One of the things we've had to discuss with putting the backyard wedding plan in place is what we'll do if it rains. It's not a nice topic of conversation, but it's a necessary one. After all, the only thing worse than having to have a wedding in the rain (which doesn't even have to be that bad, really) is not having a backup plan in place if it happens.
First of all, we're strongly considering renting a tent or marquee. We haven't finalized the details for this, but having one will solve a variety of weather problems, such as providing shade and, of course, a limited amount of rain protection. You can also use your own tent, if you have one, or purchase one specifically for your event. However, in my experience, the ones you can buy tend to be low quality unless you spend a ton of money, difficult to put up, and prone to breakage.
