You have crossed your “t's” and dotted your “i's.” Everything on the checklist is accounted for. You are ready for a perfect day. While smooth sailing is the ideal, there are simply some situations you just cannot check off the list, so be prepared in advance and hope for the best.

Rain

My fiancé and I want to get married outside, but we are worried about the possibility of rain. What type of backup plan should we have? There should be a backup plan for any outdoor wedding. Ask the venue what plans they have in place, such as alternate locations on their property (e.g., another event room or a covered patio). Tenting the location is another option, but tents are expensive, so you really have to think about the budget. You should purchase large umbrellas so that the groomsmen can assist the guests to and from their cars.

Sun

I am having a summer wedding with an outdoor ceremony. Is there anything I can do so that my guests are not too uncomfortable if it is hot? You have a few options to help alleviate any discomfort from the heat. Two simple options are to provide plenty of drinking water and invest in hand-held or mini-electric fans. Placing large market umbrellas around the perimeter of the ceremony provides shade for the guests as well. You should also consider having individual umbrellas available for guests to use prior to the ceremony to shade themselves. Just instruct the ushers to ask the guests to not use the umbrellas during the ceremony or to sit in the back row if they must use them. Tenting is another solution, but it is also more expensive.