You will only get married today (or tomorrow)

“It’s like raaahaaaaain on your wedding day,” to quote Alanis. I’ve been feeling for all the couples who thought today was a great idea for an outdoor wedding since seven this morning. Or tomorrow, because it’s supposed to be just as bad then. There you are, with your hair in curls and cheeks blushing, completely drenched in rain.

Let’s go inside

First of all: are you getting married outside? In the Netherlands? Make sure you have a location where you can move everyone inside. You never know. I always say that it’s nine times out of ten much sunnier than they say, but not today.

Rent or buy matching umbrellas

You’ve searched for eight months for the color of the flower button on your pumps, and then all those guests show up with ugly umbrellas in god-knows-what-color or to annoy you with checkered ones. You don’t want that. Make sure to have one type of umbrella and play ‘Under my umbrella’ upon arrival. They’ll know exactly what to do. Have your masters of ceremony confiscate all the rogue umbrellas.

And rain boots…

Nice, such an outdoor venue. Until you’re trudging through the grass in pumps because it has turned into one big muddy mess. Your Jimmy’s won’t look any better for it. Provide yourself and your guests with a rain boot station in the parking lot.

Make sure to have nice towels

For when it rains so hard (and it will) that those umbrellas and rain boots do absolutely nothing to keep your guests and you dry. Everyone gets a nice towel to dab away the worst water damage.

Send your guests a weather alert for an extra outfit (and waterproof mascara)

You’ve been refreshing the Weeronline app for a week, but your guests probably haven’t. Make sure your wedding planner or masters of ceremony sends them a weather alert. They can pack a dry outfit in a bag and swap their mascara for a waterproof version.

Have a makeup artist and hairdresser on standby for touch-ups

With wind force ten (I’m exaggerating, of course) and liters of water falling from the sky the hairstyle won’t stay intact. You, of course, have someone to touch things up in between, but your guests don’t. How nice would it be if suddenly a makeup artist and hairdresser show up to quickly dab them? You’ll make friends for life.

Get yourself a party tent or tarpaulin from the hardware store

Or just do a trash the dress for the photos, because it’s going to get dirty anyway. Then pick a cute one from the audience (or even better, your fiancé) who has to hold your umbrella all day or just go for a parasol right away.

Hang the bathroom full of hairdryers

Not keen on the trick with the makeup artist and hairdresser? Then wallpaper the bathroom from top to bottom with hairdryers.

Take photos in the rain (it’s just cool)

Now that it’s raining anyway, you might as well make sure it’s photogenic rain. And even if you can hardly believe it, rain looks cool in photos. Put on your rain boots, grab an umbrella, and go.

Always keep smiling

Because you only get married once (I hope for you). On a rainy day. Nothing you can do about it. Except keep smiling really hard.

You can be sure of that

So you can insure yourself against bad weather when you organize an outside wedding. If you haven’t done this today or tomorrow, marry and you haven’t done this, I’m afraid you won’t get the insurer to budge. But it’s very handy for preparation.

And last but not least: you know it, right? A bride with rain has a marriage full of blessings. Amen to that. May you live happily ever after.