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How to Prevent Rain from Ruining Your Event

Rain is a beautiful weather condition provided by mother nature to provide water for growth and prosperity amongst the animal and plant kingdom and wash away the dust and make everything sparkly and clean again. As beautiful as rain is – rain can also play havoc and ruin your event if you have not planned for the weather. Johannesburg’s’ weather systems rather predictably so, experience summer afternoon rain showers that can be an intense down pour of rain however the deluge generally lasts for an hour or two and then the rain is over. This heavy downpour can be very damaging and so today we share some advice on how to prevent the rain from ruining your special event.

Predicting the worst in terms of weather and being prepared for the rain can be the difference between an incredible exciting event and an event that has been cut short with unhappy wet guests. Rain is something we cannot control and so instead of fighting it, rather embrace the possibility of rain and be prepared for it so that should it occur you are ready and the solution has already been thought of. This preparation comes from the initial thought of your venue location.

Summer is all about being outdoors and celebrating the warm weather, blue skies and fresh air. Sitting outside is wonderful however if it starts to rain your guests will get wet and be rather unhappy. Try to ensure that there is an inside area close to the main area so that guests can relocate into this inside area even if it is a short period of time. Guests do not mind moving from one location to another to keep dry and warm, provided the walk is not too far. The inside area need not be enormous as generally the weather will pass and then your guests can go back outside to enjoy that fresh rain smell and see everything glistening with raindrops. If you have chosen an outdoor setting, large umbrellas can shelter guests from the sun as well as protect them from some gentle raindrops so erect a few large umbrellas to keep your guests safe from all weather conditions.

Accompanying the rainfall it has been known to have a drop in temperature before and during the rainfall. Your guests have come dressed and ready for a summers event – a great way to assist guests to keep warm is to have a few blankets available should guests want to warm themselves up or serve tea and coffee during the rainy portion of the afternoon to help everyone warm up from the inside out. If you want to be very prepared you could light a fire in the fireplace at your venue or light the heaters to provide a little heat and comfort while you wait out the storm.

If you are erecting a marquee tent make sure that the sides of the tent are able to be fitted quickly with staff members that know how to do this to help protect your guests from the wind and the rain and keep everyone dry. Remember when your marquee tent is erected that the cables and ropes are securely fastened to ensure that the structure does not shift in windy conditions.

If you are hosting your event in a marquee tent ensure that you have secured a floor onto the base of the tent be it hard wood panels or carpets. If the rainfall is heavy and continuous the ground will become saturated and as a result the walking surfaces could become muddy and rather tretorious to walk on (especially if you are wearing beautiful heels). The wooden floor or carpet will protect your guests from endangering themselves while walking around and socialising. The wooden floor and carpet will also assist with insulating the room should the temperature drop (as discussed above). These floor surfaces create a functional and aesthetically pleasing decor element to your event – thus you are killing two birds with one stone.

If you see rain predicted on the day of your event consider warning your guests to bring an umbrella and jacket to keep themselves warm. This added service of forewarning the attendees will impress your guests, allowing them the opportunity to prepare themselves for weather. Adding a basket of umbrellas at your venue will allow your guests the opportunity to keep dry while they are moving from one venue to the next or walking to the car. You need not provide an umbrella for each and every guest just a collection of umbrellas that guests can share. Request your staff to escort people to the venue safely especially the elderly that could be struggling to walk between venues safely while holding an umbrella.

Rain is a natural phenomenon and although we cannot control it – we can prepare for it. Enjoy your event with piece of mind that should there be rain you can still keep your guests happy and comfortable.