Alright we are here to talk about that nasty R-word that no one wants to think about.

That’s right, we’re talking about rain. As much as we all don’t want it to be true, there is a possibility that you may have to deal with it on your wedding day. The reality is that if you are getting married in Florida, especially in the summer, it raises those chances. You will probably be watching the weather channel like it’s your new hobby on the days leading up to your wedding. Florida is notorious for afternoon showers and having the weather change last minute on us. So we never can predict what will happen more than a day or two in advance.

So it may feel like a bit of an emotional rollercoaster trying to predict what the day will look like. We know that you don’t need to spend time worrying about this! So rather than sitting biting your nails waiting on the weatherman to tell you what the day will look like, why not be as prepared as possible; just in case! That way, no matter what comes your way, you are ready for it!

Have a backup plan

Alright guys..there is a reason this is my first tip. If you only take one thing away from our blog, it should be this: Check with your venue for a rain location. Many venues have a plan B in case weather does become a factor. The key is that you will need to check on this before you book. You can plan the most beautiful outdoor ceremony in the world, but if it does rain, you are going to want to know that there is a secure location you can go to instead. There are a lot of gorgeous venues who have stunning indoor AND outdoor locations and most typically do not double book.  Ask your venue about this when you visit them! This can provide so much peace of mind just knowing that if it does rain, you will still have a beautiful place to hold your ceremony.

Paradise Cove is a stunning, tropical venue in the Orlando area that has you covered; literally and figuratively! They have a gorgeous outdoor, lakeside ceremony location but they do have a beautiful pavilion where they hold their receptions. This area is filled with twinkle lights and has a very romantic feel. The pavilion also has a covered roof. In the instance that it rains during your ceremony, they will move all your guests into the pavilion and hold your ceremony there. On top of this, if the rain is strong enough where they need to, they also have rain shutters that come down! Now THAT is a venue that comes prepared!!

Plan your timeline strategically

Depending on the month and location of your wedding, it’s not a bad idea to just plan your timeline with the mindfulness of when rain may occur. For example, most Floridians can predict the weather schedule here during the summer, and it’s not because we are all psychic. The weather tends to follow a pattern. During the summer months (June through August especially), it is not uncommon for the weather to be sunny in the morning, with afternoon showers, and clears up in the evening. There are exceptions when a storm is blowing by and the day will have more rain but this is the usual summer weather pattern.

Typically, these afternoon showers don’t last all day and can be avoided by keeping this front of mind when planning the wedding day timeline. This is really easy when you consider that the rain usually happens around 2 or 3pm and the sun doesn’t set until around 8pm. So having a later start time will not only help to prevent rain during your ceremony, but it will also allow your wedding portraits to be closer to golden hour to make your photos even more beautiful! Win-win!

Come prepared

So now that you’ve got the two most important elements down, let’s talk about what to do if you are stuck in a situation where it rains and you don’t have a place to go inside. The saying is “The show must go on!” and this is the case with your wedding. You did not come all this way and plan your dream wedding to let some rain stop you. Your loved ones came out to see you get married and that’s what they’re going to see!

So first things first, communication with your guests will help in this situation. Having a wedding website is something we strongly encourage for many reasons. One of the main reasons is communicating efficiently with all your guests at the same time. We definitely don’t recommend sitting by the television watching the weather all day every day. Keeping an eye on it a few days in advance can be really helpful, though. If it looks like a storm is headed your way, let your guests know! This way they can come prepared with umbrellas and jackets. Giving them the heads up will make it so they are able to still enjoy your ceremony. And I’m sure they won’t mind not be soaking wet during the reception!

Another great thing to do is invest in a couple of these bad boys! They are life-savers and we never show up to a wedding without a couple of them!! They are clear and non-distracting so if you do carry on with your ceremony in the rain, your wedding party can have these and your pictures won’t be too affected by them! Everyone will still look nice and organized! Plus, since they are bubble umbrellas, the girls will have some protection for their hair and makeup, but we will still be able to see their beautiful faces in the photos! And if you have to do portrait photos with these, your photos are gonna look super cute and put together!

You’ll want to consider the ground you will need to walk on during your ceremony. Even if it doesn’t rain during your wedding. The grass can become very soft after getting wet. So if it rained beforehand, you may still run into an issue.  This can make it a little difficult to walk down the aisle in your heels. But don’t worry! We’ve got a solution for this one. These little guys are amazing!! You just pop them onto your heel and they will help prevent you from sinking into the grass. Truthfully, if you’re having an outdoor wedding, these are a good idea regardless of the weather!

Have a good team on your side

Your wedding day should be a joyful, stress-free day. We understand that rain can make things feel more trying, but it doesn’t need to be a major factor. The beauty of your wedding day, is that you have a team of experienced friends who have your back!

Yianni and I have as many tools at our disposal as we can think of for your wedding day. We will be your personal weatherman for the day without alerting you if it’s not necessary. We have a designated app we use that gives us minute by minute weather updates and tells us exactly where and when the storm is supposed to hit. Florida storms are not always easy to pinpoint, but this app is the closest we’ve gotten to knowing the exact schedule. This means we can utilize as much time as possible for portraits!

Wedding planners are such an amazing part of your wedding team! They will do everything in their power to make your wedding day run smoothly. They may not be able to physically stop the rain. But you best believe that they are going to do everything and anything next to it! Runway Events is a team of incredible professional wedding planners who you will LOVE having by your side!! They think of everything, and I guarantee you that they will make rain on your wedding day seem like a walk in the park. You cannot go wrong with this team being a part of your wedding day.

Don’t sweat it!

Ever heard the saying, “Nothing is gonna rain on my parade!”? You are marrying your best friend and you two are going to bring all the sunshine you need!! Being prepared is a great way to feel in control of something that you have little to no control of. Why sit in front of the weather channel for weeks worrying? Know that if you go into your day with backup plans, an amazing team on your side, the right equipment and a good mindset you’re already way ahead of the game! This day is about you and the love of your life. Starting your marriage by handling rain on your wedding day with grace and preparedness just shows the world you two are team and are up for whatever the world hands you. Maybe that’s why they say that rain on your wedding day is good luck! <3