ROR - The Weather & What to Do?!!!

[sportsdog2]

Hi Everyone,

 

I recently read several posts about the rainy weather in Ocho Rios during November and December. I'm getting a bit nervous as my wedding is planned for Dec. 3, 2009 at 4:00 pm. Several postings said that it often rains during the afternoon....what to do? Should I change the time to the am (11:00 am or so) or take my chances and stick with the 4:00 pm time slot? Do you know if there is space available inside the resort in case of heavy rain?

 

I'm trying to have positive thoughts and plan ahead while I still have time.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[JUSTUSTWO]

If you check out some ROR wedding reviews, you'll find that it did rain on a few ceremonies. In some cases, the ceremony was delayed and once the rain passed, the ceremony began. In other cases where it was a downpour & the rain did not let up, the ceremony was moved inside to Mammee Bay.

 

If you really want the 4pm time slot, I'd stick with it. Who's to say that it won't rain at 11am and be sunny & beautiful at 4pm? Just plan accordingly and have something prepared in the event that it does rain. Chandlyn seemed to have come through in the instances of rain & I'm sure you can work out a great plan B with her. Depending on the availability, you could use Mammee Bay or the Planatation.

[ccunningham]

Mine was probably one of the reviews you read that talked about the rainy weather! ( http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t31909) In retrospect, I wish I had chosen 11 so that I could have had some nice sunny beach pictures with my groom and all of our guests, but hindsight is 20/20. Weather is so unpredictable. Here is a link which discusses the chances of rain at various times of the day during each month, but who is to say that what's "average" will actually happen.

 

Rainfall in Jamaica

 

We RAN from our ceremony to seek shelter. We were right inside Mammee Bay. Unfortunately, our "shelter" was soon flooding as you can see in the picture below, and we were all huddled in a corner. I did read one bride, however, that had her ceremony in Mammee Bay and loved it so much that she thought it should always be offered as a location. I'm guessing she didn't have as much rain as we did!

 

 

Here's my two cents---if you think that you would be happy enough having your wedding in Mammee Bay at 4 if it does rain, then I'd say stick to your 4:00 with the knowledge that it might be inside. If however, you'd be extremely disappointed to not be on the beach or have sun, I would do the 11. That way, you have more time to delay and delay if necessary, whereas at 4:00, if it starts to storm, it doesn't always clear so quickly if at all.

[Geralyn]

I'm getting married in july and I chose the 12pm time slot because it usually rains later in the afternoon and i really want to get married on the beach and would be upset if we had to move it inside...but you can't control the weather so you should pick the slot you want and hope for the best!

[Geralyn]

PS- Sportsdog congrats on it being 1 year to your wedding!!

[Joanna]

I am in your shoes!! We are getting married two days after you, December 5, 2009. I have also been getting nervous about the weather, but as everyone else said, you can't really guess what will happen. We wanted the 4pm time so that we wouldn't have too much lag time between the wedding and ceremony. From what my fiance and I have discussed, we are going to stick with the 4pm slot and hope that everything works out! I would be more upset if I made the wedding earlier and then it still rained!!

[panther]

The weather is unpredictable, so go with your gut and hope for the best. Ask about rain delay/plan so you know there is a plan in place if you need to use it. It will cause you much less stress that way.

 

You can always do a NO-rain dance everyday leading up to your wedding, that is what I plan on doing :-)

[kater]

I dreaded this same topic! My wedding was November 7th, right at the end of hurricane season. I had read some reviews telling people not to go in Nov. b/c of the rain. However, I wanted 4pm because the lighting is BEAUTIFUL at that time of day, and you're the last wedding of the day, so don't have to rush away. Most of the time we were there, it actually did its rain showers at noonish, not later in the afternoon. Stick with your guns about the 4pm, you won't regret it. Just remember, you can't control the weather so if you go with the mentality of "Jamaica no problem" you will have a fantastic wedding, come sprinkles or sunshine!

[Birdie07]

I got married December 18th. The whole time we were there it rained earlier in the day. I had my time at 4:00. However my mom was running late and didn't start until 4:30. No rain and beautiful sunset pictures. I wouldn't worry and would stick with the 4 pm slot!

[sportsdog2]

Thanks to all for your input. I feel much better and will keep my wedding at 4:00 pm. I'll send positive thoughts into the universe for sunny weather on 12/3/09!