Post # 1
Member
316 posts
Helper bee
Hi Bees,
I’m getting married on Sunday in Seattle with an outdoor ceremony! As most of you know, Seattle can be off and on rainy. The forecast right now is for 40% chance of showers – which mean small bits of rain every once in awhile, but not a downpour. The weather forecast will most likely change by the weekend – but we have to tell our venue by Saturday at noon whether we want to keep the ceremony outside or move it inside.
I should note that inside is amazing for the reception but the ceremony space would be a little cramped compared to outdoors for our guest count. We could do it and I’m sure it’d be lovely, but outside would be so much better even with a cloud cover.
Here are our three options:
- Keep it outside and hope for the best.
- Keep it ouside and rent 150 white parasols from the venue at $1 a piece in case of misting or light showers – hey, it is Seattle, and this would be a very Seattle wedding! Besides the parasols are super cute.
- To avoid stress, just have the ceremony inside.
At what point would you move the ceremony inside or what would you do in this situation?
Thanks for your advice, bees!
Post # 2
Member
1333 posts
Bumble bee
Nomster: Since you have til Saturday at noon, I would wait until the weather forecast is displayed (hourly with the percentage/odds) at 11:45am on Saturday to make the final call 🙂
If it is still 40% with patchy showers/clouds, I would probably keep it outside. It showered on and off at our wedding, and although our ceremony was not outside, we still took pictures outdoors. The sprinkles did not bother me one bit!
As far as your guests go, I assume they would pack an umbrella if the weather seemed like there was a chance for rain. I would not rent the parasols, personally, but they would look CUTE in pics though 🙂
Post # 3
Member
186 posts
Blushing bee
- Wedding: September 2014 - Villa Celeste
It’s hard to say, because it would suck to have planned to move your wedding inside and then the weather ends up being okay. My first thought was the parasols sounded like a good idea but then I got to thinking about 150 people with parasols and how that might obstruct someones view/really clutter the space.
As of right now I would just watch the forecast, as you’re right these things to have a tendency to change. See where it’s at in a couple days and figure out what you want to do. I could handle and would happily be in a little drizzle but I know some people absolutely would not care for that. My advice would be to just watch the weather, and see where you’re at in a few days, then make the final call.
Post # 4
Member
1835 posts
Buzzing bee
Number 1 shouldn’t even be a consideration. Check the forecast Saturday morning. If there is still a chance for rain, move it inside. I don’t love anyone enough to sit in the rain to watch them get married. I would watch from inside. On the flip side of that, as a bride I would have never expected anyone to do that for me.
I’m not trying to be harsh and I understand you really do want your wedding outside. But if you still have a decent chance of rain, please move it inside.
Post # 5
Member
1155 posts
Bumble bee
Nomster: It rained all morning before my wedding – I was horrified. My Maid/Matron of Honor kept telling me to just have everything inside but when we got to the venue, the manager said that they recommend waiting until the last minute to make a decision. I’m so glad we did because there was a 30 minute break in the rain – just long enough for the ceremony and it was beautiful. My Father-In-Law said told everyone of course the rain stopped long enough for the ceremony – ColoradoGirl had it planned that way. As we left the venue, there was an amazing rainbow in the sky too. So I’m in the camp of wait and see. How long can you wait to put in a order of the parasols?
Post # 6
Member
316 posts
Helper bee
Thanks for all your replies!
erw4338: I agree with your thought on the 150 parasols – maybe I just rent enough for the bridal party if it’s only slight chance of scattered showers.
ColoradoGirl: We could order the parasols that morning. Also, we can get some 10′ tents for cheap too – which may be worth it as well somewhere out there.
Post # 7
Member
1098 posts
Bumble bee
I agree with OUgal0004
I wouldn’t decide anything until it gets closer and you have to tell them. The forecast could be very different by then and it will be much more accurate.
If the forecast happened to be 100% the same, then it depends on how badly you really want the ceremony outside. If you really want it outside, I would rent the parasols. If you’re willing to part with that, have it inside
Post # 8
Member
2885 posts
Sugar bee
Nomster: As someone who used to live in Seattle, I would be pretty unhappy if I was expected to be outside in misting rain unless I was wearing my not-at-all cute rain shell. Even if you rented parasols, some guests might not take them because they get heavy to hold after awhile — I wouldn’t take one, though I’d appreciate the offer.
Any chance you can get a big tent with wall flaps? Can you have everything set up for inside and if it’s ridiculously gorgeous, move everything outside?
I personally wouldn’t risk outside if it were overcast in Seattle.
Post # 9
Member
186 posts
Blushing bee
I would personally rent a tent. You don’t even need to set it up. If you don’t need it, fine. But then it’s there if you do.
Post # 10
Member
1576 posts
Bumble bee
My poor hubby just had to make this call for his best friend a few weeks ago. (But it was 40% chance of ThunderStorms) Such a tough situation made worse by the venue not setting a deadline like yours did. They just asked the bride and groom what they wanted to do when the were in the middle of taking pictures on the grounds. No one has the where-with-all to answer that question in that moment!
Darling Husband described it like this:
Worst Case Scenario A: We have the ceremony inside and there’s no rain. You have a beautiful ceremony. Everything goes as planned. Your reception starts on time. It’s a wonderful wedding.
Worst Case Scenario B: We have the ceremony outside and it starts pouring during your ceremony. Guests run around in terror. Sound equipment is destroyed. Your sand ceremony stuff is all wet. Your dress is soaked. Once inside everyone has to wait for the indoor ceremony to get set up. Then be reseated. Then redo the ceremony. Your reception is late and if you don’t want to pay overtime charges, it’s shortened.
We lived through Scenario A. The rain ended up holding off. Oh well. But imagine Scenario B! That would’ve been awful! It was the right call.
However, yours is just showers, not thunderstorms. So it’s an even trickier decision! You just have to wait and check the weather 5 minutes before your deadline and decide for yourself if it’s worth the risk. At 40% showers, I’d choose to go inside.
Post # 11
Member
582 posts
Busy bee
Nomster:
I’d rent or buy umbrellas (cute ones) just in case of rain. 🙂
Post # 12
Member
1155 posts
Bumble bee
Nomster: I would wait until that morning and see what the weather is doing. If you are really wanting that outdoor ceremony, it would be worth it to wait and see.
Post # 13
Member
5662 posts
Bee Keeper
I was just chekcing the weather report for this weekend LOL!
I would wait until Saturday and see how things are going. The weather as you know has been extremely unpredictable the last few weeks and you could end up with somewhat of a nice day. Or maybe a morning shower and then a decently warm afternoon. A lot can change around here in the next 4 days so give it some time.
If the chance of rain on sunday seems like it could be at any given moment then yeah I’d probably move inside. But if you can find out some sort of time frame of rain (by mid day Sat you can see the 36 hour forecast) and it isn’t SUPPOSED to land over your ceremony, then maybe do the umbrellas and keep it outside.
Post # 14
Member
316 posts
Helper bee
Thanks for all your advice everyone! We’re watching the weather and will check on Saturday morning. It was “chance of showers” last weekend and I didn’t see any rain… so I’m hopeful! If it’s looking like it’s holding, we’ll get some umbrellas for guests, just in case!
Post # 15
Member
316 posts
Helper bee
In case any of you are interested, we had light on and off rain throughout the day. A little light rain during the ceremony – but it actually worked out very nicely and great for photos! I posted a little recap in the recap section.
Thanks for all your advice!
