The Best Rainy Day Event Fixes
Whether you’re planning, hosting, or attending an event, everyone always hopes for a sunny day with clear skies. However, Mother Nature often has different plans! Don’t let bad weather dampen your mood. Instead, try planning with these rainy day event fixes!
Choose Venues Carefully
Even if Plan A is to hold an outdoor event, make sure you’re choosing locations that have indoor Plan B options available. A party or wedding in a botanical garden would be gorgeous, but moving it into the on-site greenhouse would also be great! The trick is not settling for just anything with a roof, but to find a location where the quality of the event won’t suffer because of rain.
Look for a building with big windows so guests can look out at the scenery from a dry vantage point, or cool architectural features that will add personality and interest to a last minute indoor shift. If your clients are set on a location that has no coverage available, then tent rentals are another option.
Other Professionals Should Come Prepared
You might book the photographer you think is the best in town, but if she or he melts at the first sign of a dark cloud then you’re in big trouble! Knowing how to take beautiful pictures in the rain is a real skill, so make sure whoever you hire has it.
Keep some cute accessories on hand in case the rain does fall. Just because it’s pouring doesn’t mean your clients will want to forego beautiful outdoor photographs. Make the most of the bad weather with charming rainy day accessories like large umbrellas or colorful boots. The playful spirit behind these items will make for some great shots, and even better memories!
In addition to photographers, ensure that caterers, performers, and anybody else involved in the event can handle less-than-ideal weather conditions and still put in their best work. After all, you’re not going to fall apart because of some rain, so neither should they!
Consider Transportation
If guests will be switching venues during the course of the event, make sure they can do so while staying dry. If guests were planning on walking between locations, have an alternate mode of transportation available. Think covered golf carts or consider building some space in the budget to have chartered cars on standby, especially if guests are drinking. What was supposed to be a 10 minute walk will be miserable in bad weather, but if guests were not intending to drive themselves then they shouldn’t have to.
These considerations will depend on your venue, but no guest wants their hair and makeup ruined and their best suit soaked part way through a fun event.
Bring Supplies
Lastly, don’t forget to bring rainy day supplies! Towels, ponchos, and umbrellas may seem obvious, but when you’re pulling your hair out trying to plan every other detail, something so simple can easily be forgotten. If you check the forecast in advance and see that rain is on the horizon, you could send out a quick email blast reminding guests to come prepared. Even if everyone sees your message someone will always forget, so make sure you don’t. Have extra rainy day supplies on hand just in case! Not just any old umbrella or ratty towel will do either—go the extra mile by providing colored-coordinated or patterned umbrellas and fluffy fresh towels. Guests will appreciate it, and you’ll feel much better handing them something pretty.
Even if makeup artists and hair stylists were involved in the preparations, they may not be around throughout the event. Bring your own supply of waterproof mascara, disposable wands, tissues, finishing powder, lipstick, hair pins, and hairspray.
It might seem like a lot, but think about how devastated a bride would be if she gets caught in an unexpected shower and her look takes a hit. Check out this handy Event Planner Emergency Kit Shopping List for other items you should have on hand when an emergency arises.
The biggest fix to a rainy day event is having an amazing attitude! Don’t act like the rainy forecast is a huge inconvenience or something you have to make the most of. Instead of dreading the rain, why not embrace it? You can pull off an event that everyone talks about as extra amazing because of the wet weather, rather than in spite of it. Embrace it, have fun, and make sure the event is a huge success all around!
