Yes we know that the south of Spain boasts 320 days of sunshine a year and winter weddings in Spain are popular, but there are reasons why it is still really important to ask if your venue has a beautiful Plan B for an inside wedding/
Wet weather weddings in Spain
You are having your vow renewal or wedding ceremony in the Spanish sunshine and you want your ceremony outside - so why should you even have the conversation with your wedding venue about an inside option?
- Wind!
- The coast along the Alboran sea attracts thousands of wind surfers every year and even used to be known for good reason as La Costa del Viento – the windy coast.
But any coastal location can suffer from the wind occasionally!
- The coast along the Alboran sea attracts thousands of wind surfers every year and even used to be known for good reason as La Costa del Viento – the windy coast.
- Sand!
- At its closest point, Southern Spain is only 14 kilometres from Africa which means it benefits from wonderful warm temperatures most of the year.
However, when the dessert winds trap particles of Saharan dust in the atmosphere an orange dust cloud called “calima” can settle on the coastal areas making outside activities unadvisable.
- At its closest point, Southern Spain is only 14 kilometres from Africa which means it benefits from wonderful warm temperatures most of the year.
- Rain!
- To be honest this is the least concerning of the three weather conditions.
Summer rain is rare, and when it does fall it is short, sharp and over almost before it has began – however ensuring your venue has a Plan B just-in-case, will relieve you of any stress.
- To be honest this is the least concerning of the three weather conditions.
What makes a beautiful Plan B?
Glass is a groom and bride’s best friend!
Even though the wind might be blowing or an unexpected shower threatens your ceremony, the Andalucian light is spectacular in any weather, so choose a venue with an indoor option with floor to ceiling windows and you will still benefit from the views as well as that famous light.
When to change from outside to inside
Your wedding planner or venue event coordinator will be keeping a very close eye on all weather conditions and are the best ones to advise you that your ceremony should move from outside to inside.
Sometimes deciding to delay the ceremony for just half an hour is all that is needed to keep you on track for your outdoor ceremony – but remember to inform the caterers as the timing may affect their presentation of hot food!
A real wedding that moved from outdoors to indoors
S and D were planning an October wedding in the Marbella sunshine. Everything was set up outside. The florist had spent hours decorating the wedding bower with a backdrop to the Mediterranean only metres away.
However, the clouds came over, the rain started to fall and literally one hour before the ceremony, the decision was made to bring everything inside.
With everyone helping, from me as celebrant, to the DJ to the manager of the hotel, we moved all of the chairs inside, set up a new wedding bower and had everything perfect in time for the arrival of the wedding party.
And what a plan B!
La Cabane has floor to ceiling windows which meant the view was totally unspoiled. Unless you looked really closely, you couldn’t see that the ceremony was inside!
Featured photo by kind permission of Agata Jensen Weddings at agatajensen.com
Author bio: Debbie Skyrme is "Celebrant Spain". Award winning bilingual destination wedding celebrant officiating elopements, vow renewals and wedding ceremonies in the Spanish sunshine.
