Despite all of our best efforts, there will always be elements of a wedding day that will be entirely out of our control. Medical and weather-related emergencies are the last things anyone wants to encounter. But with a bit of purposeful planning—and a grounded-from-the-beginning perspective—you’ll still be able to pull off a wedding day you’ll never forget, even if not a single part of it goes according to expectations.
“The only thing that matters is that you’re here, everyone you love is here, and they’re going to celebrate you and your love,” says event planner Nancy Park. “Ultimately, all the details you’ve been planning for your wedding should pale in comparison to that.”
Still, that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice everything you’ve worked for. “Even if we’re going to Plan B, we have your vision in mind and we’re going to try to duplicate it as much as possible,” assures fellow pro Heather Dwight.
While your vendor team will ultimately lead the charge on managing these stressful situations, there are certain steps you can take to prepare yourselves just in case. Read on for Park and Dwight’s expert advice on how to tackle wedding day emergencies, including important pointers on how to shift the order of events and take care of guests during the process.