Remembering Our Worst Wedding Weather Winners

June is here, and that means weddings!

Because the Farmers’ Almanac has always been hailed for our accurate long-range weather predictions, we’re often referred to as a “bride’s best friend.” We’ve been helping brides and grooms pick the best day for their big day for the better part of two centuries.

But sometimes, no matter how much planning and predicting go into a wedding, Mother Nature still sends her regards in not-so-nice ways, and bad weather makes the day even more memorable. That’s why, in our 2008 edition, we solicited readers’ worst wedding weather horror stories.

Over the course of about six months, close to 500 contestants entered the Farmers’ Almanac Worst Wedding Weather Contest and shared their soggiest, windiest, most hurricane-hampered and hail-ridden wedding weather sob stories. Readers voted for their favorites, and one lucky couple won a seven day Caribbean cruise. Here’s their story:

Blizzard Blitzes Couple’s Bliss!
Record snowfall put this couple’s wedding plans on deep freeze!

Marianne & Joseph Trovato

“We were supposed to be married on Saturday, February 12, 1983, in Philadelphia, Pa. I thought it would be romantic to marry close to Valentine’s Day. The Victorian Era has always fascinated me and my wedding gown was an original Victorian one.

My fiancé was from Rochester, N.Y. When I told his family and friends we were marrying in February, they shuddered and said, “That’s when it’s cold and snowy.” I laughed and told them we never get much snow in Philadelphia.

Was I wrong! It started snowing heavily late in the afternoon of Friday, February 11, and continued through the next morning. By the time it was finished, the city had a total of 21.3 inches! It hadn’t snowed that much at one time since the early 1900s. It was the only time in the history of the Philadelphia Inquirer that they did not publish.

The priest called to tell me he couldn’t get the church doors open. Then we found out our DJ couldn’t make it – he lived in New Jersey, and they had a ban on all driving. The catering hall manager lived within walking distance, so he told us he could let us in, but he would be the only one there. A friend who owned a Volkswagen Beetle called and said, “I’d love to come to your wedding, but I can’t find my car!” My brother could not fly in from Puerto Rico. The photographer drove to my house and waded up to my door in hip-deep snow!

We had to cancel, but everything came together the following Saturday. The florist had donated the old flowers, so we had fresh ones for the wedding, and the church and catering hall had no other engagements the next weekend. Though my husband’s two brothers, who were ushers, had to return to Rochester, fortunately I had two brothers to fill in for them.

They say, “Happy is the bride it rains on.” What about the one it blizzards on? It’s now been 25 years, and we’re still together, as much in love as we were then.”

Marianne & Joseph Trovato
Bensalem, Pennsylvania

Did bad weather crash your wedding party? Share your story with us below!