If you are planning an outdoor wedding, make sure you have a solid backup plan
You booked your dream wedding day at your favorite outdoor venue – maybe it’s a garden, a barn with a beautiful field, a lakeside retreat, or the beach. You plan your attire, the decor, where the best photos will be.
But what about…THE WEATHER?! As a wedding planner, we can control and mitigate almost everything that could possibly go “wrong” on your wedding day. But weather woes fall into that category of things we just can’t do anything about! And since we live in Alabama, it’s always possible to have a rainy wedding day.
But read on for what we CAN help you do about weather snafus!
The Top 3 Tips for a Wedding Day Rain Plan For Birmingham Weddings
- Before you book your outdoor venue, ask what their weather back-up locations are.
Some venues will have a built-in backup plan for rain or other extreme weather. This could be a building on-property, often it may be what you are using for your reception. Make sure that you like their plan B space before you book, since you could very well end up in that space! Your wedding pros will be able to execute a “flip” – where we transform the same space from a ceremony to a reception – efficiently while you and your guests enjoy a cocktail time.
2. Rent a tent, and factor it into your overall budget.
Tents are a great backup plan for weather, at least in most cases. Even in the winter, you can rent sides for the tent and heaters! Tented weddings can really be outstanding once you add lighting and draping. However, if you are renting solely for the rain backup plan, know that you will have to pay at least 50% of the rental cost, even if you end up NOT using it.
That can be tough to swallow, but we always encourage our couples to think of it like being an insurance policy. If there are no other sheltering locations available at your venue, really must have a tent on hold! Don’t forget to factor in all the tent “extras” like lighting, draping, and tent floors for moving to the plan b into your budget.
3. Grab the cute umbrellas, your rainboots, and RELAX – your wedding pros have this!
It’s hard, we totally get that, but do your best to roll with what comes on your wedding day! Your planner has already formulated a great rain plan for you, and all the wedding pros are ready to make it happen.
Focus on what really matters – you and your fiancee celebrating your love with the people who mean the most to you – and the rest will fall into place.
We have even had couples say after the fact that they loved the Plan B even more than the original plan, so never underestimate a Plan B Rain Plan!
The backup plan at Windwood Equestrian – Arden Photography 
Anna arriving for her ceremony – Piper Vine 
Kelsie & Jonathan at the Birmingham Zoo – 2B Photography 
Sarah and Allen – Morgan Trinker Photography 
Christine and Chase’s twinkle lights tent – Once Like a Spark
[…] blog! Their day was planned at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and while we had to move to the Plan B Rain Plan (it was one of the wettest summers ever!), they were surrounded by all their people and had just […]