A luxury holiday company is offering to use geo-engineering to guarantee fair weather and clear skies for weddings, starting at £100,000. Oliver’s Travels, a firm specialising in high-end villa rentals, launched the service in January after customer feedback highlighted bad weather as a major concern.
The company has partnered with Texan meteorological contractors Just Clouds to employ cloud seeding, a technique that involves flying through clouds and dispersing silver iodide. This compound acts as a freezing nuclei, causing water vapour to form ice crystals that fall as rain. By managing these nuclei, meteorologists aim to control rainfall levels.
Cloud seeding dates back to the 1940s and was used extensively in the Vietnam War. However, Professor John Thornes of the University of Birmingham notes that early trials often failed to deliver promised rain, sometimes even reducing it. Scientists later discovered that silver iodide could disperse raindrops, effectively preventing rain rather than creating it.
This rain-bursting technique has been used by Russia for national celebrations and by China during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Oliver’s Travels hopes to replicate this success for weddings in France, the only location currently offered. Natasja Rasmussen, head of customer experience, says the company has received inquiries but acknowledges the high cost.
Luxury wedding planner Sarah Haywood considers the £100,000 price tag excessive, noting that few couples have such spare funds. Despite the expense, the service has attracted interest, though no bookings have been confirmed yet.
