I really do get why you would choose a summer wedding, oh the warmth, the dresses, the beach, those balmy nights, the list is endless BUT with a summer wedding comes those extreme heat days, which can get very uncomfortable and need some extra planning!
You want to look your best and you want to look after your guests and your vendors to be comfortable and safe.
The first suggestion would be to go for an indoor venue with lovely air conditioning BUT if you are really wanting those outdoor wedding vibes then here are a few hints and tips to consider before the day to make sure you are not having to make last minute changes and getting super stressed - you will have a plan!
Ceremony Time - When it comes to the timing of your wedding you may want to choose early in the morning or as close to sunset as possible in the cool of the evening. Try and avoid booking the ceremony for midday, the hottest part of the day - this could get incredibly uncomfortable for everyone!
Be On Time (Or Even Be Early!) - Your guests, your vendors and your partner will already have been waiting for some time when you arrive so they will be incredibly happy to see you and to kick off the celebrations so try to be on time where possible!
Find a Shady Spot 'Just in Case' -We will chat about beach weddings in just a minute as they are a little bit more tricky to manage in this kind of weather but if you are having your wedding at a venue, this wont be their first rodeo for sure and they will have lots of helpful hints and tips for you - they are an awesome resource! They will be able to help you with finding a shady spot for your ceremony & may even be able to provide you with an indoor option if you need it. They may also have lots of shade umbrellas you can use if you need them at the last minute too.
Pull Up A Few More Chairs - Perhaps think about providing some extra chairs so more people can be sat down and comfortable during the ceremony - it's a great idea to make sure the chairs aren't metal or plastic or there could be a lot of burnt bottoms and backs of legs!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate - It would be a great idea to provide some bottles of water, to keep everyone hydrated and less likely to keel over. You could provide some gorgeous pitchers of fruit infused iced water to sip whilst they watch you guys tie the knot! Alcohol and heat are not a great combination so it would be wise to avoid offering alcoholic drinks before the ceremony!
Extra Fans, Sunnies and Sunscreen - It would be awesome to provide some hand held fans for each guest to use to keep cool throughout the day. You may also like to provide some sunscreen and some 'fun' sunnies for your guests too. The glasses will make for some awesome photos on the day!
Hire Some Extra Air Conditioning - If you are having a marquee for your wedding you will almost certainly need to hire some air conditioning units as the temperature can soar in a marquee and become very uncomfortable, especially in a clear marquee.
Make Up Ideas - If you are wearing make up, then you may want to chat to your make up artist about alternative brands to use which are more suited for the heat! They will be more than happy to show your support crew how to 'top up' the make up throughout the day so it keeps fresh & gorgeous.
Hair Ideas - If you have long hair it would be so much cooler to consider styles which take you hair off the back of your neck so you don't over heat underneath it. If you are wearing it down then keep a hair tie handy for later on!
On the day itself, there will be your celebrant, musicians, the photographer, staff at the venue etc to think about too. These awesome people are there to work with you so your day goes without a hitch and they need looking after too, chat to them and see what they need ahead of time.
Beach Weddings - Ok so a beach wedding, for this I think you need nerves of steel and even more planning on an extreme heat day!
First thing would be to have an alternative venue in mind should the thermometer reach 40 plus. If you are absolutely set on the beach wedding vibe, please see the hints and tips above for help. You may also like to think of 'where' on the beach you could perhaps move your ceremony to on the day, somewhere a bit more sheltered, umbrellas for everyone would be a wonderful idea too! You will need to let your vendors, such as the florist and the furniture hire company, know as early as possible so they don't end up setting up in two different spots if you change your mind.
I would also have a chat to your celebrant and see if there are some changes they can make to your ceremony so that you can limit the time you are out in the sun for - I know I would be more than happy to accomodate this for you and I am sure others would too.
Encourage your guests to remain in their cars in the air conditioning or somewhere shady until just before the ceremony then make a mad dash to their places ready for you to get started.
Photographs - After your ceremony you may want to reconsider your list of photo requirements to limit the time people are waiting for their shot with you two beautiful people or even head off to somewhere a bit more sheltered for the photos - chat to your awesome photographer who will help you put a plan B in place.
I hope you have the most incredible day whatever the day brings and I hope this helps you feel more prepared for these extreme weather days.
Big hugs love bugs,