Rainy day back up plan for outdoor weddings

7 Tips for creating a rainy day back up plan for your outdoor wedding

1. Create a back up plan months in advance

   This will save you the stress that accompanies scrambling for suitable solutions the week of your wedding when the forecast for your special day is actually revealed. A back up plan prepared ahead of time, gives you the flexibility for alternative options you can be happy with. Consider including venue changes, alternate routes in case of road closures, and time delays to your original schedule

2. Write your plan down

   Distribute it to vendors and the wedding party, so everyone can be on the same page and your wedding can still go on smoothly.

3. Research venue accommodations

   Find out what your venue will do in case of rain. Do they have outdoor covered areas such as canopies? Do they have indoor space available? Do they provide tents? Do they have a generator for power outages? A venue that has indoor and outdoor rental capacity is ideal. However, you will need to make arrangements for indoor space in advance.

4. Reserve a tent

   If your venue does not provide a tent in case of rain, you may want to reserve one. Even if you don't end up using it - it will give you peace of mind knowing you have it in case the weather doesn't hold up.

5. Provide umbrellas

   Invest in a large golf umbrella to keep the bride's wedding dress dry and her makeup in place. Also, provide matching or fun colored umbrellas for the wedding party. There are rental facilities that rent umbrellas, so if you don't want to buy a large quantity of umbrellas, you will need to do some research beforehand. It's a nice gesture for ushers to use umbrellas to escort your guests to covered areas.

6. Keep your guests comfortable

   Include “in case of rain” information within your wedding invitations. This should detail any venue changes and alternate routes to your wedding in case of road closures and flooding. At the wedding site, in addition to umbrellas, you can provide ponchos, flip-flops, towels and hair dryers.

7. Consider buying wedding insurance

   Weddings are a big expense and purchasing event cancellation coverage can help protect you if the weather takes a major turn for the “worst”. Markel offers wedding cancellation insurance, which reimburses you for lost deposits and non-refundable amounts if you have to cancel or postpone your wedding due to extreme weather such as a hurricane or tropical storm. (Sorry - most wedding cancellation insurance won’t provide coverage for your spring shower or summer thunderstorm.) Coverage can be purchased anytime up to 14 days before your event, and policies start as low as $130. Get a free, no obligation event insurance quote today, and learn how you can protect your wedding (and yourself).

We hope these tips help you prepare and take the right steps for your perfect wedding day.