New Jersey rain plan guide
Updated
A rain plan is what happens to an outdoor ceremony if the weather turns: a room indoors, a covered space, or a tent. Plenty of venues with a lovely lawn never say which. In New Jersey, 22 venues with an outdoor ceremony say what happens if it rains. Most move indoors (21); 2 put up a tent. Plans are most often stated in the Jersey Shore and the Skylands.
We've gathered details on 42 New Jersey venues. Pick a starting point and Sage will rank them for your day, with cost estimates wherever the venue publishes its prices.
We count a venue only when its own details describe a plan. Most of the rest never mention weather, which means you'll need to ask, not that there's no plan.
What kind of venue
The share of each kind of New Jersey outdoor-ceremony venue that says what happens if it rains. Start your search with the kinds at the top: hotels (7 of 7) and event centers (4 of 6).
Read the rain plan carefully
21 New Jersey venues
The simplest plan: the ceremony moves into a room the venue already has. Ask whether it holds everyone, and whether it's also the dinner room, since resetting it takes time.
In New Jersey: Five Birds Farm, Marian House and Running Deer Golf Club, among others.
1 New Jersey venue
A pavilion or covered terrace keeps the outdoor feel, but not the warmth. Ask whether it has sides that close, and whether there are heaters.
In New Jersey: Blue Heron Pines Golf Club.
2 New Jersey venues
A tent can go where you planned the ceremony, but it is usually ordered days ahead and paid for separately. Ask who orders it, who pays, and how late you can decide.
In New Jersey: Five Birds Farm and Born to Run Farm.
Some venues offer more than one, so the counts overlap.
Venue by venue
Every outdoor-ceremony venue here that describes its plan, in a sentence: where the ceremony goes, and, where the venue says, when the call is made and what it costs. The most detailed first.
Asbury Park
If it rains: Asbury Hall's industrial glass-paned garage doors can remain closed in inclement weather, so the Hall serves as the indoor alternative for the reception, with the greenhouse-style atrium as an indoor cocktail-hour space.
Up to 300 guests
Ringwood
If it rains: Ceremonies held outside during the months of December through March are weather permitting; the Manor interior is the alternative. Tented receptions are separately available May through October and must end by 10pm.
Up to 600 guests
Atlantic City
If it rains: A beach ceremony can be moved into one of our indoor ceremony spaces - the Screening Room, the Horizon Ballroom or the Starlight Ballroom - and a poolside cocktail reception can be held indoors in the ballrooms.
Pittsgrove
If it rains: We have indoor options for every component of the day. The decision can be made the day of the wedding if you would rather hold the ceremony and/or cocktail hour inside to keep your loved ones warm and dry.
Up to 200 guests
Ringoes
If it rains: The barn is comfortable from April through October with ceiling fans and operable windows and doors; for cooler weather and inclement conditions, 4-sided temperature-controlled tents are available.
Egg Harbor City
If it rains: In an emergency caused by weather we reserve the right to modify the ceremony, cocktail hour or reception room selection; each ballroom has an indoor cocktail hour space.
Up to 300 guests
Little Egg Harbor Township
If it rains: In case of an emergency caused by weather, the venue reserves the right to modify the ceremony, cocktail hour or reception room selection to an indoor alternative.
Ocean Township
If it rains: The ceremony may be held in the outdoor garden or at the indoor Grand Ballroom ceremony site, giving a built-in indoor option in poor weather.
Ship Bottom
If it rains: A ceremony held outdoors on the rooftop or the veranda moves inside to the fully enclosed conservatory in the event of inclement weather.
Sparta
If it rains: Vows can be exchanged outdoors along the lake or inside the venue with lakefront views, so an outdoor ceremony has an indoor alternative.
Egg Harbor City
If it rains: The Ballroom and the covered patio adjacent to it serve as indoor and covered alternatives for ceremonies and cocktail hours.
Newton
If it rains: An indoor ceremony location is available in case of inclement weather; the outdoor cocktail hour is also weather permitting.
Hamilton
If it rains: The ceremony can be held outdoors at the White Gazebo in Sayen Gardens under a separate permit, or indoors in the ballroom.
