I’m sure many of you caught The Bachelor’s wedding of Molly Malaney and Jason Mesnik last night.  I’ll be honest, I’m more than a little embarrased that I have been sucked into this creepy series.  Nevertheless, I am willing to come out of the closet to chat a bit about the trainwreck that ensued during their ceremony.  Let this be a lesson to you ladies: While you can’t change the weather, you can change the outcome.  This is why you need a plan.  And a plan for that plan.  Things will go wrong at your wedding.  This is why you need a planner who can make it right, despite any circumstances.

As my brides know, I am militant about a rain plan.  While the chances of rain are slim most of the time, if it does occur, it can ruin your wedding day.  And your makeup.  And your dress.  And your flowers.  And the comfort of your guests.  You get the idea.

Their planner failed them big time.   I would be hiding my head in the sand if I were her.  I suspect, however, that ABC probably had her over a barrel and would not let her plan for the rain. You know, ratings and all… If that were the case, I would have bowed out of the entire process.  I would never damage my credibility and professionalism for 15 minutes of fame.

So what would I have done, you may ask?

After checking the weather report and seeing a high probability of rain, I would have contracted with a tent company to be on standby at the site, hours before the ceremony to erect a beautiful and elegant tent.  The guests would have been dry, the bride and groom would not have looked like drowned rats, and I would have been able to place and light candles in the very large vases that ended up being over-priced rain catchers.

If the forecast looked clear, but the rain came on suddenly, I would have had a pre-determined location inside to move to.  With the staff available for that wedding day, it could have been accomplished in less than an hour.

At the very least, I would have handed the poor, sopping wet bride and groom an umbrella under which to say their vows.  There’s nothing more distracting than burning mascara running into your eyes during the most romantic moment of your life. So not only did they get soaked, but they had to spend the entire reception in clingy wet clothes, with limp, stringy hair.  Those are going to be some great pictures!

Don’t let this happen to you ladies and gentlemen!  Plan for rain.  Envision your wedding day in a torrential downpour.  Accept plan B and be at peace with it. Then put it out of your mind. If it rains, you have already accepted this possibility and you won’t be dissapointed.  If it does not rain, your wedding day will be exactly how you imagined it to be.   Let your planner worry about the details of getting everyone and everything out of the rain.  Let her do her job, and you will have a wedding that you will fondly remember and cherish for the rest of your life.

Happy planning!