Weddings and Hurricane Season

As someone who works in the wedding industry, weather is always a forefront thing on my mind but coming from central Texas where my business started, I had to adjust to the idea of hurricane season happening in the midst of the fall wedding season.  Here to help us be prepared, whatever the weather this season, are three sweet wedding planners that serve the Hampton Roads area, Two River Events, M & T Weddings and Events, and Illumination Events Studio.

Don’t Watch the Weather

It may sound counter-intuitive to not watch the weather but when it comes to wedding planning, Kari Scruggs of Two River Events knows how to handle anything that is thrown her way, even finding generators for a bride when her wedding venue lost power.  Here are some of her top tips for dealing with less than ideal weather on a wedding day:

• Don’t Watch the Weather: Enough people will be watching it for you, and as long as you and your planner have a solid plan of action for any scenario (all things you should have talked about prior to your big day), just try to focus on enjoying the time. If you feel like you HAVE to watch the weather, don’t really start looking until 48 hours out. I have seen 90% of rain disappear two days out. Keep a positive attitude and just don’t watch it every hour.
• Be rational: When putting rain plans into motion, it’s very easy to say, “eh I don’t care if it’s raining a little bit, I still want to get married outside”.  Take a look at the larger picture to see how much rain has fallen, will your dress be soaked from walking outside, will it be muddy, is it cold, and will your guests be ok? There are a lot of factors to consider when making rain calls. Keeping an open mind and being rational about decisions ultimately leads to less stress for you and your guests.
• Back up power: In the case of severe weather, be sure that you have discussed with your venue backup power options. Do they have a generator? If not, ask the questions about how much power you need for catering/kitchen equipment, power for DJ or a band and enough power to run some string lights at the very least. Make sure that along with a generator, you have additional gas and extension cords. I recently learned more than I care to know about generators and power conversions as well as starting and shutting them down safely. Better to have the knowledge and not need it than to not have it and need it.

C is for Candles

Imagine a romantic candle lit ceremony and all thoughts of a hurricane or rainy weather go out the window.  That is the magic and innovation of the duo at M & T Weddings and Events.

• Candles: Romantic and affordable, candles are a great way to provide extra lighting should something happen with the electricity during your ceremony, or later your reception.
• Have a Plan B:In situations where there is heavy rain or a hurricane, you want to consider the impact it may have on the venue or location your wedding is at.  Always have a contingency plan whether that is moving your ceremony time a little later or relocating to a different ceremony site.  Above all else, remember that you are marrying the love of your life and to keep that the focus of your day.  Sometimes the most exciting and adventurous photos have come out of making the most out of a rainy day and some rainbows.

Fun vs. Serious

Chelsea of Illumination Events Studio offers to key tips in regards that end up playing to both the serious and fun end of the spectrum when dealing with rather undesirable weather.

• Wedding Insurance: Make sure that no matter what season of the year your wedding falls, that you have obtained wedding insurance.  Some venues even require that you carry some amount of insurance for your day, so don’t forget to ask.
• Accessorize: When all else fails, go with the flow and have some cute rain gear on hand to keep you dry and embrace the rain.  These will also be super helpful if guests need to go to and fro from any tents.

A big thank you to these three sweet planners for sharing their knowledge with us!  Check back soon for more tips on making your wedding day work for you.

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