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Outdoor wedding ceremonies can be at the mercy of the weather. Here’s what to do if you’re planning to take it outside.

Planning Outdoor Weddings

An outdoor wedding ceremony is a dream for many brides. After all, there’s nothing quite like a garden in bloom or a beach at sunset. They simply scream romance and quite often provide just about all the decoration a bride needs to make her big day special. Unfortunately, the weather and brides don’t always see eye to eye.

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding ceremony and are worried about unpredictable weather, relax! With a few extra steps, you can ensure a beautiful ceremony no matter how fickle the climate happens to be. Although you’ll never be able to 100 per cent guarantee good weather for your outdoor wedding ceremony, you can hedge your bets for having a great day by:

Studying up on the climate – Planning an afternoon wedding outdoors during a cold Canadian winter, for example, might not be smart. Study a little bit, however, and you might discover that a spring dry-season wedding offers great potential for blue skies and sunshine. Learn more about the climate where you are or where you are going to nudge the odds in your favour.

Keeping the ceremony short – An outdoor wedding ceremony can still be beautiful even if the weather is “threatening.” A light sprinkle, for example, can actually enhance a garden ceremony. If, however, you’re planning an elaborate ceremony that might last for an hour, the chances of the sky really opening up on you will increase.

Having a backup plan – There’s nothing worse than inviting 100 guests to an outdoor wedding ceremony and watching them freeze as the temperatures drop or get soaked thanks to a monsoon. To avoid this, always have a backup plan in mind. Tents on the beach or an indoor location to retreat to in a pinch are simply a must. In the worst-case scenario, have a portable altar or arch handy that can be moved to the location of the reception so you can hold the ceremony there.

Brides who want an outdoor wedding ceremony need to plan for the worst. While chances are strong the weather will cooperate, it’s best to be prepared so minor alterations can be enacted to ensure your big day is still spectacular.

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