Rain is usually seen as the enemy of any event. It makes guests think twice about leaving their home, or they get there later than expected. Plus, if you’re event is outdoors, perhaps in a garden, park, or at the beach, no one will want to venture out and get wet. What do you do?
Don’t Let the Rain Ruin Your Outdoor Party
Prepare for Plan B. There’s always a 50/50 chance of rain, so it’s better to prepare for it beforehand, rather than letting it ruin your outdoor party. Have a backup indoor venue that’s a few steps away from your outdoor area, or provide some shade for your guests, like a tent or a lot of huge beach umbrellas.
Manage your expectations. Don’t panic if guests don’t come in on time. Chances are, the rain has held them back, or caused more traffic on the roads than usual. Even if the guests will trickle in slowly, make sure that everything is prepared though at the time you said in your invitation, that your buffet is ready and open, and keep the birthday celebrant well-rested and entertained while waiting for his or her guests to arrive.
Lay out the mats and keep the walkways dry. Most venues will provide mats to cover wet floors, and to prevent any guests from slipping and sliding. Ask them to provide a little extra and to have maintenance on standby to mop up any wet puddles, just in case the rain hasn’t let up.
Work around it. Rather than fighting it, why not work around the downpour? Create an activity or two that involves the rain. You can help the kids gather water to build sandcastles, make their own bubble solution, or make their own paper boats.
Bring the outdoors inside your venue. Kids are naturally imaginative and game for anything, so they’ll be more than happy to have picnics or a campfire indoors, or do outdoor games like tag or patintero while inside the venue. If you were supposed to have a beachside party, ask your venue supplier if you can bring in sand and water into the venue so that your guests can still feel the sand in between their toes!
Turn up the music! Playing happy tunes will keep the rainy day blues away! Your playlist needs to be wholesome and suitable for all ages though, so review it beforehand to weed out anything that’s not appropriate for children.
Phuong D. Nguyen / Shutterstock.com
Have some rainy day food and drinks. Keeping your guests well fed will make them forget about the gloomy weather. Think about serving some hot chocolate, coffee, or tea to your guests to warm them up, and perhaps give them bowls of hearty soups to drink up. Anything to make them feel warm and toasty!
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