Advertisement

How to survive wedding day disasters

Married couple under umbrella at wedding
Married couple under umbrella at wedding

Wedding disaster 1: Rainy, miserable weather

The French maxim 'mariage pluvieux, mariage herueux' promises a happy marriage as the result of a wet wedding, whilst the age-old adage 'happy is the bride whom the sun shines on' suggests that luck comes from sunny weddings. Throw a bunch of strange superstitions into the mix and now we're really confused. Indeed some Catholics hang rosary beads outdoors to deter rain during their nuptials whilst other cultures suggest feeding your cat on the morning of your wedding to ward off the rain (thanks for the tip, but aren't you supposed to feed your cat every morning anyway?). As we don’t have much luck when it comes to controlling the weather, it's best to just be prepared for all eventualities.

How to overcome it:

Squelching your way down the aisle in soggy shoes and a wet-through wedding dress probably isn't what you expected for your big day, so make sure you plan ahead to avoid getting caught short if the heavens open. Order a bulk of large umbrellas in a spectrum of colourful hues, or match the umbrellas to the colour scheme of your wedding – this will make for some really beautiful, quirky photographs.

Wedding disaster 2: A mud-splattered wedding dress

Once you’ve banished the rainy-day blues, everything seems to be going well. That’s until your friend bounds over in a flurry of excitement and kicks some mud up your pristine wedding dress by accident. As much as you love her, you feel like you could strangle her. After the hours of meticulous planning that has gone into your whole outfit, you suddenly feel like things are hurtling down hill quicker than you can say ‘I do’. What do you do?

How to overcome it:

Dusting some chalk or talcum powder over the fabric is a quick way to disguise wedding day stains so make sure you keep some in your bag. After the wedding, make sure you speak to the dress manufacturer to get advice on the best way to clean it without causing any damage.

Wedding disaster 3: Fainting at the altar

What is it about churches and fainting? Often just the thought of standing at the altar saying your vows is enough to make you go weak at the knees, and then you see photos and videos splashed around the media of brides and grooms who just couldn’t seem to stay upright during their vows and it’s enough to put you off for life. There are many parts of a wedding that can make you feel wobbly, with stress being perhaps the most common cause.

How to overcome it:

The most important rule to avoid fainting is to relax. It’s hard, but giving yourself a head-start by making sure everything is arranged in advance can make a real difference. It’s also important to make the time to have snacks. Most people who faint tend not to have had any breakfast because nerves or stress have got in the way. Making time to have snacks and keep hydrated is just as important as the bride having her dress planned and the best man having the ring in his pocket.

Wedding disaster 4: Drunken guests

It would be nice to think that the out-of-control drunk at weddings was just a mere cliché, but unfortunately in most cases it’s a reality. There's always one who has to abuse the open bar, flash their underwear, and then bully the shocked DJ into handing over the microphone for some words of drunken wisdom, but we don't want them stealing the limelight on our big day. In fact, just thinking of this kind of disaster makes us shudder.

How to overcome it:

Have a word with the bartender before the guests start drinking; let them know that you want them to monitor how much everyone is drinking and not to serve anyone who seems inebriated. If there are any guests who are notorious for being a drunken mischief, take them aside before your big day and let them know how important it is to you that they behave on this occasion. The prevention rather than cure method is always the easiest and most effective route to take.

Bride and groom drinking with guests at wedding reception
Bride and groom drinking with guests at wedding reception

Wedding day disaster 5: Screaming children

The organ begins to play and you’re walking down the aisle enjoying your big day when a child starts crying. You reach the altar and the wedding vows are drowned out by the child’s incessant screaming. After all the meticulous planning, the most important part of your wedding day is ruined and – whilst you understand that all children cry – the vows are inaudible and the wedding tape that will provide your lifetime of memories is now ruined too.

How to overcome it:

Hire a babysitter to look after the children during the service part of your wedding so that their parents can still attend. You could have a small notice printed at the bottom of your invites to remind guests of this rule. Provide plenty of entertainment at the after-party too; colouring books and crayons are an excellent way to keep the children happy. Read more on getwed.com...
Keep your wedding day stress to a minimum
10 ways to survive the day
Top tips for minimising wedding stress