What To Do if It Rains on Wedding Day and How to Create a Rain Plan
Rain usually isn’t something people hope for on their wedding day, but, sometimes, it happens.
Sure, you don’t want to think about it, don’t want to jinx it. As your wedding planner, it’s my job to think about it. You’ve not only hired me to keep your planning process organized, but to anticipate any potential wedding day hiccups and have a plan ready to manage whatever might happen.
A beautiful outdoor ceremony planned at the groom’s family home // HL Photo
One of the most obvious wedding day “problems” is changes in the weather.
If the weather is severe (say a good old Minnesota blizzard or a tornado watch), your venue will execute its inclement weather plan to keep guests safe. That isn’t something we, as your wedding planner, have much control over and we rely on the venue’s expertise if such a crazy situation were to happen.
For this blog post, we’re talking about what to do when it rains on wedding day.
Rain most impacts weddings that have some element of the day planned outdoors, typically your ceremony or cocktail hour. If all parts of your wedding day will take place inside, the weather won’t affect you much! It might prevent you from taking photos outside, or could slow down travel times if you have a different ceremony and reception venue, but in the grand scheme of things that will have a minimal impact on your wedding day. However, if you planned to tie the knot outside… even a little bit of rain could change the course of the day. You’re going to need a Rain Plan.
A little bit of rain didn’t stop this couple from having the best wedding day! // Picard Photography
What is a Rain Plan?
A rain plan is the go-to action plan for addressing any changes to the venue layout, setup, and timeline that may be caused by rain. We don’t like to call this Plan B; this isn’t a “backup plan.” It’s a carefully thought out Plan A in case of rain, just as you have a Plan A for if it is not raining.
During the planning process, we work with you and your venue to create a rain plan. This involves reviewing multiple scenarios and determining the most logical and least disruptive way to keep your guests comfortable and your wedding day on track if rain is in the forecast.
When do I have to use the rain plan?
In Minnesota, we typically say around 50-60% chance of rain or higher (or if the risk of rain comes with low temps, like below ~60°), we need to strongly consider switching to the rain plan.
Most venues require this decision to be made at least one day before —or even a week before— your wedding day. Your wedding planner will help you make the final decision based on the weather and the complexities and potential pros/cons of implementing your rain plan.
Most of the time, we never have to implement the rain plan. But, being prepared will ensure you have a seamless wedding day!
A lakeside wedding ceremony
What will the rain plan be on my wedding day?
Your wedding planner will help you determine the best rain plan for your event, but here are a few examples of common rain plans and how they might impact your wedding day.
Is there a second location inside the venue that can be used for your ceremony? That is always the smoothest, least disruptive rain plan because your ceremony and reception can be set up independently. Depending on the size of the venue and your guest count, this might not be possible.
If the venue doesn’t have the space and your ceremony must be in the same room as the reception, there are 2 ways this could go:
1) If your venue has the staff, they can execute a room flip. This means that the room will be set up with ceremony-style seating when guests arrive and following your ceremony, the room is re-set in preparation for dinner. Your venue will be moving chairs and setting up tables, your catering team will be placing linens and setting dinnerware, and your florist or wedding planner may have to place centerpieces and decor. With everything that needs to be set up, a room flip usually requires an extended cocktail “hour” (how much time vendors need will depend on your guest count, layout, and decor setup).
2) There are times when the venue might not be able to execute a room flip, such as if your guest count is 250+ and/or the venue doesn’t have the staff to efficiently move tables and chairs during your event. In that case, your reception tables will already be set up and your ceremony takes place “cabaret style”. This is what we call it when guests are seated at their dinner tables during the ceremony and the couple and their wedding party stand at the “front” of the room (often in front of the head table).
If you are set on an outdoor ceremony and there is not a covered shelter or pavilion, you will have to rent a tent. Most rental companies require you to have a tent “on reserve” at least 1-2 months pre-wedding day, otherwise, you risk that the company may no longer have a tent available when you decide you need it. You also might need to make accommodations to provide blankets or umbrellas, or possibly rent heat lamps. Based on the time of year, we will prepare you well before your wedding day about which “extras” you will need to have on hand.
