It looks like rain

Hosting a wedding makes me appreciate event planners. Six months before the big day, details like the weather are nebulous — like far off clouds on a summer day. The day before the wedding, those same clouds are up close and personal, lined up, begging to rain on our parade.

The song, #Ironic, settles over me — an irritating ear worm circling through my head — It’s like ra-a-ain on your wedding day. It goes away, to be replaced by #RaindropsKeepFallingonMyHead. Ironic. Hah! Like stocking up on heart-shaped fans to keep the guests cool.

It’s #Kelowna. It’s July. The #Okanagan Valley is known as semi-arid — long hot summers and mild winters. That’s right — sunshine, wine tasting, boating — summer things. We picked early July to skip the inevitable smoke and fires. Last year, rainfall in July was just over 10 mm. This year it was closer to 35 mm. So much for trusting the meteorological data.

The day before the wedding dawns grey and dingy. Dark clouds float past our water-front condo, bombing the surface of the lake with pattering drops. The #WeatherNetwork and its competitors aren't encouraging. The only thing they don't agree on, is the amount of rain that will fall.

The devil is in the details:

Worrying about the weather ups the stress. The must do list is waiting, but the should of, would have, could have’s are popping up like weeds in a forgotten garden. It’s easy to second guess decisions when rain drops really are falling on your head. If we’d rented a cozy hall or banquet room, the forecast wouldn’t matter, and the wedding work party would be all smiles. Our outdoor wedding is at #BrookandBarn Heritage farm. The bar is a vintage Boler travel trailer supplied by #MintJulip, and the dance floor open to the sky.

Wishing for a rain plan isn’t good enough. Two hours into our set up, the skies blacken, and the clouds open. Rain washes past the open sides of the barn like a shower turned to full. Forget setting up the wedding arch, chairs, and other artistic touches. As for the water station with its heart shape fans . . . it's at risk of being swept away by the deluge. We do what we can and retreating to the condo, sip wine, stare out at the lake, and fixate on the weather forecast.

The wedding day:

Patches of blue beckon through the clouds.

All eyes turn to the weather forecast. It's similar to this.

“Less than a mm of rain.” We try to ignore the lightning bolts spanning the afternoon.

The bride looks at the sky and makes up her mind. The ceremony won't take place in the covered area. The water station is a go, and the paper fans ready for action. Forget the tents and umbrellas, our anti-rain dance may have worked.

Isn’t it ironic? All that worry about rain on the wedding day, and not a drip dropped.

So aside from singing rain, rain, go away, did we have a plan? Sort of. We rented sides for the barn — plastic walls that could be added in a hurry. We had tents on standby, and the covered area was our fall-back for the ceremony. Luckily, the weather was perfect, and we didn’t need it.

My take-away:

Holding an outdoor event is a crap shoot. When you're picking a wedding day a year in advance, you'd need a crystal ball to foresee the weather.

Should have, could haves:

📷 Had a rain plan

📷 Organized said rain plan with the vendors

📷 Bought umbrellas

📷 Blankets for the guests

Superstition says rain on your wedding day symbolizes luck, fertility, and cleansing. Everyone can use a little luck, but it’s a bonus if the rain falls early and leaves before the ceremony.

So, here’s to tying the knot and happily ever afters.