Don’t Panic!
The Atlantic Hurricane season starts in June and ends in November. If you’re planning a wedding or a big event during those months, the thought of a huge storm can cause a lot of worry. Here in Charleston, we do this all the time. We can deal with almost any type of inclement weather and still go about our day-to-day (unless it snows). Whether you’re a local, new to the area, or planning a destination wedding, here are some wedding planning tips that will help you stay calm, even during the storm.
Make a Rain Plan & Get Event Insurance
Keep an eye out for any developing disturbances near your event date and location. Although storms are unlikely during the early and late parts of season, it’s still good to have a rain plan since Charleston is well-known for our pop-up thunderstorms in the warmer months. A rain plan could include renting a tent or moving activities indoors. Please note: tents are never an option for shelter during a lightning storm.
We recommend to any client that is booked during peak hurricane season to look into event insurance. While no one wants to think about having to reschedule or cancel their wedding, event insurance will help reimburse you in the event of a hurricane.
Consult Your Vendors
Ask all of your vendors about their cancellation/rescheduling policies or what they do if a hurricane affects their business or your event. Sometimes it isn’t up to your vendor on whether or not they can operate during a hurricane or tropical storm. State mandates, road closures, bridge closures, flooding, or power outages can determine whether or not they can safely operate.
Each vendor can also offer solutions to dealing with inclement weather. Your coordinator can help you with a rain plan, the rental company can help with tents and lighting.
How Does Crazy Dutchman Catering Handle Hurricanes?
We keep an eye on any approaching storm and if we think there is a possibility that the storm will affect your event, we will call you the Monday before your event. Hans will go over the risks and mitigating factors with you that could affect you and ask if you want to proceed or if you would like to reschedule. After we get confirmation from you, we place the order for the food and as long as the weather permits, everything continues as planned.
We try to be as flexible as possible and we want to do everything in our power to help you pull off your perfect wedding day.
When in doubt, just call Hans. He’ll tell you everything you never wanted to learn about hurricanes. He’ll regale you with stories of Hurricane Hugo or tell you all about feeder bands, northwest quadrants, and the difference between a tropical depression and a tropical storm.
Hope for the Best but Plan for the Worst
While no one wants to worry about hurricanes or storms affecting their big day, it’s important to remain positive. The best thing to do is make sure you have a plan in place should the weather affect your event and have event insurance to recoup any losses that incur from a cancelled event. And look on the bright side – a low-level tropical disturbance or depression will give you and your guests a reprieve from the heat.
After all, isn’t it good luck if it rains on your wedding day?
