Anyone considering hosting their wedding in Orlando, especially at an outdoor wedding venue, should be prepared with a rain backup plan. While Florida is the Sunshine State, we are infamous for impromptu thunderstorms in the summer and hurricane season in the fall. That’s why a Plan B rain plan is essential to your wedding plans.
Celebration Gardens is an outdoor wedding venue in Orlando with sprawling botanical gardens, a charming Wedding Gazebo for your ceremony, and a Large Event Pavilion for your reception. Although we are an outdoor wedding venue, we have an effective rain plan to guard against anything the Orlando weather may throw at us.
Rain or shine, you’ll still have the gorgeous botanical garden wedding of your dreams!
So what is Celebration Gardens’ rain plan? We’ll illustrate the answer in this post. Keep reading to find out!
Always Pack Umbrellas
If you’re getting married at an outdoor wedding venue in Orlando, make sure to add umbrellas to your day-of emergency kit list! It’s always a good idea to keep a couple of clear dome umbrellas on hand for the big day in case it does start to rain.
Not only will these umbrellas help you get around without getting wet, they also make for incredible photos with your new spouse! It can’t much more romantic than snuggling under an umbrella while soft rain falls around you.
Rainy wedding portraits can turn out to be your favorite shots of the day! This is your reminder to make the best of the situation if it does rain on your wedding day.
Bonus points if you gather a bundle of umbrellas for your guests to use on the day of!
Option 1: Wait It Out
On the day of your wedding, our team at Celebration Gardens will work together with your wedding coordinator to make a rain call. If there is any potential of rain in the forecast, we will continuously monitor the radar to make the most informed decision. Since we are an outdoor wedding venue, this is a crucial step!
But don’t worry, we’ll take care of this part while you get all dolled up for the day in our getting ready suite!
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If the forecast tells us that the rain will come and go fairly quickly, we may opt to postpone the ceremony a bit and simply wait it out. A reasonable amount of time to wait in this scenario is typically 15-30 minutes. This way, your wedding timeline isn’t impacted too drastically.
If we do decide to wait out the rain, Celebration Gardens and your wedding coordinator will inform the rest of your vendor team, including our sister company, John Michael Events, who is our in-house caterer.
This is a great option, if the forecast allows, because you still get to have your ceremony and cocktail hour completely outdoors!
Option 2: Intimate Weddings with Light Rain
If rain is inevitable on your wedding day, one option for a rain backup location at our outdoor wedding venue is our Small Pavilion. Our Small Pavilion is an open-air white pergola with a natural greenery canopy. This option is best if the rain is very light, like a sprinkle or drizzle, for groups of 30 or less.
The greenery that hangs from the Small Pavilion will make a stunning and organic backdrop for your wedding ceremony! You can easily repurpose any ceremony décor that you already booked, like floral arrangements on pedestals, while still taking advantage of the natural greenery wall in the Small Pavilion.
You could also opt to have your post-ceremony celebration under the Small Pavilion! Our team would pre-set your reception tables beneath the pergola, where your guests would sit during the ceremony. This makes for a seamless transition to the wedding reception, as you join your guests at the table after you tie the knot.
With views of our botanical garden on either side of the open-air pergola, this option is ideal for an intimate wedding with light rain at our outdoor wedding venue.
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- DAMON TUCCI PHOTOGRAPHY
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- DAMON TUCCI PHOTOGRAPHY
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Option 3: Celebration Gardens’ Large Event Pavilion
We’ve been saving the best for last! Celebration Gardens recently completed new renovations to our property to give you more event spaces and an even better rain plan!
Introducing our Large Event Pavilion!
This is a fully covered pavilion that can seat up to 160 guests for your wedding reception. With its black framing and completely paved flooring, it is perfect for your wedding celebration, rain or shine!
If rain is unavoidable on your wedding day, we will simply pull down the optional tent siding, panel by panel, to prevent even a single raindrop from falling on your guests.
You could host your wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all under this pavilion. At other outdoor wedding venues, you may need to consider renting a Plan B Sperry tent in case of rain, but at Celebration Gardens, our Large Event Pavilion is a permanent installation with optional tent siding.
No need for last minute tent rentals here!
There’s also no need to sacrifice your botanical garden wedding vibe, if there’s rain. Our Large Event Pavilion sits adjacent to our main gardens, so you, your new spouse, and guests can enjoy the immaculate views while staying nice and dry.
And if the rain clears up before the night is through? Take a stroll through the gardens at our outdoor wedding venue and grab a seat by our fire pit! Stay warm and cozy while roasting marshmallows and basking in the glow of your new marriage.
Ready to Tour our Outdoor Wedding Venue?
Celebration Gardens is Orlando’s premier botanical garden wedding venue, located in Winter Park, FL. Our Wedding Gazebo, lush gardens, and Large Event Pavilion provide a seamless flow from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. We also offer all-inclusive wedding packages to make wedding planning as simple and stress-free as possible!
Are you interested in having your wedding at our beautiful outdoor wedding venue? Contact us today! Our friendly team members would love to chat with you and provide you with a customized quote.
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