Managing Bad Weather on Your Wedding Day

Check Out These Tips For Being Prepared For Bad Weather on Your Wedding Day and How to Embrace The Elements

Rainy weather on the wedding day in Idaho Springs

You might have some bad weather on your wedding day, especially if you’re doing an outdoor celebration in the Colorado mountains. Its just part of the adventure. The weather here changes often and quickly. Whether your planning a large wedding or a small elopement these tools will help you relax and feel more prepared. So if bad weather does come your way, you’ll be ready for it!

1. Roll With It & Be Flexible

For larger weddings with a more concrete schedule, factor in a little wiggle room into your timeline especially before the ceremony. This will ensure things run smoothly in case you need to move stuff indoors or extra time to switch to a plan b. One example of this could be getting ready a little bit on the early side. That way you and your bridal party are dressed and ready in case someone needs to jump in and help move some things.

If you’re doing an elopement and have a more flexible schedule, think about watching the radar and adjusting your ceremony time if need be. You can wait out a storm or move things to earlier in the day to catch a window of more favorable weather. Giving yourself plenty of time to get ready will also help with this in case plans need to change. And if things do need to change, roll with the changes knowing they will just help improve your experience of the day.

2. Think About Hiring a Wedding Planner

If you don’t already have a wedding planner, think about hiring one. They will definitely help with bad weather on your wedding day. They can communicate with vendors and coordinate people to move items indoors or set up a tent. Whatever your plan b might look like, having someone who’s done this before and can take it out of your hands is super helpful. Make sure to talk with your wedding planner early on about what you want your backup plan to be. That way everyone will know what to do when bad weather strikes. Your planner can make sure all the vendors know what the plan b is and set the wheels in motion to change things up.

3. Utilize a Tent For The Reception

If you’re doing the reception outdoors, a tent its a great way to keep everyone dry and warm. It could even be a backup location for the ceremony if there’s isn’t an option to do that indoors. Some venues have tents already that you can use in anticipation for bad weather on your wedding day. With other places, you might have to rent a tent. Patio heaters can also be a great way to add a little warmth inside the tent to keep you and your guests comfortable. Here are some rental companies in Colorado that can help with a tent rental.

Allwell Rents | Colorado Party Rentals | Event Rents Denver

4. Get Help From Your Hair & Makeup Artist

Hair and makeup artists can create specific looks that will hold up more to the elements. Let them know that you might have some bad weather on your wedding day and ask them for help. An updo hairstyle will stay put in windy weather more than loose curls. They also have some tools and tricks that they can utilize to help your hair and makeup stay put.

5. Think About Your Wedding Dress Train & Veil

Choose a wedding dress with a train that can easily be bustled or no train at all. This will help keep your dress cleaner for longer. Or at least it will prevent it from getting completed drenched. If you’re going to do a really long veil, think about how that might act in the wind. Be ok with ditching the veil if its being too much of a hassle. Consider doing a shorter veil for the ceremony and a longer veil for portraits afterwards. Veils can be a really fun element to play with for portraits, but they can also be a nuisance if its blowing in your face during a vow exchange.

6. Keep your Guests Warm and Dry

Put out blankets for your guests to use during the ceremony to help keep them warm. They can then potentially take those home as gifts. Or if it might be rainy, get some umbrellas and set them out for people as they arrive to the ceremony site. Some outdoor venues that deal with afternoon thunderstorms often already have umbrellas for you to use. Ask the venue if that’s something that they offer. You can also give your guests a heads up as to what to expect in the invitation. Encourage them to bring warm layers for the Colorado mountains. Some people that are coming in from out of state have no idea that it sometimes snows here in June. Encourage them to be ready for anything.

7. Make Sure Your Photographer Can Handle The Weather

Your photographer should be able to create beautiful portraits no matter the weather. The cameras that they are using should be able to withstand rain and snow. Clear umbrellas are also a great tool that a lot of photographers use for bad weather. They allow light to shine through and keep you dry at the same time. I carry them in my toolkit. Ask your photographer if they have some and if they’re comfortable working in bad weather.

For me and my clients I’m always game to go outdoors if they are, as long as its safe for us to do so. I would head inside for something like a lighting storm on a mountain top. Or if its really cold like single digits or 40mph winds, which is hard to look happy and natural with in photographs. Besides that I love exploring nature and all that comes with it. And sometimes you can even get surprised by a rainbow after a storm which can be magical.

8. Be Ok With Getting a Little Dirty

If you have bad weather on your wedding day, you’re probably going to get a little dirty. If you’re ok with that then it won’t bother you as its happening. Its impossible to be outdoors and not get dirt on your dress in one form or another. Its just going to happen. There’s always dry cleaning for after your day is over. And embracing that fact will just make things more fun.

9. Prepare Yourself For The Elements

Be real about the weather and how comfortable you’re going to be. Don’t try to tough it out. That will only lead to having an unenjoyable experience on a day that should be super fun and joyful. You know yourself best. Do you get cold easily or maybe the heat can get to you fast? Use that information to help you prepare by bringing items that you might need.

If its going to be cold, bring a jacket, snow boots, wool socks, gloves, leggings for under your dress, shawl, cape, handwarmers, etc. If rain is expected think about umbrellas, a rain jacket, hiking boots, etc. Heat might be an issue? Think about a lighter dress, water, or a portable fan. Whatever you bring, you don’t have to wear it the whole time. Just having it in case you need it will be super valuable.

10. Embrace The Adventure!

If you’re having your wedding outdoors in the Colorado mountains, you’re probably somewhat adventurous. Now that you have some tools to handle what weather comes your way, embrace the adventure of your day! The mountains are beautiful and with that beauty comes all the raw elements of nature. Whatever happens, the most important thing is that you get married to the one you love and celebrate in whichever way you choose. Everything else comes second. And plus, the more of an adventure your day turns out to be, the more memorable it will be too!

couple in snowy weather on their wedding day.
Wedding Ceremony with guests and umbrellas.
Bride with a cape over her wedding dress in Colorado.
Colorado couple getting married in the mountains.

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February 9, 2024

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  1. […] dive into this topic more in a different blog post here, Managing Bad Weather on Your Wedding Day. But the gist of it is to be flexible and prepared. If you’re doing an outdoor wedding you […]

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