Ask any wedding planner which season of the year is most popular for tying the knot, and chances are good you’ll hear all the same response - summertime. Given the weather and beauty of nature this season brings, there’s no wonder why couples choose it for their special day. Brides have the opportunity to look radiant by wearing trendy wedding dresses, accessorize with colorful jewelry including their diamond fluorescent engagement ring and show off their summer ready wedding bodies. However, despite all the advantages of getting married in summer, there are certain do’s and don’ts one should be aware of to make the most out of this season. So sit down comfortably and get ready to learn all the ins and outs of summer weddings.
Summer Wedding Do’s
Do Send Wedding Invitations Earlier
Apart from being the most popular wedding season, summertime is also the hot season for vacations. Most of the people plan their getaways on summer months. If you don’t want to force your guests to choose between going for a vacation and being a part of your wedding day, make sure to send ‘Save the Date’ letters earlier. This way, your guests will get a chance to plan their vacation with your special date in mind.
Do Think of Heat Relief for Your Guests
Summer heat can sometimes be hardly bearable. Apart from causing discomfort, it might lead to health consequences like heat stroke or sunburn. To save your guests a trouble, think of a number of heat relief amenities for your wedding location. If you’re planning an indoor wedding, make sure there are no problems with air conditioning. If it’s an outdoor wedding party we’re talking about, wedding tent might be a good option. What’s more, whichever option you choose, make sure there are cooling beverages served for guests in a couple of spots around your wedding location.
Do Consider the Ceremony Time
Midday weddings might be a smart solution for autumn or spring, but it’s surely not the case with summer. Asking your guests to come when the sun is at its peak has an obvious drawback - exceptional heat. If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony, it’s better to schedule it for late afternoon hours between 16:30 and 18:00. This way, you’ll still catch some sunbeams but won’t make your guests suffer from heat and aggressive midday sunlight.
Do Choose Lighter Food
Cutting a long story short, heavy food is not a good fit for summer weather. Eating a lot of meat, starches, and cheese when it’s hot will make your guests feel sluggish and lazy. If you want them to feel good and participate in your wedding party actively, give preference to lighter foods like fruits, salads, gazpacho shooters, frozen cocktails, ice pops, and fruit-based pies are some of the best choices for summer wedding catering.
Summer Wedding Don’ts
Don’t Overlook Sun Protection
Cooling stations where guests can get cold drinks of ice cream are good, but not enough. One more thing you should take into account is sun protection for you and your dear guests. There’s nothing wrong with giving friendly reminders to your guests to bring sunscreen and sun hats to stay safe from sun and heat. Alternatively, you can choose to leave some bottles of sunscreen out on the tables.
Don’t Leave Food Out
Let’s face it: delicious food is a vital component of any party. No wonder that so much work goes into planning a perfect wedding menu. Not even to mention that food makes up a significant part of a wedding budget. That’s why it would be sad to get some food melt or spoiled under the sun. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, make sure the food is protected from heat and is kept out of the sun.
Don’t Plan the Ceremony for Midday
Early morning, late afternoon, and evening are all great for a summer wedding ceremony. The midday, however, is absolutely not. First and foremost, midday sunlight is especially aggressive and it is exceptionally hot at this time of the day. Secondly, midday light is the worst kind of light for photographers. All the best pics are taken either early in the morning or during the sunset. Thirdly, midday ceremony is not the best solution if your wedding decor is made up of flowers primarily. Especially, if you choose exotic or romantic types of flowers for your wedding (flowers of these categories tend to be the most vulnerable and have the shortest lifespan).
Don’t Forget About Wildlife
If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, mind the mosquito's. Chances are good they’ll be the only unwanted guests at your party. To save yourself the trouble of itching from mosquito bites, think of special sprays and choose a location that’s not too close to water.
Armed with this information, your chances to plan a perfect wedding double. But no matter what happens, remember to enjoy the day. They say it’s one of the most special ones in every person’s life.
