How to Make Sure a Natural Disaster Doesn't Ruin Your Wedding

Unfortunately, no wedding venue is completely safe and foolproof from a weather-related emergency taking you by surprise. (You know what they say about "best-laid plans.") Whether it's a hurricane or wildfire, a natural disaster can sweep the country at any moment, and there's no sure-fire way to predict it in advance—so it's best to be prepared just in case. Here's what you should know.

Get wedding insurance.

Don't forget wedding insurance for a domestic or destination wedding. If, for example, a tropical storm hits your beachy locale right before your wedding and makes it uninhabitable, your wedding cancellation and all the details will be covered due to the weather conditions, and you'll be able to reschedule. (Wedding insurance also covers your ceremony and reception site, vendor no-shows, sickness or injury, plus military or moving circumstances.) Just get the insurance—it's a no-brainer.

Remember: Safety comes first.

No, it's not worth it to "stick it out and see if it passes." Your and your guests' safety should always come first—and if a city or resort is being evacuated due to an incoming natural disaster, your best bet is to get out of there as fast as you can too. In the big scheme of things, a postponed wedding is a minor detail and (in some cases) the best-case scenario. Which brings us to our next point.

Don't be afraid to reschedule, even if you're afraid of inconveniencing people.

Again, safety comes first, and odds are, many of your vendors will be affected by the weather as well. (They'll likely have clauses in their contracts, usually a "force majeure" clause, stating they can pull out due to an emergency beyond their control, like a dire weather-related one.) We guarantee it'll be tough to scrape your ceremony and reception together anyway, and your wedding website and communication plan can keep your guests updated with any changes in real time.

All of that aside, if you're overcome with guilt about inconveniencing your loved ones and modifying your plans at the last moment, don't be. Guests would much rather worry about rescheduling their trip than inadvertently ending up in the eye of a natural disaster. Like we said, it's never worth putting yourself, your guests or your vendors in danger.