstorm was the last thing we wanted to hear.
We called Jill Mercer that morning to check on the condition of the grounds. When we found out Waggaman also received the deluge we talked about moving the wedding inside. Both Jill and our florist Dee from Bella Blooms Floral transformed our reception area into a wedding area and guests arrived to our relocated wedding.
When holding your wedding outside at a reception venue, these locations usually have a pretty easy time moving things inside in case of inclement weather assuming they have the space to do so and are given enough notice to make the switch. If you are having your event outside or the venue does not have room inside for the ceremony setup you need the “rain plan.”
One solution especially if using a park location without a reception venue is to rent a tent to house the reception. Tents come in a variety of types, with larger “clear-span” tents that are bigger than some reception rooms. Companies like Event Rentals have plenty of options in tent styles and sizes including the ability to “wall” the tent.
While tents make locations more versatile, permits and setup mean they might not be a good last minute solution. A tip is to watch the weather and use an Almanac along with forecasts to get a better idea of the day’s weather.
The condition of the ground when its been raining is another factor. Make a visit to the site after a rainstorm and look at the path your guests will take to the area. If the path is soft or muddy the additional foot traffic may make for a messy processional. A walkway helps guests avoid bad patches of ground and keeps them clean.
With a little forethought you can have an outdoor wedding location with a built in backup in case rain forces you to move inside.
Photocredit: iStockPhoto.com/shironosov
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