Weather and contingency · October 2024
When it rains on the island.
The two Maldivian monsoons, when showers are likely, and the weather plan we build into every wedding so rain changes the venue, not the day.
The Maldives is sold on blue sky, and most days deliver it. It is also a tropical archipelago, and tropical weather arrives without much notice. Rain on a wedding day is not a disaster. It is a scenario we plan for from the first meeting, so that if it comes, the venue changes and the day does not.
Two monsoons, one calendar
The islands have two seasons. The north-east monsoon, called Iruvai, runs from roughly December to April. It is the drier, calmer season and the one most couples choose. December is our peak month and books out early.
The south-west monsoon, Hulhangu, runs from roughly May to November. It brings more cloud, more wind and more frequent showers, particularly from June to September. It also brings quieter resorts and better rates.
In either season, rain usually comes as a short, heavy shower rather than a grey day. It passes. The plan is built around that.
Choose a venue with options
When we shortlist resorts we look at the wet-weather venue as carefully as the beach. A good resort has a covered restaurant, a pavilion or a villa deck that can take the ceremony at an hour’s notice. We inspect it, measure it and decide in advance where the arch, the aisle and the dinner tables would go. If you have not seen the venue, we send photographs of both settings.
The weather plan
Every wedding we produce carries a written weather plan. It sets out three things.
Backup locations. The named indoor or covered space for each part of the day: ceremony, drinks, dinner and party.
Decision points. The times at which we call it. Usually a first check the evening before, a second at breakfast, and a final call two hours before the ceremony, made by your planner with the resort’s events team.
Communication. Who tells whom. Your planner briefs the vendors, the resort briefs its staff, and you are told once, clearly, rather than kept guessing.
Clear timelines keep everyone calm. Guests notice a relaxed couple far more than a change of room.
Dress for the climate
Humidity is the constant. Light, breathable fabrics suit the islands in any weather. A flowing gown and an unlined suit will survive a shower far better than heavy layers. We usually keep a set of clear or white umbrellas on hand, which double as a favour for guests and a prop your photographer will thank you for.
Guests’ comfort
A note on the invitation about flat or water-resistant shoes saves a lot of stranded heels. On the day, we set a covered drinks station with cold coconuts and towels near the ceremony so that a five-minute shower becomes a five-minute pause.
Embrace it in the photographs
Overcast light is soft and flattering. Rain on flowers, wet sand and a line of umbrellas against a grey lagoon make photographs you cannot plan for. The photographers we work with know the islands and know how to use it.
If you are considering a date between May and November, tell us. We will talk you through the week you have in mind and what the plan would look like.