If you are planning an entirely outdoor or backyard-tented wedding and it happens to rain, unless you have a second ceremony tent, expect your ceremony to be cabaret style.
We rented a tent for this outdoor wedding in case of rain during the ceremony. Luckily, it didn’t rain! // Kiley Marissa Photo
There is a LOT to think about and plan for in case of rain on your wedding day and we don’t expect you to know it all!
With HappiLily Events as your wedding planner, you will have the peace of mind that a professional is navigating the behind-the-scenes details and consulting with your vendors so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
So, what happens if it rains on your wedding day? Here’s what we did for one of our couples.
Pa and Tanner were planning on exchanging vows in the woods at Hidden Greens Event Venue in Hastings, MN. The venue’s beautiful outdoor ceremony site is tucked amongst the trees beyond the golf course (really living up to its Hidden name!).
The weather on wedding morning was looking great. The ceremony arbor was draped with chiffon and decorated with floral arrangements, and we were ready to celebrate! Unfortunately, as the day went on, rain showers came and went. We knew if the weather didn’t break, the ceremony would have to be held inside — with the caveat that the reception space would already be set up for dinner. We held out as long as possible but as the ceremony donned closer and heavy rains rolled in, we had to move the ceremony inside.
It was inevitable that their ceremony would be “cabaret style” with guests seated at their dinner tables. To make the space look more intentional, our team took action.
The photobooth wall repurposed as the couple’s ceremony backdrop. // Picard Photography
Rather than saying “I do” in front of the head table (which happens with most last-minute-indoor-ceremonies), we wanted to give this couple a more unique and memorable ceremony!
The plan was to “flip” the direction of the ceremony and create an aisle going toward the venue’s entrance. We worked with the venue to shuffle the tables just enough for an aisle and to allow some room at the front for the wedding party. We also pulled chairs from their immediate family’s tables to create a small section of traditional seating up front.
To cover the entrance doors, we repurposed the boxwood photobooth wall as a ceremony backdrop. Of course, with the natural light coming in from the doors, this was a bit see-through. We quickly created a makeshift solution to fasten extra linens behind the greenery wall so that the backdrop appeared solid (shoutout to your wedding planner’s emergency kit — we come prepared with all sorts of tools from safety pins and duct tape to fishing line and floral wire!).
We also used decor from other areas like the head table, bar, and dessert table to enhance the ceremony backdrop with candles, lanterns, and floral arrangements.
This setup change worked perfectly for the couple’s ceremony, and looked great! With intentional styling, this ceremony set up looked purposeful rather than a last-minute decision.
The reception space with the photobooth wall covering the venue entrance for the new ceremony backdrop // Picard Photography
The photobooth wall back in action! // Picard Photography
They say rain on wedding day is good luck. Whether you think it is or it isn’t, HappiLily Events will be there to make sure you have the best day!
The beauty of having a well-thought-out rain plan is that your guests shouldn’t even be able to tell that this wasn’t the original plan. With us as your wedding planner, the transition to your rain plan will be smoother and your experience will be stress-free. Instead of you or a family member trying to navigate set-up changes and communicate timeline adjustments with the vendor team, we will be professionally managing it all.
WORDS FROM THE COUPLE:
“OMG, My now husband and I LOVED Lily!! We got married in June and for the price of Lily's services, we definitely got spoiled. We used her for the month of the wedding and we are so grateful we did! Not only did she take the stress off of us, she gave us the opportunity to breathe and enjoy the rest of our engagement without stressing about the smaller details. Lily was so creative and knew what to ask even before we could think of the question. She helped eased all of our concerns and was a great communicator between all of our vendors.
We were supposed to get married outside and an hour before the ceremony, Lily flipped our venue inside out to accommodate the pouring rain and it was GORGEOUS. We were able to enjoy every moment of our wedding and by the time the night ended, everything was packed and ready for us to leave without worry. We would HIGHLY recommend Lily and her team.
Our only regret is that we didn't hire her sooner. Do not hesitate to hire her and her amazing services.“
— Tanner and Pakou | June 26, 2021 | Hidden Greens Event Center
Tanner and Pa celebrate their wedding in Hastings, Minnesota // Picard Photography
