Weddingbee Blog

You know how we’re having a picnic-y kind of wedding? And how we can’t afford a tent/ marquee so it all will take place in the garden with only trees for cover and a please-God-let-it-be-blue sky arching merrily above?

the sunshine at our venue that I’m hoping for on the day (pic by yours truly)

Yeah well, a few people less optimistic than I have asked: What do we do if it rains? Good question.

Seriously, rain is pretty much the only thing that could, well, rain on our parade, so to speak on our wedding day. The caterer not showing up, we can deal with (Everyone, we’re heading to Subway! First in, first served!). I can get married in jeans if something heinous happens to my dress (but please no, I like my dress). Someone can step in if the photographer or hair & makeup person doesn’t show, if the cake falls apart then it will probably still taste good (I *cough* have been known to eat food that has fallen in the grass off my plate at picnics…), and there are at least three people attending the wedding who are qualified to officiate if something happens to dear old uncle. Oh, and if somehow our flowers disappear, well, we are getting married in a garden anyway so we will just pretend we weren’t adding anything extra.

But rain… hmm. There’s something we can’t control. Granted, I have been told multiple times that January is known in Nelson for perfect weather. But you never know. January could just decide to spite us that day. Therefore: enter the back-up plan! That is, the savior of my sanity, my peace of mind.

Otherwise known as the Spring Grove Drill Hall:

Like many of our wedding “successes” the Drill Hall nestled in the tiny nondescript town of Spring Grove (located about 10 mins away from our venue) was discovered by word of mouth. Friends of my parents had a daughter who had an outdoor wedding and the Drill Hall was her back up (which she did not end up using in the end). Established in 1900, this hall has been the place of many functions over the years, including training for the army boys back during the world wars, the annual “Variety Festival” and the Nelson Fashion Show (!). Unfortunately the only pics I can show you are exterior ones, as the caretaker was not around to let us in. What I do know though is that it has “rustic beams like a barn” (yay!) and kitchen facilities. Personally, as long as it keeps us dry I don’t really care.

Off to investigate…

Oh, and did I mention we only have to pay a fee if we actually need to use it on the day? And that fee is only around $80 if we even do have to pay it?! Crazy!

Yup, it may not be the Ritz but for us it will work. And there is so much lawn space around the hall, that if we think it might rain but it actually doesn’t then we might still be able to drag out the picnic blankets after all.

Wedding Day: I’m ready now! Throw what you’ve got at me ’cause I’m prepared like a Boy Scout!

If you are having an outdoor ceremony/ reception do you have a back-up plan?

*all photos of the hall taken by Mr E