Getting Married in the Pacific Northwest? Plan for Rain!

Photo by Taylor Denton Photography

Good ol' Pacific Northwest. I've lived and worked in Oregon and Washington for years and there's one teenie tiny little thing that we sort of always expect: rain. And yet, you'll often run into people trying to plan their weddings where their entire rain prep is "well I crossed my fingers reeeeeally hard." Let's take the luck out of it and get right to the point. Here's why you should plan for rain when you're getting married in the Pacific Northwest.

The joke for the PNW in general is that you can spot a tourist by their umbrella since we're just so used to the rain here. Yet despite all of us growing up a little soggy, the knowledge of the sky water disappears when we're planning our weddings. I'll hear people say, "Well, we're planning for August, so we should be fine." Nope, not here in the PNW! Expect rain, ESPECIALLY if you're planning for it to be dry!

Photo by Taylor Denton Photography

Right now in May, we had a spike in heat last week, and everyone started to get out the AC units and the pool noodles and, by Tuesday, it was already raining again. That just goes to show that if you're not ready for it, the rain will indeed sneak up on you. We thankfully don't have to worry about hurricanes or tornados or earthquakes (usually) around here, but rain is a monster that demands your respect.

While some venues in the PNW will have a rain plan baked into their offerings, most will leave that entirely to you to figure out. In fact, for many venues in Oregon and Washington, there are no all-in-one indoor options or canopies available, so it's up to you to have a canopy rental planned out.

Photo by Taylor Denton Photography

It's vital that you don't wait until the last minute to secure your canopy rental! If there's even a chance of rain, you want to plan smart and plan early. Waiting until the last minute means likely having to fight with all the other couples scrambling to protect their guests from the rain. Be aware, there is generally a fee associated with dropping the tent or canopy rental if you ultimately do not need it, but that fee is worth it. Think of it like rain insurance, and in our region, you've got to pay that rain insurance.

Something else to consider is how the indoor or tent options will affect your maximum capacity, so a lot of times when we're in the rainy season(s) I like to help the couples I'm working with to consider their maximum occupancy with the outdoor covering in mind.

Then there's the option to get creative with it and celebrate the region in some way. How fun would it be to include umbrellas as party favors for everyone attending the ceremony? You can even rent umbrellas in some cases. Instead of fighting the rain, you've invited it to join the festivities! Knowing rain, that's a definite way to scare it away since it hates when people actually plan for it.

But there's always the obvious answer of selecting a venue that's completely indoors. Sometimes the best plan against the rain is to just eliminate it as a threat entirely. An outdoor January wedding is exciting, but the smart plan is to keep those guests and grooms inside, warm, and dry.

Does your dream wedding include heading outside and taking in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest? I'm here to help you plan, rain or shine! Contact me and let's get started!

Happy Wedding Planning,

Andy <3