Rain on your wedding day? 

Let's talk about the big elephant in the room: rain on your wedding day.

This is the million dollar question at every initial phone consultation I have with every potential client, so why not talk about it and give everyone a tour of all the potential scenarios while planning a wedding in the Florida Keys.

I cannot stress enough how important it is for me as a planner to make potential and existing clients know and acknowledge that our weather is completely different from the rest of the country's. Yes, we are a tropical island and yes, our weather can be somewhat unstable and, from time to time, it will rain. 

I actually decided many years ago against planning events in the middle of the Summer, which is basically our hurricane season. It does get VERY warm and uncomfortable, not only for guests, but also for those working the event. Also, the Summer can bring a lot of storms and precipitations.  

Getting married outside of hurricane season doesn't necessarily mean that it won't rain throughout the rest of the year. Therefore, my next recommendation is that you choose your venue wisely. 

When finding the perfect venue, it is good to know what the Plan B (and why not C, and D) will be. Some venues are easier than others, because they have ballrooms. In this case, a decision to move the wedding inside a ballroom or indoor space takes place early in the morning of the wedding day. Of course this is not an easy call to make and everyone who plans their wedding down here is expecting to marry outdoors under bright skies and that is my wish to every single bride reading this.

If you get married at a venue with no indoor spaces to move the wedding to, then having a tent is a MUST. Booking a tent is indeed pricey but you have to look at it as an investment: it will bring so much peace of mind on your wedding day, and I have heard this from SO MANY clients that I can truly say I'm speaking (or writing) from experience. A tent also creates ambiance and really adds to the aesthetics of your event. I always recommend at least draping the poles and from then on the options are endless: lighting installations, glam draping on the ceiling, color draping, etc. Another important detail is to take into account that sometimes it gets WINDY. If your venue is very exposed to the elements, then it is also important to have sidewalls on stand by. 

Finally, you have the option of reserving your tent as a "weather back up" plan, which basically consists in paying a retainer on your tent and making the decision of setting it up around 48 hours prior to the big day. In my opinion, I would only have a tent on stand by when a tent doesn't fully match the layout of your venue. Otherwise, my advice is to always go for a tent 100%

I know you will find this information useful, and, once again, would love to stress how important the role of your planner is when making these assessments and eventually decisions. Happy Wedding Planning!!