Here in the Philippines, July usually marks the start of the rainy season. It’s not uncommon to have showers every few days, and because of this, Filipinos have learned to be cautious and prepare for the upcoming rains (ie. Repairs for roof leaks are usually done during the summer in preparation for the upcoming rainy season).
With expected showers and usual rain problems, would you still have your wedding during the rainy season? I honestly don’t see why you shouldn’t.
So how do you make the most out of this otherwise “gloomy” weather? Simple. Have a “rain-themed” wedding!
Rainy color motif
Choose a color that would remind your guests of the rainy season… Blue is usually a good bet. You can have it in blue-green or aqua, but that could give the impression of a “summery” feel. Dark hues of blue with tinges of gray are better bets. Blue-gray, or navy blue probably—something that would remind your guests of rain clouds and showers.
Rain-themed decors
It’s usually the little things that make a big difference when it comes to decorations. Pay attention to the things that are usually ignored: table decors, flower arrangement accents, wine holder, cake cutter, etc. Other than a dark or grayish blue color motif, you can always add little accents such as tiny umbrellas. You can also add raindrop cut-outs, stick them on a clear nylon string, and hang them on the ceiling—making your guests feel it’s raining inside without getting wet.
Matching invitations and souvenirs
Invitations and souvenirs are actually two of the important design aspects of a wedding. Invitations set the mood of your wedding—it gives your guests an idea what to expect on your wedding day. The wording and the overall design (not just the color, but graphics and font usage as well) of your invitation can make or break your invitation’s outcome, so make sure to sit down with your invitations designer for a custom-made rain-themed design.
If invitations give a “preview” of your wedding, souvenirs remind your guests of your wedding in the years to come. To make a lasting impression of your rain-themed wedding, choose souvenirs that would really remind your guests of the rainy season which you based your theme on. Soaps, chocolates, key chains, figurines, and glass art shaped like rain and clouds or umbrellas are some ideas. You can also get miniature umbrellas (toy umbrellas) as souvenirs (I think they sell these in Divisoria at toy stores, I just don’t know where exactly). If you got a little extra cash, you can always go for a real usable umbrella like those corporate giveaways we usually get from insurance and bank companies during Christmas. You can hire somebody else to make an umbrella design for you if you aren’t confident with your design skills—if it’s too tacky or has your picture printed on it, your guests might not use it and that would defeat the umbrella’s purpose
There are probably more things you can do with a rain-themed wedding than these things I mentioned. Let your creativity run wild—you might come up with more and better ideas for this theme.
Although rain-themed weddings are fun to plan especially in the decorations department, there are also some basic things you need to take note of.
Don’t forget that rains are usually an inconvenience to people, if not a hazard. Rainy season in the Philippines usually equate to clogged drains, flood, and roof leaks—not to mention the awful traffic that usually result from flooded streets. As such, you must also take into consideration the comfort and convenience of your guests.
Carefully select your Church and reception venues, make sure that the street where these are located don’t get flooded. Ask neighboring establishments or homeowners if there are floods there, or that going to the venues will require your guests to go through floods. This is important when planning a wedding during the rainy season—you wouldn’t want to burden your guests with floods or broken-down cars because of the floods.
I also strongly suggest to do away with a garden wedding. Yes, I know it’s romantic. Who wouldn’t want to get married under the stars and surrounded with nature? If it rains (which would probably be likely), you won’t be able to see much of those stars—and everybody will get wet. Just imagine your entourage and guests threading in mud! I’m sure they wouldn’t want your wedding to ruin their formal clothes
If you really want your wedding in a garden setting (admittedly, it does add to the rain design concept), make sure to rent a tent that would provide shelter to your guests. You can also rent flooring if the garden venue you chose doesn’t have a paved flooring (rain can make the ground extremely muddy). Make sure that going to and from the tables are also covered for the convenience of your guests.
Another option would be getting an indoor venue with a garden setting. If budget isn’t a problem, you can get Fernwood Gardens, The Glass Garden, or Fernbrook Gardens. These venues have the advantage of being fully covered (usually fully air-conditioned), but at the same time, have the garden feel that adds a more romantic setting for a wedding. You can also try gazebo-type of venues such as The Oasis‘s The Pavillion or Gazebo Royale‘s Phoenix Avenue, which are basically set outdoors but has fully-covered areas.
The trick here is to make the most out of an otherwise inconvenient situation. It’s a bummer going out during the rainy season, but you can make it worth your guests’ time and effort—just make sure that they would actually enjoy the rains (your wedding) and not get pissed by it (floods).
Congratulations to all July brides!