Rain, Rain, Go Away
Aleit Swanepoel, one of the country’s premier wedding and events coordinators, explains how changing weather patterns are now affecting the wedding and events industry.
During the past several years, there have been studies that have recorded: plants flowering as much as a month earlier and butterflies migrating weeks later than usual; changes in the timing and location of bird migrations; tropical frog extinctions; and bears in Spain no longer hibernating because there is enough food to eat all winter. But despite this apparent chaos, we are still responsible for keeping our weddings and events ticking over without fault.
Seventy percent of our wedding turnover is based on foreign couples hosting destination weddings. They choose South Africa for the beautiful landscapes and the agreeable climate. It is, therefore, obviously disappointing when a couple residing in the United Kingdom have arranged for 100 of their closest friends and family to fly many miles to be with them on their big day, and then experience torrential downpours in Cape Town in February!
We always operate with a Plan B in place, and until recently have seldom had to resort to these measures. Not never, but certainly infrequently. However, we now find ourselves having to make last minute calls for location adjustments more often, mostly for outdoor ceremonies and pre-drinks celebrations. Imagine a bride’s preconceived vision of a white Bedouin tent lifted high enough to incorporate the majestic view of the surrounding mountains and vineyards while tiny white fairy lights adorn the 150-year-old oak trees – and then having to settle for an indoor reception or a closed tent instead. Or the bride who has always dreamed of saying her vows as the waves lapped in the background, having to settle for a church ceremony after all. It is heartbreaking, but we deal with it. It is the only part of the day we cannot control. And in the end, the couples affected by unusual weather patterns always have a fabulous time!
This season also saw a dramatic reduction in guest attendance at the various weddings and events hosted in and around our Mother City. This was due to a vast number of people getting waylaid in airports across a number of European and American cities due to dramatic snow falls and blizzards. In some instances, the bride and groom themselves managed to arrive with only a day to spare, but in many more cases a best man, bridesmaid, a parent, relative or other key figures were simply unable to attend these momentous occasions.
A number of our high profile corporate events hosting international delegates and guest speakers were affected as well. Needless to say, bills had been prepaid, food ordered, suppliers booked and there was little one could do to secure a reduction in costs at such short notice. Wedding insurance companies will need to take cognisance of this and adapt their policies accordingly.
It is all quite unpredictable, but we rise to the challenge. And as we have done for the past eight years, we continue to assure our clients of an “absolutely fabulous” day – come rain or shine!
Story by The Aleit Group
