Plan for the Worst on Your Wedding Day

FYI - This post contains Mad Men spoilers

Your wedding day is supposed to be perfect. When it's supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life, how could you plan for the worst? Sure, forgetting a groomsmen gift for the best man isn't ideal, but what if something catastrophic happens?

A family death? A natural disaster? In the latest episode of Mad Men, you'll find out that there are just some things you can't plan for when it comes to your wedding day. Ever since the second episode of season three, Mad Men fans were waiting in anticipation for the Sterling wedding set for Nov. 23, 1963 - one day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

While the episode shows the fictional Sterling family at their half-empty wedding reception, this New York Times article shows how some couples found the strength to marry on Nov. 23, 1963.

One bride to marry on the day after this American tragedy was 21 year-old Wanita Handal (now, Wanita Dehney). Mrs. Dehney never thought twice about putting a halt to her big day. When guests arrived for the reception at the Waldorf-Astoria, their spirits were not as bright. Mrs. Dehney says, "We thought it would be awful... I'll tell you, after a few drinks it didn't really matter."

The average couple picks out their wedding date 17 months prior to the wedding. Just about anything can happen when you're planning a celebration a year in advance. Mrs. Dehney's wedding was after one of the worst catastrophes in American history, but everything came out all right. In fact, the Dehney wedding went so late, they had to pay the band extra to finish out the night.

Still, if you'd rather not force your wedding through adverse conditions, there's no reason to worry. Use these precautions to ease stress on your perfect day.

Wedding Day Plan B's

Wedding insurance - it sounds like a scam, but would you go through with your wedding if it happened on 9/11? Wedding insurance protects against sudden cancelations like severe weather or illness, and protects against lost rings or a damaged wedding dress. Wedsafe.com gave a quote of $871.00 for a fictional wedding on Oct. 10, 2010 with liability insurance of $500,000 and cancelation insurance of $175,000.

Plan for rain - no matter what the farmer's almanac says, you need to plan for terrible weather. Don't brush off the weather by thinking "oh, we'll just bring everyone inside." I went to a wedding in the desert last summer and they were sure it wasn't going to rain - It freakin' poured. It rained so much puddles formed in the grass and covered everyone's shoes in mud.

At the very least, designate a group of umbrellas for guests as they dash out of their cars. Keep large sheets of plastic ready at the doorway for muddy shoes. And, always make sure you have an indoor option for all of your events.

Grab the personalized flasks - if there's ever a moment to take a nip off some whiskey, it's when a major event over shadows your big day. Look on the bright side. You're with friends and family, and you're celebrating your love with a future wife. If you can't call off the wedding (or you just don't want to) break out the personalized flasks as groomsmen gifts and make the best of the moment.