Up to 275 guests
Glen Gardner
If it rains: The reception tent's side walls can be closed in inclement weather; there is no permanent indoor backup space.
Up to 240 guests
East Windsor
If it rains: If rain is coming, the team makes all the arrangements to move the ceremony indoors to the Windsor Ballroom.
Up to 220 guests
Florham Park
If it rains: Our two indoor dining rooms serve as the backup for an outdoor event in the event of inclement weather.
Cherry Hill
If it rains: An indoor ceremony can be held in the grand ballroom as an alternative to the outdoor pergola space.
Up to 250 guests
Jersey City
If it rains: Both indoor and outdoor ceremony options are available, so a garden ceremony can be moved inside.
Up to 150 guests
Andover
If it rains: An indoor ceremony option is available during inclement weather in place of the lawn ceremony.
Up to 275 guests
Basking Ridge
If it rains: Both outdoor and indoor ceremony locations are available, giving flexibility for the weather.
Up to 250 guests
Tinton Falls
If it rains: If rain is coming we make all the arrangements to move your ceremony indoors to the ballroom.
Up to 200 guests
Jersey City
If it rains: The Main Dining Room and the Monk Room are the indoor alternatives to the rooftop.
Each sentence is from the venue's own published details. Plans and fees change, so confirm with the venue.
How these venues differ
The 22 New Jersey outdoor-ceremony venues with a rain plan against the 10 outdoor-ceremony venues that don’t mention one, biggest difference first.
| Share that | These venues | Outdoor-ceremony venues that don’t mention one |
|---|---|---|
| Have four or more separate event spaces | 36% | 10% |
| Provide a coordinator | 77% | 60% |
| Have on-site lodging | 45% | 30% |
| Give you the whole property | 36% | 50% |
| Price the day as one all-inclusive package | 14% | 0% |
| Can host 200 guests or more | 92% | 6 of 6 |
Each row counts only the venues that say; a venue that doesn't is left out of that row rather than counted as a no.
Where to look
The tick on each bar marks New Jersey as a whole: 22 of 42 venues say what happens if it rains (52%). Regions with fewer than five venues that say are left out.
What it costs
$28k
Typical venue and food, 100 guests
Across the 15 of these New Jersey venues that publish a full price.
$19k–$56k
Typical range
Most of them fall in this range.
$30k
Every New Jersey venue
The typical figure across all 27 New Jersey venues with a full price, for comparison.
In New Jersey, outdoor-ceremony venues with a rain plan typically cost $28k for the venue and food for 100 guests, about the same as the $30k typical across the state.
Places worth a closer look
Each has an outdoor ceremony space and says what happens if it rains, in a different way. Open a venue to see its spaces, pricing, and other planning details.
Atlantic City
Outdoor ceremony. If it rains, you move indoors
$15–25k · Venue Fee + Catering
See pricing and policies
Egg Harbor City
Outdoor ceremony. If it rains, you can move indoors or move under a covered space
Food & Bar Est.
See pricing and policies
Glen Gardner · Up to 240 guests
Outdoor ceremony. If it rains, you put up a tent
$5–10k · Venue Fee Only
See pricing and policies
Ocean Township
Outdoor ceremony. If it rains, you move indoors
$25–35k · All Inclusive
See pricing and policies
Asbury Park · Up to 300 guests
Outdoor ceremony. If it rains, you move indoors
$25–35k · Venue Fee + Catering
See pricing and policies
Andover · Up to 275 guests
Outdoor ceremony. If it rains, you move indoors
$75k+ · Venue Fee + Catering
See pricing and policies
Describe your guest count, your budget, and anything you can’t compromise on. See a ranked list of venues, with why each one fits, trade-offs, and what to double-check.
Sage the Date reads each venue's own published details, including pricing, catering and alcohol rules, music curfews, rain plans, whether you get the whole property, and how many guests each space holds. Every estimate uses your guest count. When a venue doesn't say, we tell you instead of guessing.
Before you book
Sage reads each venue's own published pricing and policies, puts different kinds of quotes on the same footing, and estimates the cost for 100 guests. A venue counts as having a rain plan only when its own published details describe one; the comparisons are among venues that offer an outdoor ceremony. If a venue doesn't say something, we treat it as a question to ask, not a no.
