What Should You Do When Weather Crashes Your Party?
Bad weather can be an event’s worst nightmare.
Following these tips will help you manage the bad dream!
Always Have A Rain Contingency Plan
When planning an event in California anytime from October - May (sometimes event into June) we recommend having a rain contingency plan. The best case is you talk about it, come up with a back up plan in case of a storm and nothing happens. You get to have the event of your dreams without issue! Wonderful! The worst case is you talk about it, make a plan and have to execute that back up plan - it is OK you were made for this! You know what to do - now all you need to do is make a few quick phone calls and adjustments. Fail to plan and you might as well plan to fail. Always have a rain contingency plan.
Move Indoors
The best and most reliable way to make sure you don’t have to cancel your event is to move things indoors. Rain, wind, lightning and smoke are not welcomed to your event but if you’re outside they will continue to reek havoc even with overhead coverage. Marin has so many amazing indoor event spaces including the Sleepy Hollow Community Center pictured above that are perfect for an indoor event of many sizes. This event was moved from a client’s home in Sleepy Hollow to the Club House with just about 48 hours notice and the couple, family and friends couldn’t be more grateful for the venue change. Seasoned planner Stacey Dillon of 38north Design Co facilitated the switch seamlessly and we were able to bring the same rentals to the other venue without issue - definitely a winning strategy.
Invest in Tenting
Tenting an outdoor space can feel intimidating and pricy but the fact is when done properly you can keep your event outside and accomplish a warm inviting atmosphere where everyone is comfortable. We currently do not offer weather proof tenting but check out one of our favorite tent providers Peak Productions out of American Canyon - they provide service to the entire Bay Area. Their professional team is able to provide strong, durable and heated tent solutions for events large and small. Tell them we sent you!
Reschedule
If covid has taught us anything it’s that we can pivot so if the first two options do not work for whatever reason it may be time for you to do the unthinkable and move your event to another date. We know this is hard but with enough notice many vendors are willing to apply funds to a future mutually agreed upon date. Your guests will be happy to avoid being caught in the rain and you’ll likely have a more pleasant experience over all.
Important Equipment Rental Policies Regarding Weather
If your event is outside and you do have rentals there are some important things that we’d like you to note.
STORE ITEMS OUT OF RAIN - Let’s say it was sunny for your event but rain is in the forecast prior to pick up. In order to avoid costly replacement or repair charges move your items inside or to a completely covered area out of water. Our damage waiver does not cover items negligently left in the elements and you’re liable to cover the entire replacement cost on anything damaged.
TAKE DOWN CANOPIES OR BACKDROPS IN WIND - High winds can rip apart even the strongest weighted down canopies and backdrops so be sure to disassemble any canopies or backdrops and store in a lay down position on the floor.
SCHEDULE SAME DAY OR AFTER HOURS PICK UP SERVICES - In the event you cannot safely protect your rental equipment on site you can schedule us to come pick up the items the same day or after hours depending on the timing of your event. This is an additional fee, however it’s often worth it to secure safe keeping of those rentals and again avoid costly replacement charges.
