You may or may not be the backup plan kind of a person. Maybe you’re the person that flies by the seat of their pants, or just worries about problems as they come. Or hey, maybe you work better under pressure. But, take it from our team, you’re going to want a back-up plan, or a plan b for your wedding day. Even though you’ve planned all of the details out to a tee, things happen. We’ve been in this industry for almost two decades and we’ve seen our fair share of turn of events. From sudden downpours, lost wedding party members, or late vendors - it’s vital to have a plan b. Let’s talk about some of the most common wedding mishaps and options for creating a backup plan, and most importantly how to execute it. 

So, you’ve planned your wedding ceremony and reception for July or August. You’re thinking that summer weather should be beautiful and there should be nothing but blue skies and sunshine. Well, the weather is unpredictable. That sunny event that you have planned, may have a last minute summer storm, or you may need to quickly call vendors to patch together a bad weather plan. And to be honest, this is one of the most common back up plans that we have to execute on the day of.  If you’re planning an outside ceremony, at any point of the year, be sure to ask the venue what your options are for bad weather. Many venues may have options for back-up plans, such as moving the event inside, or using the same space for ceremony and the reception. Another option is building a bad weather option into your initial plan. Hiring a vendor that provides tents can be an easy fix. You can plan to have your reception tented and if the weather takes a turn for the south, you can easily move the ceremony inside the tent and flip the room if necessary. If there are no other options and your wedding will be held outside no matter what, prep a few items to help in case rain decides to make an appearance. Preparing towels, umbrellas, and blankets and having these items on hand will make sure that your guests, and you, can still enjoy your wedding day as dry as possible. 

Some of our couples chose to have their ceremonies and receptions in different locations. Sometimes they are in the same neighborhood, other times they require a commute to get to and from each venue. Plan your transportation carefully and look at traffic trends for the day of the week your event is on. We’ve had wedding parties get lost on the way to ceremonies or receptions, and we’ve even had folks go to the wrong location. You’ll want to sit down and address any transportation issues that may come up. Check out the route prior to the wedding to eliminate any confusion for the day of. Use applications such as Waze to nail your timing down and be sure to communicate clearly with your guests, vendors, and wedding party. Also, be sure that your city or area has accessible means of transportation for out of town guests. Some towns, such as Austin, don’t have ride sharing programs accessible in all areas. Be sure your guests and wedding party know the options for transportation prior to the day of. 

Now, one of our worst fears is having a vendor be late or an act of God occurs with a vendor we’re working with. We’ve had weddings, where we’ve had vendors make honest mistakes, and overbook, have the wrong dates, or just get lost. We cannot stress enough, communicate with your vendors a few weeks out to confirm. Then, confirm again one week out and then the day before. When you confirm with your vendors, confirm the day of the week, date, time, their expected time of arrival, and who their point of contact will be for the day of. Oftentimes, vendors are working multiple events and send out different members of their staff. You want the contact point for who will be working your event and ensure there is a way to effectively reach them. There are simple fixes for some vendors, such as using your personal device or bluetooth speaker to DJ the night away. But, some will definitely take some creatively. So, to avoid a plan B, be sure to confirm, confirm, and confirm! 

Last, communicate all of the details with your wedding party and your wedding coordinator. You want to make sure that there are people working behind the scenes, to solve any problems that may come up. You don’t want to be the point person who handles all of the details on the day of. Print off your timelines, have your vendor contact list printed, and hand it over to your capable helpers. All of the vendors should talk to your point of contact on the day of, not you. You don’t want to be handling a mishap before you walk down the aisle. And to be honest, one of the biggest perks of hiring a wedding planner or coordinator, is you have a point of contact person and you will have support to handle any minor or major disasters that happen along the way. 

Whatever backup plans, or plan b you may develop, ensure that the decisions are made and there is a date set where all decisions need to be made by on the day of. You don’t want to delay the ceremony or reception due to scrambling to figure out a plan. Or stress yourself out, over work your team and or wedding party, leading up to the joyous wedding day. So, when your wedding day begins, if you have any inkling of changing plans last minute, set that deadline and make your decision. Most importantly, stick to that decision and don’t change it up at the last minute. This can cause confusion and chaos for your guests and vendors. So, create that backup plan and be prepared for what can happen. Be firm and set deadlines on the day of. And don’t forget to breathe and have fun - you’re tying the knot after all! 

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 17 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.