I've seen and heard everything from the dress ripping and needing to be sewn on to the bride to the reception getting totally rained out. What ever your dilemma, I promise you, none of it will matter if you and the groom have a sense of humor about. No one remembers anything but the food and whether the music and dancing were good. If you can remember to just throw a really fabulous party, your day will be a success.
If you do by chance run into these frightful situations, here's the quick and easy way out. Good luck!
The caterer/florist messes up your order or it doesn't show up.
What to do. Without losing your cool, tell them succinctly and briefly what the issue is. If you can't speak directly to the owner or manager, tell the person that delivered the goods and let them know why you're unhappy and let them know to tell their superior you'll be calling. After things have cooled down, email your disappointment (for proof that you contacted them) and also call to make sure that you voice your unhappiness with a live person. Nothing's worse than fretting over details the day-of. Even if it's atrocious, I promise it won't ruin the day. That is, unless you let it.
For floral and 24 hour platters, run to Whole Foods. They have an array of floral that can be bunched in color schemes and there's usually a florist in the department that will help with large requests. Platters are big and can accommodate just about any number you need. It's not the ideal for a wedding but they offer quick turnaround.
You forgot to pack your shoes/accessories/make up.
What to do. Pool items from your bridal party. It'll end up being your "something borrowed". And if you're super upset that you can't wear the beautiful shoes for the occasion, save them for your first anniversary. It'll be just as special.
Electra pump, Nina shoes, $99.95
It rains. And your reception is outdoors. Designate someone to do some damage control - stat. If you have a wedding planner, he or she should already have this under control. If you're doing this on your own, find a person that's quick on their feet to take charge of the situation. This may mean leaving the wedding to buy plastic tarps at Home Depot and laying them on walkways, finding ponchos and umbrellas for your guests.
If you don't have time to change or add details and it's raining, grin and bear it. No one will care if the bride doesn't care!
While you're planning an outdoor wedding, take the precautions to have umbrellas waiting in a basket ready and waiting. Getting walls for your tent are an added cost but worth it in case of a cold spell or ominous clouds.
The cake gets dropped.
What to do. Smile for the photos as you point and laugh!
The best man/MOH/mother-in-law is missing. You're worried enough. They're not answering their
cell/text messages and you're sick with worry that something's happened to them. These are bigger issues that you can either stop the wedding or go forward with it. It's up to you and your partner. Period. No matter what anyone else thinks, you have to live with the decision and how it affects your day. Go with your gut and don't look back. More than likely, they're stuck in traffic and everything's gonna be alright.
I didn't know it was an option when I was getting married but you can have your day insured much like any other event. In the case of cancellations, flights cancelled due to weather conditions, your venue getting flooded, there's insurance to cover any losses you may face. It's worth looking into if you have concerns about what can go wrong. Good luck!
