How to Prepare for a Rain Backup Plan

I remember it so vividly. The day I had to tell my beautiful bride we had to move her luxurious outdoor private estate wedding inside to the parlor room. I have to say, I was terrified because this never happens in California so I wasn’t quit prepared. To not have control over such an important part of the day can be a little daunting so I have created some tips on how to prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

Set Expectations up Front

If your couple is getting married in a location that often rains, like Hawaii or has unpredictable weather you need to educate them on the possibility of rain. The worst thing you can do is ignore this to appease your client’s concerns.

Become a Weather Expert

You need to be an expert in the weather for the area where the wedding is taking place. Know the signs of rain and ensure you have a great weather application on your cell phone. For example, in Hawaii I use Hawaii Now, which shows me up to date weather radar. Start looking at the weather about 14 days prior to the wedding. This may seem far out but will begin preparation if you need to put a tent on standby. Once you are 7 days out this is when you need to start watching everyday especially if there is weather in the forecast.

Create a Plan B

As a Wedding Planner it is your job to always have a back up to back ups so you will need to come up with a Plan B and communicate this to your entire vendor team. This way anyone involved in the design knows the new game plan and if extra staffing might be needed. One tip that might be helpful is creating a new vision board with the back up location or additional tent design.

images by Sargeant Creative