When you're planning for your wedding day, you're dreaming of a perfect event filled with excitement and love. However, the reality is that sometimes even in the midst of a perfect wedding day, unexpected situations can arise. Whether it’s a surprise rainstorm, a sudden venue change, or a vendor mishap, having backup plans can lessen the load of stress on you and keep your day on track. Here are some practical strategies to help you create reliable backup plans, ensuring your wedding day remains unforgettable, regardless of the challenges you might face.
Why Backup Plans are Important
Your wedding day represents a lot of beautiful things about your relationship with your partner, but it is also a a significant investment of time and money, and for some, built on years of dreams and plans. Unfortunately, with so many factors at work, the risk of complications is always there, no matter where you are located. A backup plan acts as your safety net, and it will help reduce your stress load tremendously.
When you're prepared for the unexpected ahead of time, you can truly relax and enjoy your wedding day. Things happen, but they don't have to ruin your day.
Weather Woes
Outdoor ceremonies and weddings are particularly vulnerable to unpredictable weather, such is life in the Ozarks. But in some instances, people plan for an indoor wedding and end up wanting it moved outside because the weather is perfect.....we love those days!
Either way, it's smart to have a thorough Plan B for your ceremony. If you dream of an outdoor wedding, consider securing an indoor venue as a backup, or choose a venue where both are possible. If you stick with the outdoors, renting a tent ensures you won't be caught off guard by rain, however, a lot of rain can cause other unwanted things, like mud. Winter weddings might require heaters, while summer weddings often call for shaded areas.
Create a weather timeline detailing actions based on predicted forecasts. Research your area for average rainfall and temperatures for the season you're getting married in. For example, if rain is expected, schedule an earlier indoor setup time and ensure your guests know the alternative plan. P.S. Having a day-of coordinator to handle these unexpected things is 100% recommended!
Venue Issues
Even the best-planned venues can encounter issues and emergency situations. A survey by The Knot indicated that about 20% of couples faced venue-related problems.
To mitigate this risk, first talk to your venue coordinator about their recommended backup plan for bad weather. They may already have something in place that will accommodate in the event of bad weather, just make sure it will accommodate all your guests. If you're envisioning an outdoor garden wedding, also think of local indoor facilities that could accommodate you in a pinch. Also, reaching out to your venue a week before the wedding to confirm arrangements is always a good idea. Open communication minimizes confusion and prevents last-minute surprises for everyone.
Other venue emergencies can occur. Some good questions to ask your venue....is someone onsite the whole night? If not, how can you reach someone in the event of an emergency?
Vendor Backup Plans
Vendors are essential to your wedding's success, yet weather and emergencies can cause some unforeseen issues that cause vendors to cancel last minute.
Talk to your venue about vendor backup plans. They may have some great ideas for you, keeping location in mind. Create a backup vendor list for each category that's important to you—caterer, photographers, florist, etc. Research and have reliable contacts available if your primary vendor cannot fulfill their duties. Ensure that your main vendors understand your backup plans ahead of time to ease transitions if any changes occur. An on-site coordinator is a life savor if it's a day where you're using your backup plan!
Tech Fails
With technology central to many weddings issues can arise unexpectedly.
Preparation and planning is huge for this area. This includes carrying extra chargers, cameras, a generator if needed, and hard copies of your playlists. If you're using streaming services for music, keep a spare laptop or speaker handy and keep in mind that not all venues have Wi-fi.
Emergency Supplies
Unexpected emergencies can arise, especially on your wedding day. An emergency kit can be a lifesaver. Equip it with essentials: a sewing kit, stain remover, blister pads, and safety pins.
It's also a good idea to add items for minor makeup fixes, too. Having a friend, bridesmaid, or coordinator as your designated "crisis manager" can greatly help in managing these potential issues, allowing you to focus on your big day.
Communicating Your Plans
Once your backup plans are set, it's crucial to inform your coordinator, wedding party and immediate family. We can't stress this enough....designate a "day-of" coordinator (even a capable friend) to manage backup procedures and plans, ensuring everyone understands the plans. You don't want to spend your wedding day making big decisions, and you also don't want to leave those decisions with someone who you want to be by your side on wedding day. These decisions need to be made by someone who is planning to be there on-site to work, not necessarily enjoy their day spending time with you as a couple.
By trusting someone else with these details, you relieve yourself of added burden, enabling you and the ones you love to savor every moment of your special day.
Take a moment to breathe, prepare your strategies, and know that with a little foresight, your wedding day will be an amazing celebration that everyone will remember—no matter what surprises life may bring!
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