After everything that has transpired in the last year and caused couples to chart out entirely new courses for their wedding days, we’re ecstatic that things are slowly returning to a semblance of normality (although we know that ‘normal’ isn’t really a thing anymore, and we kind of like it that way). Contingency planning isn’t a walk in the park no matter what the circumstances, but we don’t think we’d be speaking out of turn if we said that we’d happily get back to weather-related fallbacks if those were the only ‘just in case’ considerations on the table. Rainy days, windy days, too-hot temps or too-cold conditions can absolutely do their best to put a damper on your day, but if you have alternate accommodations and amenities at the ready, you’ll be just fine. That’s no lie, either: we’ve written about buckets of bad-weather best days ever and they’ve all turned out 👌. After all, if the two of you can put on rain boots and jump in puddles when the pressure kicks in, you’ll be in a much better position to weather future storms together – and that’s marriage goals, for sure!
So, where should you start when your pre-wedding to-do list is already flooded with things to figure out? Well, first things first, remember that there is a difference between not letting weather bother you and not caring about the weather at all. A relaxed and stressing-less attitude is great, because it keeps you flexible and allows you to roll with the punches, but you’ll still need to plan ahead and have plans A, B, and yes, even C in place before the potential big day clouds roll in.
In the event your plan A (that’s your just-about-perfect, no solutions or substitutions needed scenario) doesn’t vibe with the weather on your wedding day, here’s what we at Style Me Pretty love for successful and buttoned up backup plans:
This is what you’ll need to work out with your venue well before a forecast is on the horizon. If you’ll be having an outdoor wedding at an estate, a mansion, a country club, a vineyard, a stunning farmstead, etc., how will you be providing cover if inclement weather ensues? Can you tent? Does the venue have one or more indoor spots should the weather be too intense to remain outside (even with guests sheltered under a tent, draping, or a canopy)? While your venue coordinator and on-site team will have the best frame of reference for how the weather should play out during the time of year you’ll be getting married, you can also rely on your wedding planner/designer (if you have one! And if you don’t, it’s a great reason to bring someone aboard if your budget allows) to troubleshoot any concerns or questions that need clearing up well in advance and to help you navigate weather-specific nuances on the days leading up to your wedding.
This is what you’ll need to spend some time brainstorming as you get closer to your event day. When your weather predictions are looking grim at 10 or so days out, you’ll want to be proactive about what to do in a pinch (i.e. should you push back the ceremony a bit if the weather looks promising to turn around?), and you’ll need to keep all of your vendors posted on your thought process (because they’ve probably been through plenty of ‘what do we do with this weather?’ worries in their tenure and will know what to have prepared for your party). Talk to your photographer about your entire shot list and what he or she suggests for handling your ceremony captures, your individual and couple portraits, your bridal party pictures, etc. And add some periphery budget for any day-of triaging involving guests: umbrellas for rain, personal fans, auxiliary AC units, and hydrating refreshments for soaring, heat-stroke-level temperatures, disposable hand warmers or blankets, thermoses of cocoa or artisanal coffee, portable heaters for unprecedented chills.
While we don’t have a magic fix for wedding day weather flops, we promise that we’re doing gorgeous-weather dances every day and every night for our couples and sending all of the best vibes out into the universe for you! We also put together a whole collection of Ultimate Planning Guides to help you maneuver hiring a wedding planner, choosing your venue, finding the right vendors for your style, etc. All of them have helpful hints about weather planning, too!
And here are a few more things that can help, if inopportune weather turns out to be your #somethingblue, after all!
Oh! And embrace all of that good luck that’s supposed to come from the storm!