How to Handle Any Wedding Emergency
The best laid plans, as they say, often go awry. Even the most meticulous bride will likely have something go not according to plan at her wedding. Don’t let a surprise spoil your day! You will feel relaxed and confident once you learn how to handle any wedding emergency.
What if your priest or minister is a no-show? It is not likely to happen, but certainly the ceremony cannot start without an officiant! Your first step is to avoid this possibility by confirming the details of the ceremony with a rehearsal the day before the wedding date. But if something happens and your officiant really can’t make it, then what? Your best bet is to get online and start looking for a justice of the peace or judge who can step in quickly. Another option is to find a minister or clergyman from another church.
If it looks like there will be a considerable delay, have the best man inform the assembled wedding guests about what is going on, lest they start to suspect that the bride or groom got cold feet! And if worst comes to worst, and no officiant can be rounded up, ask your most theatrical friend or relative to preside over a commitment ceremony. That way the bride can still have her moment to shine in her beautiful gown and bridal jewelry, and the reception party can go on. First thing Monday morning, the bride and groom can head down to City Hall to make the marriage legal.
Brides take such care in selecting the perfect wedding gown and the most fabulous bridal jewelry that a lot of pre-wedding nightmares center around something happening to the dress or wedding accessories. What if your maid of honor steps on your cathedral length veil and rips it right before the ceremony commences or if you get a big lipstick stain on the front of your bridal gown? First of all, take a deep breath. Minor imperfections that loom large for the bride may go unnoticed by the majority of the guests. No one will see a small hole in your veil. If there was a major rip, a plain veil can actually be cut shorter by a sharp pair of scissors and a friend with a steady hand. As for the lipstick stain on the wedding gown, there are three options: blot it carefully with a stain removal wipe (stash a few in your wedding day kit), hold your bouquet in front of it if practical, or cover it with a brooch quickly borrowed from your grandmother. Your groom will be so transfixed by your radiant face that he will not even notice the mark on your dress.
A lot of last minute wedding fiascoes can be solved with quick thinking. Let’s say the florist has gone AWOL and the bride has no bouquet to carry. Borrow some blossoms from the ceremony decorations if they are already in place, send someone on a quick run to a local grocery store to fashion a hand tied bouquet from roses and a piece of ribbon, or borrow a Bible from a church pew and carry that down the aisle instead of flowers. Did the groom leave the box with the wedding bands at home? Borrow a set from a happily married couple. Maybe you will borrow some of their good luck in the process. Did one of the bridesmaids step on her hem and tear it? Rescue it with double sided tape or even a couple of strategically placed staples. No one will even notice.
Weather problems are one of the most common wedding emergencies, and the key to handling them is a good sense of humor. Round up all of your friends with SUVs if the limos cannot make it through the snowstorm. A bunch of golf umbrellas can work wonders on a rainy wedding day. And if wind is the problem, pull your hair back into a bun and ditch the veil. When all is said and done, what you will remember about your wedding day is how special it was. All the little crises that popped up will be nothing more than funny stories to share with your children one day.