Create a Stress-Free Rain Plan for Your Outdoor Wedding
Whether you’re just starting to plan your wedding or you’re a few weeks (or even days!) from walking down the aisle, there’s one to-do that you should definitely check off your list:
Develop a wedding day rain plan.
Most couples dream of perfect weather for their Savannah wedding, which is understandable. However, the weather can be unpredictable, and the time to decide what to do if umbrellas become a necessity is not the day of your wedding. In fact, we encourage you to develop a rain plan with your wedding professionals that makes you equally as excited as a plan without rain at all!
Below, we’re sharing five things to keep in mind so that you can experience a stress-free wedding day, even if rain is in the forecast.
The Pavillion. Photo by Emi Morgan
Hire Professionals You Trust:
Every wedding professional has planned, designed, and worked a wedding in the rain. They’re far more common than you think!
When you’re first meeting with each wedding professional you plan to hire, ask how they handle rain on wedding days. Venues, like The Mackey House, should be quick to provide you with plans they have put into place. Photographers should be able to tell you how they capture celebrations in the rain, particularly portraits of the couple, wedding party, and family. If you’re chatting with a professional who can’t quite answer the question, they’re likely not the best fit for your day.
Great professionals have many plans at the ready, and they’re all designed to keep your wedding’s aesthetic and your goals for your day at the forefront!
The Deck. Photo via Gray Harper
Tents and Indoor Spaces Are Key:
For obvious reasons, when it rains, we all want to duck inside. And that includes your wedding day! Most venues will either have a tent that can be pitched or an indoor space that is equally as beautiful for ceremonies and receptions that will keep you, your love, and your guests under cover and dry.
When you’re touring venues, make sure you visit the indoor spaces that will be available to you should your wedding need to switch from an outdoor soirée to one safely held inside.
The other thing to keep in mind is timing. If the rain plan includes a tent that is not a permanent structure, the tent will need to be pitched. That takes time! Many venues will want to put your rain plan into action as far out as 48 hours prior to your wedding to ensure all of the pieces are in place before your day.
Photo by Janelle Elise via Junebug Weddings
Have Umbrellas on Hand:
When there is rain in the forecast, your eyes typically land on your umbrella. So, have them on hand for you and your partner, your wedding party, and your guests! Ordering clear umbrellas for you, your partner, and your wedding party will be a welcome addition for photos. Before you place your order, check in with your photographer. Sometimes, they have a stash they’re happy to let you use.
Other than umbrellas, the other two wedding day essentials are actually two teams: hair and makeup. Ask your hairstylist how to best touch up updos as needed, and bring extra hairspray and pins to make adjustments as needed. You’ll also want to touch base with your makeup artist and ask about waterproof makeup or anything you may want to purchase in advance, so you can touch up your look after she leaves.
Photo by Britt Rene Photography via Style Me Pretty
Adjust Your Timing:
When the ground is wet, we all tend to move and drive more slowly. Check-in with your wedding planner and photographer, and ask if they feel you might want to adjust your timing for the day. Photos may require a bit more time, particularly if anyone is wearing heels. Plus, transportation from your getting ready or photo locations may take longer as fellow drivers travel more cautiously. You also may want to have time before your ceremony to touch up your hair and makeup. A little extra time can go a long way!
Photo by McSween Photography
Remember, You Cannot Control the Weather:
You can choose your color palette, inspiration, attire, flowers, menu, and more because each one lies within your control. The weather, on the other hand, lands firmly in the category of things we need to roll with—on a wedding day or any other day during the week. Whether it rains or not, you and your love will still be MARRIED at the end of the day! And that’s why you’re hosting a wedding in the first place. So, let the weather be what it will be.
Whether the sun shines brightly or there is rain falling outside, one thing we can promise at The Mackey House is your wedding day will be beautiful. It will also be dry! We have a pavilion and a tent at the ready, and both create a stunning ambiance to a wedding venue we—and our couples—already adore.
Choose a Venue with Built-In Rain Plan Options
The easiest way to create a stress-free rain plan is to choose a venue with plenty of options for moving guests indoors or to a covered area.
At The Mackey House, we’re proud to have rain plan options built into our venue. Whether you opt to move to our open-air pavilion, which still has an outdoor feel, or you choose to dance and party under our clear tent that offers unobstructed views of the tall trees and woodlands that surround the property, our expert staff can quickly move guests or wipe down wet seats and tables after a brief shower. And because we only accommodate one wedding at a time, no matter what happens on your wedding day, the Mackey family and staff will be fully dedicated to you.
