What if it rains on your wedding day?

Rain is the question we get asked most, and the one nobody can control. What you can control is arriving prepared, and that starts long before anyone checks the forecast.

It starts when you choose the venue

When you go to see venues, look at what plan B each one has. Whether there are indoor spaces, whether they're big enough for the drinks reception, the ceremony, the dinner or the party. And if there aren't indoor spaces for all of it, what outdoor areas are left where a marquee could go.

From there, a week or two before the wedding we start watching the weather. If there's no way around it and it's going to rain, that's when we put the plan into action.

Marquees are booked in advance, not the night before

If there are no indoor spaces, or there are but they don't convince you, marquees are the answer. There are several kinds: the most common one, transparent ones, and ones with curtain-style walls you can leave open or close if the rain gets heavy.

The important thing is to have it booked beforehand. If it turns out you don't need it, you'll have paid the deposit. If you do need it, it's already reserved.

The ground and the walkways

Inside a marquee you can lay a wooden platform or something similar. And think about the routes too: from the ceremony to the drinks, from the drinks to dinner. If people cross a sandy patch that turns to mud, or very wet grass, it's worth laying fabric or tarpaulin.

The details guests appreciate

Beyond having a roof, small things change the atmosphere:

• Umbrellas — plastic rather than fabric, because they actually cover you. They work for guests and for you: a ceremony in the rain with clear umbrellas photographs beautifully, even if having everyone soaked isn't remotely practical.
• Blankets. Temperatures usually drop when it rains, and leaving blankets out at the ceremony or at dinner is appreciated more than you'd think.

And a plan B for what you wear

A more comfortable dress, or half a size looser, and a spare pair of shoes. Long dresses drag, so sometimes a three-quarter length that doesn't touch the floor is the better call, or a short one. And wellies — black, white, whatever colour you like — have become a genuinely fun trend.

The last thing is attitude. If you know it's going to rain, find the upside: photo sessions in the rain can turn out wonderfully. Your clothes will get wet, yes — that's what the plan B is for.

Based on a video published on TikTok