Cool Party Host

Philadelphia is digging out of a, what meteorologists describe as the largest December snow storm in 100 years. According to our local newspaper, we received over 23 inches.

That may not seem like much if you live in Buffalo or Michigan, but to us, it is quite a lot.

The storm hit yesterday, the last Saturday before Christmas. In the events industry, that means someone was having a large party, because Saturday is the most popular day for family events. And, of course, the timing threw a monkey wrench into plans for Christmas shoppers, not to mention all of the workers who had to make it out to the malls to serve them.

I was scheduled to draw caricatures for a Bat Mitzvah. My client had planned for many months and she was devastated by this turn of events. Among other things, people unable or unwilling to brave the elements stayed home. Among them, her father, the Bat Mitzvah girl’s grandfather.

I am certain this was not a decision he made lightly.

But these were blizzard conditions and driving even short distances on major roads was a challenge.

If this was your event, what would you do and what are your options?

There are storms and there are storms. And television weather-casters have been known to be melodramatic. But if the conditions that will affect your event are the real deal, then you have to decide whether it’s even possible to hold the event.

There are a number of factors to consider. First, is whether conditions are so hazardous that guests and your party service providers are physically able to get to the party site. If the authorities shut down the roadways to all but emergency traffic, such as the blizzard we had in 1996, your decision is easy.

You’ll have to postpone or cancel and eat the costs. Your caterer, for example, has already purchased food, and at the very least, she will have to pass along those out-of-pocket costs. You will have already paid deposits to many vendors. Each one will have their own policy regarding inclement weather. You won’t get your deposits back, but if you postpone rather than cancel outright, some vendors will work with you to apply your deposit towards your next date as long as they have availability.

Some events are fixed far in advance and changing dates is difficult. In the case of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, synagogues assign dates as far as three years out. So changing the date of the Bar Mitzvah service is far more difficult than, say, changing the date of a casual get-together.

For events such as weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs that require a great deal of advance planning and outlay of money, planning for contingencies is particularly important. Wedding or event cancellation insurance is one option that can cover deposits and loss of other out-of-pocket expenses in the case of a blizzard like this. Just be aware that wedding insurance policies won’t cover you if you cancel because you get “cold feet.”

As for me, I gritted my teeth and braved the blizzard conditions. But it was worth everything when I saw the client’s face light up when she walked in the room, see me and the other vendors set up, ready to make her event a memorable one.