How to Plan Your Wedding in Hurricane Season
So, you want to get married in the South East during the months of May-October. Well guess what! Thats hurricane season for us, and in the last 4 years Charleston has been effected in October by hurricanes, tropical storms, and the 1000 Year Flood…and ALL OF THEM have hit us on SATURDAYS. Like today! “Hurricane” Florence is striking Charleston today, though now she’s been downgraded to a tropical depression.
We were supposed to have a wedding today. Our amazing couple were literally in their car on the way to Charleston the other day when the State called for mandatory evacuation & reversal of the highways. They had to make the call to postpone the wedding and luckily we were available for their new date in November.
Not every couple is so lucky to get their same photographer for a rescheduled date in Hurricane Season since its our most busy time of year! However, Esther & Carter were SO smart & invested in Wedding Insurance.
YES – there is WEDDING INSURANCE. Which brings me to the start of my list…
1. Invest in Wedding Insurance
If you’re getting married in the South East during Hurricane Season you better be investing in it too or you could be out thousands of dollars. Yes, its ANOTHER expense. But it also gives you so much peace of mind that you’ll be covered should a hurricane or other “Act of God” hits. Not every vendor can reimburse you or work with you on the new date, so wedding insurance covers you for that! Once company is called Wedsure, but you can Google “Wedding Insurance” and find others!
2. Get in touch with your planner as soon as possible
Esther & Carter have an amazing wedding planner who handled everything for them from talking to the venue, finding new dates for them to choose from, and contacting all of their vendors to see who was available & who wasnt for the new date.
3. Safety First
We know that this is your day, and so do your guests, but please do not put other peoples lives in danger because you dont want to cancel. I have lived through a catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane when I was a kid in Florida and it is NO JOKE. Gale force winds are terrifying. Flooding is dangerous. Charleston floods badly on SUNNY DAYS and I’ve seen downtown after a tropical storm…the waters were up to Jay’s waist and he’s 6’2. Normally they shut down access to downtown when it gets like that, so even if you decide to go on with the wedding, there is a real chance that your vendors and guests cant even make it in.
4. Have a Plan B
When you’re planning the big day come up with a Plan B. What will you do? Postpone to another day, cancel & just get married in your hometown, go on with it but move further inland and deal with the rain? Have a Plan B so you aren’t stressed.
5. Ask your vendors about their Hurricane policies
Since we deal with Hurricanes so often here in the South, ask your vendors what their policies are so you know ahead of time what to expect. Or just read your contract because I can tell you now, if they’re a true wedding professional, they have a Weather/Act of God/Hurricane clause in their contract.
6. Get married at the Court House on the original date
Hear me out. Lots of couples have done this – go to the court house & make it all official and plan for a big celebration at a later date! You can still get ready with your wedding party, put on you wedding outfits, do a 1st Look, and have a ceremony. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO THESE even if you’re already married. You’ll probably feel way less stressed out. We’ve photographed a few couples who had to get married at the courthouse first for various reasons and they still planned a big celebration with all the wedding works later on.
**edited in 2021: hahahaa well…hello Covid…these tips also apply to couples planning their wedding during the Covid-19 pandemic
Katie + Jay of Catherine Ann Photography are Charleston SC Based Wedding & Elopement Photographers specializing in candid & fun wedding photos that feel like you!
Ready to book your wedding with us? Get in touch here!
