Western Washington can be a tricky place to have a wedding. The summer is generally pretty nice, but you never know when a day of rain will come through. No matter where you live, it is a good idea to have a “plan B” for possible weather problems. It will save you a lot of stress on the wedding day if you have a secondary plan to execute.

Here are a few things to consider when creating your weather plan:

• Is there an indoor location where you can move the entire wedding?

• If the weather is really unpredictable it may be good for the couple to reserve a canopy or tent.

• How will you communicate with guests if location is changed?

• Will décor need to change if the venue/location is changed?

• If the wedding/reception will be outside no matter what, make sure that you have items like towels, umbrellas, blankets, etc. Anything that might help in the case of rain.

• Will there be transportation issues? How will they be addressed?

• Consider the other vendors who have been hired. What do they need for a weather back up plan?

I recently had to deal with weather issues at a wedding and although we did have an alternate plan there were a couple of things that I learned:

• If there is even the potential of having to use your “plan B,” have a cut off time that the decision needs to be made. At my recent wedding we decided to set the ceremony and reception in the same room because it kept alternating between rain and sun. 45 minutes before the ceremony, the groom decided he wanted the ceremony outside no matter what. So we had to quickly move 120 chairs that had covers and sashes on them. In an effort to be flexible I did it, but going forward I will have a time that a decision is made one way or another.

• Make sure to pack a variety of clothes for yourself. Although the weather held for the ceremony for me, it POURED afterward and I only had one change of clothes. By the end of the night I was drenched. Next time I will have multiple outfits on hand.

• The main thing to remember is that the couple has chosen their venue because they want their wedding outside. Make sure that you are clear about the weather plan and communicate the reason for having it. It will be an emotional decision for them and they need to know that their vision will still be executed to the best of your ability, even if it is raining!

Today’s post is a guest post from Amber Peterson. Amber is the owner of Cheers Wedding & Event Planning in western Washington. She has a Masters Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and previously worked as a marketing consultant for wedding industry professionals. Amber is also the co-founder of the Skagit Wedding Society.