According to Angela D. Cunningham, sales and marketing manager for Roberts Event Group, Inc., “When planning out- door events, most venues have space for a tent. It is always important to discuss the need for a tent, and to include a budget for the possibility to cover the area if severe weather includes rain.”
For an outdoor event, finding a venue with indoor space that can provide a sim- ilar feel as the outdoors through decor and lighting is important, she says. “For example, if the event has a backyard barn theme, it is important to select a venue that has enough space to create the ambiance of a farm, including trees, bales of hay, and red lighting to create the effect of a barn indoors or under a tent. It is important to be flexible when planning and to fully understand the risks of hold- ing outdoor events.”
She adds that having umbrellas on site to assist with moving guests to the front door presents an opportunity for innova- tive marketing for the client, and can act as an additional revenue source for the planner.
“In the case of snow, providing buses to and from the venue is a great contin- gency plan for guests to arrive safely,” notes Cunningham. “Patience is key when planning events during months where severe weather is a possibility. Remaining calm, and keeping your client at ease will go much further than worry- ing about who may not attend. And encouraging guests to laugh about a sudden downpour is a light-hearted way of breaking the tension.”
“At a recent event,” she continues, “our guests were subjected to an unexpected burst of torrential rain; even with umbrel- las they were drenched. Because the guests were walking to a reception taking place under a tent, the wait staff was ready with tray-passed wine and sparkling water. This took the tension off the group because we were proactive,
74 November December 2012
and it allowed them not to focus on being wet, but instead to enjoy each other’s company over conversation and a glass of wine.”
There is always a silver lining, even when bad weather impacts an event. For those guests who make it to the event despite bad weather conditions, they end up with extra time to meet potential clients, and/or bond with new friends. If an event is held annually, Cunningham suggests presenting the guests who were at the event impacted by the weather with a t- shirt stating, “I survived the 2012 storm,” as a way to foster unity and conversation among guests who were at the weather impacted event, as well as with those who were not at the previous affair.
Keeping guests up-to-date about the weather and how it might impact an event is easier than ever these days. Notes Cunningham, “Due to the influx of social media, guests can be informed through a Facebook page, or Twitter sent as a mass alert. Another way to inform guests is through text messaging, allow- ing them to know if the event has been canceled or postponed.”
Making the call to cancel an event is a dif- ficult decision, typically made by the client, venue and the planner collectively, and is usually based on severe weather factors, such as lightning or a massive snow storm, observes Cunningham. “Constant weather updates become valuable for all parties involved so that guests can be informed of a necessary cancellation in a timely manner.”
Phyllis Jablonowski, CSEP, owner of Eventricity, LLC, says that having a “Plan B” in place is an absolute must when preparing for the possibility of inclement weather - and sometimes, many more contingencies than that are necessary.
“A tent has multiple benefits, but is not always a haven from severe weather,” notes Jablonowski. “You must think of an
alternate indoor or covered space. You also must consider a rain date or a can- cellation policy, if that is appropriate.”
“We have had several opportunities to employ back up plans,” she notes. “One wedding that we produced was to be held on the family farm. The house was rustic and had several small rooms on the first floor. We had planned for rain by erecting a tent for both the ceremony and the reception. None of us planned on severe rain and flooding that had not been seen in the area in decades.”
“The rain started a few days before the event, and we offered the client several options, including flooring the tent,” Jablonowski continues. “The client absolutely refused this option. He was sure that the fields were quick draining and would not pose any problem. Days before the event, the inside of the tent was mud. The dance floor had mud com- ing up through the seams. The day before the wedding, we tried to be proac- tive, so we laid bark mulch in front of each bar and in all high traffic areas. We placed square tiles under each table leg to displace the weight. None of this was enough.”
“The morning of the wedding, the small pond that originally had been 25-feet from the tent had grown into a lake and was just three-feet from the tent,” she adds. “The rain was coming down, the caterers were real troopers setting up as best as they could. Our staff pinned every linen up so that it did not drag in the wet grass. When I walked into the tent, the mud came up over my boots. Enough was enough. I had to have a reality check with the client. I explained the situation in no uncertain terms, spoke to them about their responsibility as good hosts, and presented them with the options at hand.”
In this case, option one was to bring the reception into the tiny house and change the entire reception to a passed cocktail
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