Planning
The weather is rarely the problem
Planning outdoors here is mostly about the three things people plan for last: wind, the drop after sunset, and what the ground will do under a heel or a table leg.
Quick answer
What causes most problems at an outdoor event?
Wind, more often than rain. It takes down signage, flattens tall centrepieces, makes an unweighted tent unsafe and renders a lapel microphone useless. After that comes the temperature drop within half an hour of sunset, and ground that is never as level or as firm as it looks.
Planning outdoors here is mostly not about rain. It is about the three things people plan for last: wind, the temperature drop after sunset, and what the ground will do under a heel or a table leg.
Wind
Wind is the most common cause of an outdoor event going wrong, and the least planned for. It takes down light signage, flattens tall centrepieces, makes an unweighted tent unsafe and renders a lapel microphone useless. Anything tall needs weight at the base. Anything paper needs to be held down. Ask the venue which direction the wind usually comes from in the afternoon; they will know.
The drop after sunset
A pleasant afternoon can become genuinely cold within half an hour of the sun going down, and guests dressed for the afternoon will start leaving. Heaters, a wrap basket, or simply moving the last part of the evening indoors are all reasonable answers. Deciding which one in advance is better than deciding it while people put their coats on.
The ground
- GrassHeels sink. A hard aisle runner or a boarded path solves it. Sprinklers should be off, and confirmed off, the day before.
- SlopeAlmost no lawn is level. Tables need shims and the caterer needs to know before they arrive.
- Hard surfacesA patio holds up but is loud, so check whether sound will carry to neighbours.
Shade, and where the sun will be
Guests will move themselves into shade even if it means abandoning their seats, and no one photographs well squinting. Work out where the sun will be at the hour of the event, not at the hour of your site visit, and place the seating accordingly.
The backup, decided early
Every outdoor event needs a wet-weather plan, and the plan needs a decision time: a specific hour on the day when someone with the authority to decide will make the call. Without a named person and a named time, that decision gets made too late, which is how a marquee ends up going up in the rain.
Frequently asked questions
How do you plan for wind at an outdoor event?
Weight anything tall at the base, hold down anything made of paper, and ask the venue which direction the wind usually comes from in the afternoon. They will know, and it is the question they are asked least.
What happens to guests after sunset?
A pleasant afternoon can turn genuinely cold within half an hour, and guests dressed for the afternoon start leaving. Heaters, a basket of wraps, or moving the last part of the evening indoors are all reasonable answers. Choose one in advance rather than while people are putting their coats on.
When should the wet-weather decision be made?
At a named hour on the day, by a named person with the authority to make it. Without both, the call gets made too late, which is how a marquee ends up going up in the rain.
The bottom line
An outdoor event is not less predictable than an indoor one. It moves the unpredictable parts outside the contract, into wind, light and ground, where somebody has to have thought about them in advance.
Related reading
Continue reading
- Reading a Venue Before You SignA venue walkthrough is not a tour. It is a survey. Here is the list we run through before anyone signs anything, and the questions that save the most money later.
- Floral Design Without OverspendingFlowers are the line item that moves most between quotes, and the one clients most often feel they overpaid for. Where the money actually goes, and the three choices that change the total.
- What to Ask a Caterer Before You BookPrice per head is the least useful number on a catering quote. These are the questions that tell you what you are actually buying, and where two quotes that look identical are not.
Key takeaways
- Wind is the most common cause of an outdoor event going wrong, and the least planned for.
- Anything tall needs weight at the base; anything made of paper needs holding down.
- Guests leave when it gets cold. Decide the answer before the sun goes down.
- Grass, slope and hard surfaces each need a different fix, and the caterer needs to know first.
- Every wet-weather plan needs a named decision-maker and a named hour.
Next step
Talk to us about your event
Tell us the date, the guest count and the room you have in mind, and we will tell you what we would do next.
