Potential contingency plans? Getting married April 21, 2024

100% have a contingency plan if you're planning an outdoor wedding! EVERY outdoor wedding I've been to either had rain during the actual day, or it rained before and it was still wet outside by the time the wedding was supposed to start. Trust me when I say your wedding will be much better if you have to opt for your contingency plan than if you have any part of the day in the rain. Nobody wants to sit in wet clothes or have their shoes get all muddy.

You can get tents with siding that would be able to keep the rain out, but if you go that route you'll likely also need to get some kind of tile or flooring to avoid the wet ground, lighting, a way to avoid any outlets getting wet, and potentially heaters if it's cold or you get wet. Your venue coordinator will likely have more insight on what else you might need and the pros and cons of using a tent, but I'd imagine it would be way easier to just plan on an indoor contingency plan. That way there's no "extras" (which can add up) that you'd have to arrange and potentially won't even use in the event the weather does cooperate.

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I agree! I have had the contingency plan on my mind for a long time, and I feel very validated in my feelings! I've been to a few weddings that were outside, and I know that it comes with a lot of set up and take down, my only issue is what if we don't use them? I wonder if there's ever a refund policy? I know this is way down the road, but those things can be really costly, and I don't want to not budget enough money for it.

Always have a backup for an outdoor wedding.

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You're definitely right to be thinking about it!

I'm not sure if there would be a refund policy since you're usually not paying based on whether you use something. If a rental company rents a tent to you then it can't rent it to someone else, so it would be losing money if they had you booked, turned down other business, but then refunded it last minute. Things like tables, chairs, linens, etc. that you'd need regardless would probably not make much difference, but the tent and other "outdoor" elements might be a gamble.

I think venues that have the ability to do indoor/outdoor weddings make the call either the day before or that morning. Then you set up the chairs inside or outside.


One of my friends was planning on having an outdoor ceremony... it was a sunny day with no rain, however it was a sweltering 100 degrees out so they opted to have the ceremony indoors.
What is your reception vision? Do you want it to be outdoors or indoors?
If I were you I would plan an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception. If the weather doesn’t cooperate then you only have to move one aspect indoors.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

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The venue typically has outdoor ceremonies and indoor-outdoor reception, and our plan was to stay with that format, since our wedding is probably going to be around 130 guests. I want the reception to be like the party I always wished I could throw, dancing, music, great food and friends. The mansion has a huge Bridgerton vibe, and i want it to feel like the most fun and welcoming it possibly can, but I worry about the weather if we have it inside and outside. Maybe I'm just overthinking right now, who knows. It's always better to be over prepared than under, right?

Just in case you gods should and check the weather because in April weather is unpredictable