Always on hand to gatecrash a wedding, the British climate is notoriously volatile. You can plan your big day down to a T, but if you fail to prepare for adverse weather, your dream wedding could soon turn into a soggy, washed-out nightmare.

But with a few simple steps, you can be one step ahead of the elements to make sure, come rain or shine, your wedding day goes down a storm – figuratively rather than literally.

Here are five ways to be prepared for bad weather on your wedding day and how to keep a handle on things, should the heavens open.

Remember, summer is the rainy season

Most people dream of a wedding with clear blue skies and blazing sunshine, but opting for a summer wedding means rolling the dice. July and August may be the hottest months of the year, but they can also be the rainiest. If a wet wedding is your idea of hell, a winter wedding might be your best bet. Not only will you save money, but the chances of rain on your wedding day is more than halved. Just be prepared for the chance of snow! (see #4).

Check the forecast

Bob Dylan famously sang “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” But then, he also sang “Wiggle wiggle wiggle like a bowl of soup”, so what does he know? Check-in with the forecast a week before your wedding, for a decent idea of how your wedding day will play out, weather-wise. Over the next few days, you’ll be able to get a clearer picture of things, enabling you to put a backup plan in place.

Have a backup plan in place

Arm your ushers with umbrellas and arrange a designated space for raincoats. Have someone on hand to mop up any puddles that form indoors as your guests arrive. It’s also not a bad idea to have towels on hand – your guests will be grateful for the chance to dry off. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, talk to your venue about the possibility of having an indoor space ready, in the event of a downpour. If space allows it, you could even look into the option of renting a gazebo for the day.

Be prepared for a white wedding!

It’s not common, but certainly possible. A snowstorm would make things interesting and, depending on how well organised you are, could make or break your wedding day. Keep travel in mind from the beginning of the planning process – choosing venues that are close to each other will minimise potential problems. Also, if it looks like snow is on the cards, notify your guests beforehand – they can make sure they bring the right clothing and footwear. If it does snow, speak to your photographer about taking advantage of some stunning photo opportunities!

Embrace the weather

Finally, if you’ve planned as much as you can, just enjoy it! As long as your guests are dry, warm and cosy, your wedding will be all the more memorable. And your guests will feed off your energy, so be positive!