I love outdoor ceremonies, especially at so many of the gorgeous venues we work with across this great state of Michigan. I have been a part of hundreds of ceremonies from Detroit to Grand Rapids, and Petoskey to Jackson.
And the summer of 2016 has been pretty amazing for wedding ceremonies in Michigan.
Until last weekend.
We had 5 outdoor ceremonies and “Plan B” had to be initiated for most. We knew going into the weekend that the weather was more than likely not going to cooperate with outdoor ceremonies
Here is the my advice for your Michigan wedding outdoor ceremony when it rains:
- Wait: Sounds hard, right? It will push back the rest of the night, it will throw your entire itinerary off that you have planned for the last two years, etc. But… ultimately, if your dream is to have that amazing outdoor ceremony, then…wait. Most venues will watch radar with you, and make recommendations on how long to wait. While a meteorologist may not be one of your guests, chances are you can make a good guess on when rain will lighten or stop with today’s phone apps.
- Shuffle Cocktail Hour before Ceremony: I have seen this done, and it has worked well – will it work for you? Hopefully! After cocktail hour is over, your guests can enjoy your amazing outdoor wedding (pictures may have to be made up after dinner, but if you are flexible, then it will work).
- Have It In the Rain – one of our ceremonies last weekend had light to medium rain on and off. Ninety percent of the guests had umbrellas. One couple with a small child under 2 years of age did NOT have an umbrella, and you know what – they were all smiles and still happy! Don’t let rain take the sunshine out of your ceremony!
- Temporary Pop Up Tents/umbrellas: If you know it’s going to rain hard, but you still want to have that ceremony by Lake Michigan, then you can have umbrellas for guests, and pop up tents (possibly decorated with flowers beforehand, if you know well enough in advance) to cover everyone. We had one couple put cover over the pergola they were married under, and it was still gorgeous!
- Move Inside – Obviously, the last thing you want to do, however, it might just be best for your guests and for everyone’s sanity.
Ultimately, do not let rain ruin your outdoor Michigan Wedding Ceremony. It stinks, yes, but make the most of it, have some snazzy galoshes ready, twirl around, let your hair down and just enjoy your wedding! Do not stress, it will still be beautiful!
Bryan, Owner, Bee Entertainment
