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Plan B

cwill6212cwill6212 member
First Anniversary First Comment
in Outdoor Weddings
We're getting married on 6/2.  The plan is to have the ceremony outside in the park behind our reception hall and then have the reception indoors.  However-I am TERRIFIED that Mother Nature is going to "make it rain".  While we do have the option to move the ceremony inside to the dance floor, I feel like we would be crowded and it's just not what I had in mind.  I thought of having a tent rental on standby---if they even do this.  Obviously I would not need them if the weather is beautiful.  Any advice??
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Re: Plan B

  • MadisonpennyMadisonpenny member
    First Anniversary First Comment

    You can have a tent on stand-by.  You'll have to watch the weather that week and approve yay or nay on the rental within a few days but it's better then not having anything and gettng rained out.

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  • aragx6aragx6 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    Our venue has a permanent tent set up in the backyard, but we can decide the week of if we need walls or heaters or air conditioning based on the forecast. September in St. Louis could literally be anything. Talk to your venue and I bet you can set something like that up as well.
    Lizzie
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  • slpankuchslpankuch member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    I think tent is your only option. Have a company on stand by - usually they do this. Or the week of your wedding, look at the extended forcast. If rain is expected, call a few tent rental places and see what they have to say about booking one if it does rain.

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  • melntaittmelntaitt member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    Can you use the reception hall as a back up?
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  • CatherineDeeCatherineDee member
    First Comment
    I also think a tent is a good option, you can decide a day or 2 earlier if you will need it or not.  I think that just the fact that you have a "tent plan B" will make you more at peace and less nervous about the preparations and weather, which in itself is already a lot :)
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  • jemmini6jemmini6 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment First Anniversary
    Tent rentals are not cheap, so I'd really think if it's worth it to you to spend that much money if it does rain, over just having it in your reception space.

    We had a similar set up (outdoor ceremony, indoor reception) and the reception room was our weather back up.  We had a major dust storm the night before my wedding so we had to do our rehearsal in the ballroom, it wasn't that bad (although I would have been disappointed, it still would have looked okay). 
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  • Kelli7025Kelli7025
    First Comment
    Although a tent will keep the falling rain from drenching your guests, the ground will get soggy and muddy, high heels will sink into super soft grass, and guests will have to make the walk back to their car through the wet and muddy and slippery grass. I do not think a tent is an appropriate back up plan for bad weather.
    You MIGHT be able to get by with a tent for cover if your location is hard ground, and not grass. But I still wouldnt risk it.

    A pole tent for my reception (125-150 guests) was going to cost $1,500. Then since it could rain you have to add in walls and heaters, and that really brings the price up. We ended up booking a beautiful location that has a very large outdoor option, but our backup plan is a free standing barn. A much better plan B IMO.
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  • jeffsgirl100612jeffsgirl100612
    First Comment
    We are also getting married Oct 6 12 in Iowa and here the weather could be anything, thankfully our minister said we could use his church as a backup... I googled the weather history for the last 5 years and its been 65-70 and nice every year so I pray.....
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  • abt87abt87 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary First Comment
    Also with a tent, if it is a complete downpour and storming, you probably won't even be able to use it.  I"m not sure how that works, having a tent on "stand-by".  At our venue, we can have a tent, but not only is it thousands out of our budget, we also have to have a firetruck and firemen there for $50/hour while the tent is being set up and tore down. Check the fire code at your venue.  Everything is outdoors for us, and we have a plan B for an indoor banquet room onsite, and everyone will have to be seated at their reception tables for the ceremony. It will be disappointing no matter what if it rains. Esp since we are paying a lot for the outdoor space and may not even get to use it. 
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