When Bad Weather Happens

Usually, you pick the date for your wedding about 1 year ahead of time. Sometimes, the date is selected 2 years ahead - or even 2 months. But, in any case, the weatherman hasn't given their forecast yet. So, you choose a date based upon a special anniversary, astrological charts, or just when your favorite reception site is available. And then you hope for the best weather possible.

But sometimes it snows in April, or a hurricane comes through in July. As a wedding planner, I try to control all of the possibilities and make contingency plans. The one thing I simply cannot do is control the weather! And no matter how many times you refer to the Farmer's Almanac, or look at the 10-day weather forecast, Mother Nature has a way of surprising us.

So what can you do? For starters, ALWAYS have a Plan B in case of inclement weather when any part of your wedding is going to be outdoors. That includes photos outside - always think about where you can take them if the weather just isn't cooperating. This way, your wedding will run smoothly when your wedding coordinator tells all the vendors that you've decided to go with Plan B (also, you need a deadline for when you'll make the Plan B Call - make sure to leave enough time for all the vendors to set up!).

If the weather is dangerous, and not simply inconvenient -- then you need to work with your wedding coordinator and the venue to make the correct choice. Usually, if a hurricane is coming through, or a Nor'easter is threatening the blizzard of the century, you'll have this information at least a couple of days ahead. It's important to make sure that all of your guests will be able to drive to and from your reception safely. You may want to postpone your wedding or see if the caterer will lower the minimums because of the weather forecast. Or, perhaps you can get your guests to the reception site a day or so earlier and extend your celebration! Unexpected storms can make for some creative solutions -- one that will make your wedding day even more memorable!

Until next time, happy planning ...