Make an Emergency Plan in the Event That Nature Intrudes on Your Wedding

Your wedding day has come and your beautiful outdoor wedding is about to begin. The weather report has not even been announced as you busily prepare for this big day. You are dreaming of the perfect ceremony but wait! You need a back-up plan. Nature may not provide the perfect weather that you had hoped. The weather is unpredictable and can quickly take a turn for the worse. Be sure that you have and emergency back up plan in the event that the weather does not cooperate. You will need to have an alternate location chosen in which to move the wedding upon a moments notice. This will depend on the location of the wedding and where you have chosen to have your reception. Plan ahead carefully. An outdoor wedding is beautiful and there is nothing nicer than to be surrounded by nature, family and friends at the same time on your wedding day. But if Mother Nature decides to play a trick, be prepared.

Alternate Locations

If you are having this event in a place that offers both indoor and outdoor services, make sure you can move the party inside if the need arises. Campgrounds, hotels, and home weddings can usually meet this requirement. Most campsites have recreation rooms in which to hold receptions and will be more than happy to let you use that space. You most likely will have already rented it for the reception anyway. If you have a hotel banquet hall reserved for your reception you will probably be able to move your wedding to that same room if the weather turns bad. However you may have to reserve it for extra time and pay an extra fee. Discuss these possibilities for a spur of the moment change in plans with the manager before the wedding day arrives. If you need to you can reserve the room and then loose the deposit if you don't need it. The slightly added cost will bring you peace of mind.

If you are planning a home wedding there are a couple of options available for protection from the weather. If the yard is big enough, then you can put up some white tarps or canopies that are beautifully decorated for the wedding day. This will keep not only the rain off your guests but the hot sun, too. You can also move the celebration indoors if needed.

Portable Shelters

If you are planning that full outdoor experience by getting married on a beach, in a garden, or in the woods next to a lake, then you have two choices. You can make sure that you are having an indoor reception and get everyone and everything to the reception hall to finish the ceremony if the weather turns ugly or you can invest in the rental of a wedding tent. These are not only gorgeous but very large too. Your guests will be able to see through the mesh walls but still be protected from the rain. Because they are completely enclosed, they offer the added bonus of a pest free wedding. If the wedding location is on a beach or in a park the wedding tent may not be permitted. Most other outdoor venues will be more accommodating. Make sure that the spot you have chosen is large enough to put the tent. This type of shelter will also house your reception. In the wilderness this kind of protection from the elements will be needed considering you have probably rented a generator and have either a D.J. or live band with lots of electric equipment there.

So if you are planning to have your wedding outdoors it is essential to have emergency back up plans in case of bad weather. You and your guests do not want to be caught in the rain if at all possible. Make sure you put on the invitations that the wedding will be outdoors and include alternate plans incase of rain. This will let people know that you have considered this possibility and know what to do in case nature doesn't cooperate. All these tips are not only good for rain, but also for extremely hot weather. It will be vitally important for people to have shade from extreme heat and pounding sunrays. You will be very glad that you made arrangements for these unplanned events if it turns out you need them.