Wedding Disasters: How to Avoid Them and What to Do If You Can’t

Obviously, the goal is to have the wedding day go off without a hitch, but few brides will know what it is like to have an entirely seamless wedding day.  Most will experience a few obstacles or, at very least, a couple of minor bumps along the way.  That’s okay, though!  Your marriage will not be completely devoid of challenges, so it only makes sense that you would experience a few moments of stress on the wedding day.  That said, there are ways to avoid- and, in worst case scenarios, correct the disasters before the whole wedding party is aware.

Wearing White in the Rain Weather is the most unpredictable and influencing variable of any big event, but particularly those that are meant to have outdoor elements (i.e. an open-air ceremony). You can’t prevent rain.  It will happen or it won’t, but you can plan for it.  For one thing, if you really want to avoid it, try to plan your wedding for the driest time of the year.  If it does happen, embrace it.  Have tents and tarps ready, if you definitely want to be wed outdoors.  Umbrellas for the bridal party can help keep everyone dry as they walk up the aisle.  And, don’t forget to have alternative shoes on hand.  Wet ground and stiletto heels don’t pair well.

Flowers Lacking Staying Power Hiring the right florist, with a great deal of experience supplying weddings is the very best way to avoid a wedding party filled with wilted blooms.  Faux flowers are also a great solution.  Consider mixing and matching live and fake varieties to ensure full bouquets.  However, if the big day arrives and you walk in to find dying flowers, then you’ll have to do some quick work to correct the problem.  First, call the florist and explain the problem.  They may be able to replace the flowers quickly enough.  Otherwise, send friends and family members to shop for some new blooms.  This may mean buying some fake flowers, or it could be asking for donations from local gardeners.

The Attendant Not in Attendance Certainly, there is a lot of stress when a member of the bridal party is forced to call in sick, or suddenly disappears without warning.  Of course, this can be prevented by choosing your attendants carefully, and avoiding irresponsible or often-flaky friends.  If it does happen to you, then you have two options:

1. Have someone fill in for the missing member of the party. This works well if there the bridal part attire can be easily mimicked or matched.
2. Leave the space vacant. If need be, have one groomsmen escort two bridesmaids, or vice versa.  Those looking on won’t think anything of it.

Obviously, there are many other problems that could arise on your big day, but the best approach is simply to stay calm.  If you panic, the problem will escalate, but if you stay calm, you’ll likely think of a solution with time to spare.