Outdoor Weddings - Importance of a Plan B

Dear Brides,

You've been probably planning and dreaming about your wedding for months and months now...your gorgeous dress, the beautiful venue, food, music, flowers....and for those of you having an outdoor wedding the scenery and natural beauty of the site you picked was probably inspired because of the beautiful pictures you can already see before they have even been taken!

We never like to think about grey and wet weather for a wedding but....you need to be ready for it, just in case!

One or our recent couples Andrew and Mary Elizabeth were planning their gorgeous outdoor ceremony in the woods near a small lake in the French Alps. They really had their hearts set on marrying outside and even planned for a bit of rain by having enough umbrellas to provide for their guests...just in case.

The day was gorgeous with sunny blue skies and spectacular views of the Mont Blanc. The weather forecast did however predict thunder showers in the afternoon. At 2:30pm the skies still looked clear so the couple decided to carry on for the 4pm ceremony outside as planned...maybe the weather report was wrong, or maybe the rain will come later...fingers crossed! At 4pm just as MaryE was walking down the aisle, as if on cue, there was a drop, then another and another. Guests started opening up their umbrellas. The celebrant said his opening words. The rain was getting heavier and there was even a bit of thunder off in the distance. We carried on. In less than 3 minutes there were buckets of water dumping out of the heavens. The bride was laughing and the groom had a very worried look on his face. It didn't seem to be a light, in-passing sort of cloud....

WIth the flexibility and good natured personalities of the couple we stopped the ceremony. Quickly gathering up the chairs, champagne, and everything in between everyone made a run for their cars to take shelter....and head to the Plan B location a few kilometers up the valley...the chapel!!

With a solid Plan B option in place we managed to have the chapel opened, lit, and decorated with tea lights in less than 15 minutes! MaryElizabeth walked down the aisle again and Andrew's worried expression was erased with a relieved happy smile...it was perfect (and dry) after all!