With all the talk about Hurricane Irene approaching the East Coast this weekend I, like many others, are thinking about all the events scheduled this weekend. Personally, I find myself thinking of how I felt during those days leading up to my own wedding which took place just 2 days after Hurricane Isabel devastated our area. It was Thursday, September 18, 2003 when Isabel swept through the Virginia and by Friday morning 2/3 the state had no power, finding an operational gas station was difficult, businesses like the Tux shop, hair salons and reception venues were damaged or even closed, communications with family, friends and vendors became a challenge, and so on. Yet, with all these obstacles I was still able to have a simply lovely wedding day.
Now I can't help but think about all the Brides & Grooms getting married this weekend and how the normal butterflies in your stomach may be rapidly multiplying with the anticipation of this storm. So, How to have a fabulous wedding when the Governor issues a "State of Emergency"? Let me share our top 3 tips to a successful wedding despite the challenges... maybe even a Hurricane:
1.) Review and Re-Organize:
Sit down with your Wedding Consultant or Coordinator and review all of your Vendor Contracts for Cancellation, Refund, "Rain call" (the last possible day/hour you may change site set-up), "Acts of God" and other contract service fulfilment policies. Odds are your Pro will have already considered all of these factors as well as Contingency Plans for your "Big Day" and will more than likely have an Action Plan in the works for your review. If you don't have a professional Coordinator or are relying on the Venue's Coordinator for your wedding then you'll have to review all the policy deals of each Vendor's Contract. Remember, it's vital for you to be aware of is all these details as well as updating all Contingency Plans, Contact Lists, Checklists, and Timeline. If you'll be handling vendor management for your wedding make copies of all these materials and keep them on hand for the days to come.
2.) Perfect Professionals:
No mater how well you plan and try to foresee potential problems new concerns always pop up and that’s o.k. - that's why you've hired professionals! This is why you spent the time and money to research and bring in true wedding industry professionals and there is a reason why your Wedding Pros ARE PROS! You've already hired the perfect team of Professionals to meet your wedding needs so trust them. They have the resource, skills, experience and knowledge to think "outside the box" and offer solutions in a pinch. Keep an open-mind, don't be afraid to ask questions, be open to change and look to the expertise of your Wedding Professionals to offer options and solutions if problems arise no mater how big or small.
3.) Calm and Communication:
Having great communication will be key to all the hundreds of pieces of your event coming together seamlessly to create a wonderful experience. Part of your Wedding Coordinator's duties will be contacting, communicating, and facilitating the logistics of vendor services so you don't have to but what about your Bridal Party, Family and Friends? If there are last minute chances it may also be helpful for you and your Bridal Party (or maybe even your Coordinator depending on the type of service you have with them) to reach out to others. In cases of an emergency having an updated Phone Lists of your Wedding Party Members, Wedding Guests and Vendors available to forward to your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen may be useful just in case you need to start a phone tree.
Bonus Tip!! Positivity and Prescriptive:
Forget the old saying "What can go wrong, will go wrong." Instead, be positive. You can’t control everything so just trust that "What can go right, will go right". Know that your Friends, Family and Professionals will do what ever they can to create a successful day for you. Remember to have a good sense of humor, be thankful for your support team, trust the Pros you’ve chosen to work with, and remember what’s really important... At the end of the day you are marrying the one you love! Everything else is just icing on the wedding cake!
Now keep in mind these are just 3 tips and are not the only things you'll need to turn "disaster into delight" but there are sooo many more keep steps to "surviving disaster" during your special event. If have any questions you'd like to share don't hesitate to drop us a line!
Special thanks to 
