Rain, Hail and Shine: Weatherproofing your Wedding

Weddings can end up being one of the most complex events you ever have to plan. From booking and decorating venues to catering to gigantic guest lists with anywhere between tens and hundreds of people all having their own requirements and needs, there’s a lot to choreograph in the dance of wedding planning. So, if you’re putting the effort into learning how to have an outdoor wedding, the idea that one of Melbourne’s many weather changes could make or break your special day is a thing of nightmares. However, it doesn’t have to be this way.

As a marquee hire company, we at Marquee Monkeys have helped hundreds of couples weatherproof their weddings and create covered outdoor wedding venues. Because of this, we have a few tips to share on how to avoid disaster. So, with that in mind, let’s get into some outside wedding venue ideas that will allow you to have a special day regardless of the weather.

Dealing With the Cold and Wet

Even the best-laid plans can be spoiled by rain without the correct preparation, especially when you’re having a full outdoor event. Whilst there isn’t much you can do to bring the sunny scenery back during an unexpected storm, there are still many things that you can do to ensure that your event can end up being a hit.

Have Umbrellas on Hand

Although the sight of rainclouds potentially forming will lead to most people bringing their own, you’re hosting the event, and it’s best to be safe. After all, you don’t want your guests catching colds and getting soaked to the bone as they wait for you to say your vows. Whilst you don’t necessarily need hundreds of umbrellas, assuming you have some shade for people to stay under when necessary, hiring extra umbrellas is sure to save a lot of potential headaches.

Bring Rain Ponchos and Tarps For Outfits

A lot of time, money and effort goes into finding the perfect wedding dress, and you absolutely do not want it getting soaked and sullied before you’ve had the chance to show it off, let alone before the reception. That’s not to even talk about the number of tuxedos, suits, dresses and ensembles that your guests will be rocking. So, make sure that you have some wet-weather coverings for you and your guests in case the weather decides to turn against you.

Hire a Marquee

The marquee wedding has become a staple for couples that want to experience the joys of an outdoor wedding without having to worry about the wildcard of nature. Knowing how to have an outdoor wedding means knowing how to plan for the worst-case scenario, and if you’ll mind the unintentional pun, marquees are an amazing way to cover your bases. Simple, elegant and effective, there are few better ways to stay happy, dry and safe during your wedding than a marquee. Plus, our range of marquees for weddings has something for any number of guests!

Bring the Heat

There are few things worse than just being perpetually cold in a place you can’t leave. Given that you don’t want guests to remember getting feeling back in their limbs on the ride home more than the wedding itself, it’s important to hire heaters for your covered areas. Outdoor heaters come in many forms, and different options will be better for different situations. With that said, freestanding heaters are usually the most popular options as they provide a lot of heat and can be shifted around an area where necessary.

Dealing With the Sun and Heat

Whilst couples and wedding planners mostly find themselves worrying about the rain, less thought is often given to what can be an equally damaging issue, and that is intense sunlight and heat. From sweat to sunstroke, the hotter months can cause their own large list of problematic situations if not adequately prepared for. Luckily. There is an abundance of ways to get your special day prepared for cases in which there’s a little too much shine.

Location, Location, Location

When you’re planning your event in a location, it’s important to visualise that location from multiple angles. After all, an amazing winter location may not necessarily provide many benefits for a summer wedding and visa-versa. So, in choosing your outdoor space, make sure there’s plenty of shade for your guests to get a break from the heat. You’ll thank yourself later when people can spread out and enjoy themselves without needing medical attention due to sun exposure.

Make Sure There’s Water Aplenty

It may seem obvious, but always make sure you have more cold water stations and jugs than you think you’ll need to avoid any nasty surprises. Weddings can be big events and ensuring that many people avoid dehydration can feel like a lofty goal. So, plan ahead, and make sure that no matter what happens, you have enough water to keep people feeling comfortable.

Plus, it’s common for people to drink quite a bit of alcohol at weddings, and as most of us know, alcohol and heat rarely mix well. So, keep this in mind when planning your outdoor wedding.

Bring the Shade to You

Even in an area with seemingly ample shade, it’s important to have big areas that people can congregate in to get away from the elements. So, bring some big umbrellas to erect, and hire out a marquee to provide your outdoor event with some much-needed communal shade areas to talk and enjoy the festivities in.

Refrigeration is Cool

You would be amazed how many people forget to sort out proper refrigeration for their events. Unfortunately, a lot of foods can’t handle long term exposure to the sun or the elements in general. So, having proper storage/cooling is necessary if you’re going to be serving food to guests.

If you’re getting your event professionally catered, speak to your caterer before the event about potential options and how to best set up your event’s refrigeration needs. It may seem like the sort of thing that would come with any venue or service, but it’s surprising how often this is something that has to be handled separately. So, there we have it! We hope our tips on how to have an outdoor wedding will make your big day a breeze.