When the Weather Has Other Plans: Loving Your Venue, Rain or Shine (and During the Room Flip!)
You’ve dreamt it: vows under an open sky, golden hour light, soft breeze, birds chirping — outdoor ceremonies are undeniably beautiful. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in nearly two decades of wedding planning, it’s that Mother Nature doesn’t RSVP.
That’s why when you’re venue shopping, it’s so important to ask yourself: Would I love this space just as much if we had to move everything inside?
But there’s another layer to this, especially if your ceremony and reception are happening in the same indoor space: What happens during a room flip? Let’s break it down.
The Indoor Backup Plan: Don’t Settle
If weather forces your ceremony indoors, the last thing you want is to feel disappointed or cramped. A solid backup space should feel just as intentional, beautiful, and romantic as your Plan A. When you tour a venue, step inside and really look. Imagine your guests sitting there, you walking down the aisle, the music swelling — does it still feel right?
If the answer is yes, you’re in good shape.
If a Room Flip Is Part of the Plan…
A lot of venues — especially barns, ballrooms, or event halls — will use one main space for both ceremony and reception. Which means if your ceremony ends at 4:30 PM and dinner starts at 6:00 PM, someone’s gotta move all those chairs, reset tables, cue up candles, and get that dance floor ready. That’s where the room flip comes in.
Here’s the million-dollar question: Where do your guests go while this is happening?
The Cocktail Hour Game Plan
This is a key piece you’ll want to map out with your venue and planner (hi, that’s me 🙋♀️). Ask:
Is there a separate cocktail area — a patio, lobby, lounge, or adjoining room?
Is it weatherproof if we’re indoors?
Can the caterer set up food and drinks in that area with ease?
Is there enough space for your full guest list to mix and mingle?
This time between ceremony and reception is a golden opportunity for your guests to relax, enjoy some drinks and apps, and set the tone for the celebration ahead. A great venue will have a clear plan for where guests will go and how they’ll be served while the main space is getting its glow-up.
My Real Talk as a Planner:
A smooth room flip is like a magic trick — when it’s well-planned, your guests barely notice it happened. But behind the scenes, it takes a village (and a solid timeline). So when you're choosing your venue, make sure:
You love the inside space enough to say "I do" there.
There’s a cocktail hour space that works if a flip is needed.
You have a team who can execute the flip efficiently and beautifully.
At the end of the day, the right venue should make you feel confident no matter what the weather does — because when you feel good, everything else falls into place.
