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Rain is not the only kind of poor weather to consider when making plans for your at-home wedding. If it looks like it will be terribly hot on your wedding day, for example, make sure that your caterer is prepared with extra ice and water for both the guests and the staff. You might want to consider adding misting fans. Parasols or hand-held fans can also be a nice touch. Make sure you are providing as much shade and seating as possible. You might even consider adjusting the menu to include refreshing items like fruit or gazpacho.
If it is going to be cold you should rent heaters and consider installing tent walls to keep the heat inside the tent throughout the night. You can also offer hot drinks like coffee, tea, cider and cocoa throughout the event. Providing your guests with pashminas (coordinated with your wedding colors, of course) is a nice touch that they won’t soon forget.
One thing people often overlook is the wind. Wind will often disrupt your plans more than you can imagine. Decor items may need to be adjusted, or removed. Your chuppah or ceremony arch needs to be very sturdy to withstand even a decent breeze. Wind may make a nice day feel very cool, so see my recommendations for those lower temperatures. And if you are using a microphone during your outdoor wedding ceremony, the wind may cause noise with the mic.
It’s been my experience that in poor weather, set up often takes longer than it does in ideal weather. Discuss this with your vendors, and plan accordingly. You ultimately want your guests to arrive at the home and see the finished set up, not something half done.
At-home wedding photo made by Kurstin Roe.
