Well, it appears I have jinxed those of us in Southwest Michigan with my post about lovely spring weather. Today we are playing duck and cover with substantially sized hail. Which leads me to the thought of – ugh, today would be awful weather for a wedding. No one wants to have to run from location to location in drizzly (or worse!) weather but unfortunately it can happen. So, should Mother Nature have the audacity to make it rain on your wedding day, what’s your back-up plan?
Please don’t say – “I don’t have one” because then the world will inevitably give you reason to have needed it! So let’s begin – the easy steps to take to make sure a little rain can mean luck on your day.
Step 1: Consider your guests comfort. Take steps that will, no matter what happens, provide them with what they need to enjoy your wedding. Having a beach wedding? Consider golf umbrellas (large enough for a few to fit under) on hand or maybe campy rain ponchos. Outside venue? Ask them what they have available for bad weather – no doubt they will have been through this before and will have something to help. For example, The Veranda has drapes that can be closed and patio heaters on hand for chilly weather.
If you take steps to at least make your guests feel relaxed they will remember having a good time at your wedding despite the fact that they have had to adjust to conditions.
Step 2: Once you have come up with ideas to keep guests comfortable – write them down – an “Official Plan B” – and tell everyone involved before the wedding day! You don’t want weather on your mind as you are getting ready and trying to enjoy the whole day-of process – so make sure someone else can carry out your Plan B – someone you are confident will come through for you.
Step 3: Roll with the punches. Putting Plan B into action is never anyone’s ideal situation (if it was, it would be Plan A….) so you need to realize that some things will not be exactly as you planned them to be. Obviously this is easier said than done – especially when you have been planning for months to get all the details right – but if you don’t let go of some of the “small things” – it will ruin your day – and we just can’t have that. If this means removing yourself from some decisions/preparations – then Do It! Let your team take over and go on about your business of getting ready and getting married!
One of my favorite group of photos (above) is from a wedding last summer that had less than ideal weather. In the end, guests were wrapped in souvenir St. Joseph sweatshirts and spent the night relaxed, laughing, playing cards, sipping hot coffee, and celebrating intimately with each other – how cool is that?! Thank you so much Dan + Crystal for sharing your beautiful wedding with us (and to Mom – Pam for sharing family pictures!). Please also check out some more amazing photos from the super-cool, super-sweet, and oh-so talented Craig Watson who captured Dan + Crystal’s style perfectly.
So I say, bad weather be damned! – put a Plan B together for piece of mind and then sit back, relax, and remember – if at the end of the day you are married, your wedding was perfect.
happy planning!
-kristin ♥