Your summer wedding is everything you have dreamed of, apart from coping with the record breaking temperatures we have seen in recent years. So, just how do you keep yourselves and everyone else not only cool, but safe from the effects of the sun ? Here are some of our top tips, hints and tricks to help you get through it all.
1. Keep Hydrated
We cannot stress enough the importance of everyone staying properly hydrated on your wedding day. On exceptionally hot days we would even go so far as to suggest having bottles of water on each seat for your outdoor ceremony.
Drink stations around your venue with iced water and soft drinks will be much appreciated by all.
Plenty of iced water on the tables so guests can have water as well as alcohol to create a good balance.
2. Don't Be Blinded By Love Or The Sun
Why not have sun glasses as favours or photo props in lots of colours to help protect eyes against bright sunlight and create some wonderful fun photos ? The last thing you want is guests squinting in all your pictures.
3. Sun Cream
Having little boxes of suncream dotted around your venue is a good reminder for guests to reapply protection and stop them and you from burning. Little tubes or pots of after sun could make for extremely practical wedding favours as well.
4. Ice cream van
An Ice cream van like this one from JB Ices is a great way of giving your guests a cooling sweet treat as a dessert and gives some wonderful opportunities for photos.
5. Play hunt the shade
Parasols for you and your guests. Covered drinks area. Patio tables with umbrellas. Good balance of indoor/outdoor spaces giving people the choice of being outside in the sunshine or inside away from the heat of the day.
6. A Breath Of Fresh Air
Paper fans or even mini hand held fans can also make practical wedding favours to help keep everyone cool. You could also consider hiring air-con units to keep spaces cool.
7. Consider Wedding Attire
Light and airy fabrics which you can layer up for cooler nights are a good idea. A relaxed dress code for your guests so they can dress appropriately for the weather will be much appreciated by them as well.
8. Your wedding dress
Consider carefully the time of year you are getting married and go for a lighter option for your dress. Veils look amazing but it is extra weight for you to bare, as is a long train.
9. Grooms Attire
Seriously think about ditching the three piece suit in favour of tailored shorts and short sleeved shirts. Lightweight breathable fabrics.
10. Cover metal chairs
If your venue has metal chairs and you are having an outdoor ceremony make sure to hire chair covers as hot metal and blazing sunshine are not a pairing any of us want to experience.
11. Bridal Summer Hairstyles
Elaborate, high hair-dos don't always cope well in the heat. Consider an elegant chignon or low pony tail instead.
12. Flower crowns - yes or no ?
If your day is set to be an absolute scorcher you may want to think about ditching flower crowns, which with no water source may well wilt very quickly in the heat of the sun.
13. Bouquets and Floral Displays
Make sure centre pieces are in vases of water or soaked oasis to keep them fresh. Have spritz bottles for indoor flower arches - don't spritz outdoor flowers as the sun will burn and scorch the water droplets right off making them brown and wilted. Keep your bouquet in water until you are ready for it - make sure to dry stems with paper towels so they don't drip and mark your dress.
14. Bouquet Toss
If you have a separate small bouquet for tossing ask your venue to store it in a fridge so it stays fresh until you want it later in the day.
15. Outdoor photos
Nobody wants to be standing around in the heat of the day for photos so consider having your portraits and group photos later on in the day when it is cooler. The sun being lower in the sky will also give you those gorgeous golden hour photos we all dream of. If you decide on portraits later in the day, either find somewhere cool to store your flowers and keep them fresh or leave them out of the photos completely....digital cameras pick up every detail and if they are starting to wilt or go brown on the edges them camera will see it.
16. Wedding cake melt-downs
We have seen our fair share of cakes melting in the heat. Keep it somewhere cool until you are ready for the cake cutting to take place.
17. Paddling Pools
Set up paddling polls in the shade for guests to cool their feet.
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