“What happens if it rains?” We get this question A LOT as adventure wedding and elopement planners in the Pacific Northwest. And it’s a fair question. We have about nine months of fairly consistent rain where we live. It’s the reason our terrain is so incredible, our trees are so hearty, and our seasons so robust. If you’re choosing to have your celebration in nature, chances are that our rainfall and larger weather ecosystem deserve quite a lot of the credit for the beauty you’ll find. But the rain also gets a bad wrap as people who aren’t used to rainy environments see it as a deterrent. So, let’s talk about how to approach the rain (and other weather), written by a human born, raised, and married in the Pacific Northwest.

YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE WEATHER.

No matter what you do, you can't outsmart Mother Nature. She is a force all her own and she will do what she will, when she will. When I was looking at venues for my own wedding in Washington I toured all outdoor spaces. Some had sheltered areas, some did not. My mom came with me on a couple of tours to share the experience and, at one of the venues without any built-in shelter, she asked the famous question we are discussing today, “What do you do if it rains?” I paused and started problem solving in my brain with tents and outside infrastructure we’d need to bring into the space. Things started to add up quickly at this barebones outdoor venue. We talked about the hoping-for-the-best strategy since I was planning an August wedding, to which she followed up with, “Are you going to be okay if it rains?” As much as I like to outsmart any scenario, I had to admit that the answer was no, I would not be okay with a chance of a rainy party with no recourse. Any venue that didn’t have a rain plan wasn’t going to be the one for me. It was that simple. (All credit to Mama Faoro for this wisdom.) 

Whether you’re looking at outdoor venues for a larger celebration or smaller spaces for an intimate elopement, ask yourself the same questions given to me by Mama Faoro. Question 1: “What do you do if it rains?” If there is no covered space or plan baked into the location you’re considering, notice if you’re okay embracing inclement weather and gathering the proper gear to prepare for it. If that reality doesn’t jive with you, then move on to Question 2: “Are you going to be okay if it rains?” If the honest answer to that question is no, then consider reworking your plan or creating a backup plan. Let’s talk about how to do that!

YOU CAN RESOURCE SHELTER.

Shelter exists in all shapes and sizes. For weddings, it typically comes in the form of tents to help keep your guests dry. For elopements, it typically comes in the form of clear umbrellas and weather-appropriate jackets and shoes, which you’ll have to communicate with any guests who may be coming along to witness. Whenever a space doesn’t come with a shelter built-in, you’ll have to check with the property owner or managing authority to ensure your plans to bring in shelter are approved. At venues, that typically looks like coordinating tent structures with the owner(s) so that set-up and tear-down doesn’t affect the rest of the landscaping, conflict with the sprinkler and maintenance schedule, or stay beyond the allowable rental period. In outdoor or public spaces, that looks like checking your permit to see if you are allowed to bring temporary structures to the space in accordance with land use regulations. It also means considering whether your structure will significantly diminish the enjoyment of the space by other park visitors (if it’s a public spot). With all those facets considered, and if you are permitted to bring structures to the property, we recommend finding local rental companies to provide them in order to reduce carbon emissions in transporting the items.

YOU CAN MAKE A PLAN B OR C.

If your first choice of location doesn’t have shelter, and if resourcing shelter isn’t an option, then you can make a back-up plan to help set your mind at ease. A Plan B comes in handy if inclement weather at your top location won’t work out. Ideally, a Plan B location has shelter built-in or will permit you to erect a structure for weather coverage, is located in roughly the same time travel radius as the original location so that the timeline of the day is not adversely affected, and has similar features to the location you originally preferred. If the weather takes a turn and you have to enact a Plan B, yes, you will be sacrificing some of the things you loved about the original location in order to make yourselves or your guests more comfortable. Only you can decide where that trade-off exists in your planning process and preferences. But for those who cannot coexist with nature during their “I do’s,” it’s better to know in advance and have a plan than “hope for the best” and leave it up to chance. Be sure that, whatever your Plan B location, you create a communication plan to share it with guests and vendors in the event that you need to enact it. If you’re working with a planning service, they will help you with all these various steps (so tap them on the shoulder and let them know your thoughts!). If not, make sure you set aside time to do the work and communicate clearly with all the parties involved.

Another approach to creating a back-up plan is to amend the schedule of activities to accommodate nature. Let’s call this Plan C. If, for example, you are planning a wedding with a ceremony and cocktail hour on an exposed terrace and dinner service in a covered amphitheater, then perhaps you create a rain plan and timeline alternative with your venue and planner. That might look like hosting all activities in the covered amphitheater, allowing time for the space to be flipped between ceremony and reception. Talking through Plan C explicitly with your key supporters will ensure that you don’t have to worry about what happens when it comes down to the big day.

Now let’s work with an elopement example. If you’re planning a ceremony and styled picnic on a mountaintop lake, then your Plan C might include doing the ceremony with umbrellas and seeking shelter under the trees to enjoy your snacks. Sure, you may have to forego the stylish presentation of your picnic as planned and carry some sunk costs, but that’s the accommodation you have to make when choosing Mother Nature as your host. If you have humans to help you plan or coordinate who are familiar with the site, they may know about some sheltered spots you can use or help you create a cozy set-up in the back of your car to make the best of the weather.

YOU CAN EMBRACE THE NATURE.

We truly believe that the day you are meant to have is the day that will occur. If you are hosting a wedding, you certainly have the welfare of your guests to consider when creating a weather plan. For that reason, humans hosting weddings often end up pursuing spaces with shelter built-in or spaces where shelter can be brought in. Being able to accommodate for weather is more important when hosting a group experience, and when your guests have differing outdoor abilities. But when it comes to elopements, especially true elopements with just a couple or less than four guests, embracing the weather can be the greatest gift of your day. It’s part of the adventure. It’s part of getting to know and celebrate the area in which you have chosen to say your “I do’s.” It’s part of participating in the ecosystem you are visiting on this special day, and to which you are likely to return in future years. Providing advice on our favorite outdoor gear, what to pack, and how to prepare is one of our favorite roles as elopement planners in the Pacific Northwest. If you are ready and able to take some of the stress out of your planner brain by embracing the weather that will be, then plan to embrace the elements, prepare your packs, and let the day unfold. Besides, who said that weather wasn’t beautiful?

— Kate, Tapestry Creative Director