Can a devastating disaster spoil your wedding?
After months of tedious planning, everything seems to be perfect for the big day and everyone is in high spirits in anticipation of the long awaited festivities. You have dreamed, planned and acted. You have spent your dollars and your expectations are high but just like a twist of fate, the weather report broadcast says a hurricane is looming in your location just before your nupitals. How do you handle the unforeseen circumstances?
The safest kind of preparation involves preparing ahead for the worst and includes taking the worst-case scenarios into consideration. Airtight wedding planning involves being prepared ahead of time just in cases of natural disasters, or any other disasters/epidemics. When something eventually occurs, the way you handle it determines whether the wedding planning that you have invested a lot into will end up being a success.
Questions to ask yourself when planning a wedding during any kind of epidemic or natural disaster are:
Do you have a plan B?
Do you have a plan for your wedding ceremony and reception if a natural disaster/epidemic decides to visit the town as an uninvited guest? Consider alternative dates and even locations.
Do you have a remedial plan or you will just watch everything go from bad to worse?
Consider these tips and suggestions when contemplating having your wedding during hurricane season or in any location(s) that are prone to having natural disasters.
Read Your Vendors’ Contracts
Vendors have different policies. Hence, you must read your vendors’ contracts so that you know what to expect. Some may offer a refund if the wedding is postponed or cancelled due to fire, or natural disasters while some will not. So, before you hiring your vendors be sure to request for their contract(s) and read it and know what you are getting yourself into before you move forward.
It is much better for you to hire those vendors with provisions for the occurrence of natural disasters/epidemics and other unforeseen circumstances.
Get a Special Insurance Plan
Most couples don’t give the possibility a serious thought. Though nobody prays for wedding disasters, but the reality is they do come. Hence, to cushion the unpleasant effects of that a wedding disaster may cause, you get wedding insurance, otherwise called special event insurance. You have two different types of wedding insurance you purchase namely: cancellation and liability protection. While the firmer applies to cancelled weddings, the later applies to the weddings that are affected by a natural disaster. You can contact your local insurance service provider or know if they offer a special event insurance plan.
Study the Weather Pattern of Your Location
Not all of us will have a meteorologist in our families or as a friend, but all of us can take the extra step to visit online resources to keep abreast of what the weather patterns in the area our wedding is taking place. Knowing some important weather facts beforehand will help you to adequately prepare to meet any of them which may not really be pleasant.
The National Weather Service is an excellent online weather resources that you can visit. Don’t forget to visit your local weather news station too.
Make Your Post-Wedding Planning
If you are postponing your wedding because of an imminent natural disaster or mandatory cancellation, then make adequate plans for the new wedding date right away! You may have to reschedule your honeymoon, readjust the wedding venue and even, reschedule your hotel accommodation plans and bookings. Please don’t be frightened or worry too much about it! These things do happen and you will get through it!
Something simple yet helpful Rain does not always equal a disaster BUT Something as simple as an umbrella, in case of showers of rain on your big day can and will help. You can’t allow something as little as rain showers to mess up your plans.
Final Thought: It’s better to have a story to tell and reschedule than to continue with your wedding plans even when you are being advised otherwise. Disasters are no laughing matter or to be taken lightly. Believe me, we as coordinators hate to have to reschedule but we’d rather this than someone possibly getting hurt. When planning your wedding ask questions such as; “When is hurricane season? Did you have any natural disasters last year or the year before during the time I’m considering for my wedding?” and “What is your contingency plan for inclement weather?” Having your wedding in the South Florida area and Caribbean it’s mandatory that you ask these questions especially during hurricane season which is from June 1st to November 30th. Chances are you’re in the clear, nevertheless; it’s always better have the knowledge and be prepared.
Photo Credit: Out Of Box Weddings, Purely Joyous Photography, Aura Photography