Arizona. The desert. It almost never rains here. So your backup wedding plan will, in all likelihood, never be used. But just in case, it's a great idea to pick a venue whose backup plan you like. Especially in November.
Last week, the Phoenix Area wedding industry was singing the "Plan B" ballad from Tuesday til Saturday. It was cccccold. It was rainy. It was windy. In 2012, it happened a little earlier in November. next year, who knows. It's best to be prepared.
#1 If you get married in Arizona in November, pick a venue that has an indoor backup space for ceremony and reception OR pick a venue that can be completely tented.
#2 Rain is simple. You have to be covered, especially if it is cold. Butsometimes temperature isn't as clear. It's kind of like packing for a trip where the weather is going to be cold when it's 110 degrees. It's hard to get your head around how important it will be to be warm. I have often heard people try to "get away without" renting propane heaters. It's important not to skimp on heating to save a few hundred dollars if the temperatures look like they are going to drop. Guests will remember if they were freezing at your wedding. They will be unhappy. Many will huddle inside somewhere away from your ceremony/reception in order to get warm; even if it means missing the good stuff. Check with your rental company to reserve heaters. Discuss their cancellation policy and if it looks like you won't need them you can have them removed from the order as the wedding day approaches.
#3 Rain. Temperature. WIND! If you are getting married outside or having your reception out doors, it's important to know how big of a challenge wind can be for an event. Be sure your vendors have table clips to hold down linens. If you are using an arbor or arch, make sure it is securely grounded and wont blow over.
Weather doesn't need to spoil the fun. It just needs to be properly prepared for. A great wedding planner will have everything you need to manage less than optimal changes in weather and can keep all your vendors apprised of changes in schedule. Most of the time AZ weather is incredible. But weather like last weekend really highlights the value of having a strong team in place and being prepared!