With over 230 days of sun per year and stunning sunsets, the area of St. Pete/Clearwater is known as the Suncoast. One of the realities of enjoying coastal life is dealing with hurricane season from June-November. We have been reminded of that these last two days as we are stocking up on supplies, filling sandbags, and preparing for Tropical Storm Hermine. Just like our preparation for this coming storm, there are many things about your wedding that you can control, but weather isn’t one of them. That’s why a 
backup plan is essential for your beach wedding.
Large storms are uncommon, but rain is frequent during hurricane season. While no one wants their beach wedding to have to be moved to an alternate location, being prepared will lessen your stress and ensure your guests know the details of the backup plan. Our planners will work with you to identify locations that are close to your accommodations or your original beach site. We have several spaces which cost a nominal fee to reserve – well worth the peace of mind of not being rained out. Depending on your hotel or reception space, it could serve as a backup. That can be limited by the size of your wedding as well as the hotel itself – many larger hotels charge hefty fees for use of their banquet rooms. Smaller inns may simply not have enough room or covered space. Your planner will discuss all options to find the right plan for your wedding.
So why plan a beach wedding during the rainy season? The primary reason is great deals! This is off-season for our area, so hotels and venues offer discounted rates. We also offer off-season and midweek packages as an incentive for our clients who want to vacation here during the summer. Additionally, the beaches aren’t as crowded, traffic is lighter, and most importantly, the sunsets are simply the most beautiful because of the various cloud formations. When those clouds stay off shore they help enhance the colors of sunset which make for breathtaking wedding photos. Check out examples of those on our Galleries page.
By choosing a backup location close to the beach, we will make all reasonable efforts to at least get you and your new spouse out on the beach with your photographer to capture some beach photos if the weather permits.
We’ve all heard that rain on your wedding day is good luck, but we know that our clients aren’t coming to the beach to get married inside! It’s disappointing, but you will still be married to your love and have had a beautiful wedding while enjoying vacation.
One of the benefits of having an experienced, local wedding planner is our familiarity with the venues and vendors so we can take care of those details and lessen the stress of planning a destination wedding. And just in case, we’ll bring our large umbrellas!