Heatwave Wedding Tips
How to Stay Cool on Your Wedding Day
Heatwave Wedding Tips: How to Stay Cool on Your Wedding Day
For years, British couples have planned summer weddings with one question in mind: will it rain? But as exceptionally warm summer days become more common, it’s worth considering how hot it will be. A glorious sunny wedding sounds wonderful, until the guests are wilting, suits are sticking, make-up is melting, and everyone is searching for the nearest shade. The good news is that with our heatwave wedding tips, there are plenty of ways to keep everyone cool, comfortable and enjoying the day.
Here are our top ten tips for surviving a heatwave wedding…
1. Choose a wedding venue with shade and cool spaces
Outdoor summer weddings can be beautiful, but if there is nowhere to escape the sun, they can also be uncomfortable.
After a few record-breaking summers, it is worth considering shade and shelter as well as sunshine when choosing a wedding venue.
Look for a venue with shaded outdoor areas, mature trees and comfortable indoor spaces where guests can retreat during the hottest part of the day.
At Cote How, the thick, old stone walls and floors of our Lakeland house and barn naturally stay cool in summer. There are shady woodland areas and a garden gazebo out of direct sunlight, where guests can sit and relax.
It’s also worth considering how buildings with glass walls or marquees with clear or translucent panels cope in the heat. They can become particularly warm when the sun is beating down.
2. Think about equipment & catering
It isn’t just the weather that creates heat. Lighting, sound equipment, outdoor catering equipment and even a lively dance floor can all add warmth to an already hot environment.
If you’re planning a summer wedding, a simpler, more natural style can work beautifully. Our top heatwave tip is to consider relaxed outdoor dining, gentle background music, and plenty of fresh air rather than an environment packed with equipment.
3. Consider an earlier wedding ceremony
If you are planning an elopement or very small wedding, one of the simplest solutions is to start early.
Temperatures are generally more comfortable earlier in the day, the light can be beautiful, and you can avoid spending the hottest part of the afternoon in full sun.
At Cote How, our morning elopements start from 9.30 am, so couples can enjoy their ceremony and photographs before the summer heat really builds. For couples with young children or dogs, an earlier start can be particularly helpful.
4. Keep your wedding timeline flexible
One of the advantages of a small, intimate wedding at an exclusive-use venue is that the schedule can flex a little.
On exceptionally warm days, it can make sense to change the timing of some photographs, move between indoor and outdoor spaces and spend less time in direct sunlight.
At Cote How, couples might head down towards the lake or up to the caves later in the day, once the sun is lower and temperatures have eased.
Sometimes a small adjustment to the timeline is enough to make things more comfortable if you’re getting married in a heatwave.
5. Make keeping everyone hydrated easy
This is one of the easiest things you can do, and one of the most important. Make sure there is a plentiful supply of fresh drinking water available throughout the day and that guests don’t have to go looking for it.
If you’re expecting particularly hot weather, you could also give guests a gentle reminder before the wedding to bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat if appropriate. A basket of simple paper fans can also be useful during the ceremony or speeches. They are quiet, don’t need batteries and can be reused or recycled afterwards.
As the wedding couple, keep water flowing alongside the fizz. Alcohol can make it harder to stay hydrated, so make a conscious effort to drink plenty of water throughout the day too.
6. Choose a lighter summer wedding menu
A hearty roast, a warming soup and rich pudding might be exactly what you want on a chilly autumn day. When temperatures soar, however, lighter options can be much more appealing.
Fresh salads, chilled dishes, summer fruit desserts and Mediterranean-style grazing tables can work particularly well for relaxed summer dining. Sometimes the best summer wedding menu is food that doesn’t leave everyone feeling as though they need a lie-down afterwards.
7. Think carefully about wedding outfits
If you’re getting married in the height of summer, the temperature is worth considering when choosing what to wear. A lightweight linen suit or cotton shirt is likely to be more comfortable than a heavy three-piece suit, particularly if there might be plenty of time spent in the sunshine.
For bridalwear, lighter fabrics and designs that allow some airflow can make a noticeable difference. Detachable sleeves can also give you more flexibility if the temperature changes throughout the day.
Don’t underestimate the welcome relief of having a comfortable pair of flat shoes to change into later, as hot feet and several hours of standing can be very unforgiving!
8. Keep everything in one wedding venue
On a very hot day, the last thing guests want to do is get back into a minibus after the ceremony and travel somewhere else, especially in summer holiday traffic queues. When the ceremony, reception, food, and celebrations happen in one place, it can make the day considerably easier.
Less travelling, less organising and fewer opportunities for everyone to become hot and bothered can be a good plan.
At Cote How, our all-inclusive small weddings are relaxed and flow gently. With no other people on site, we can adapt if the weather demands it.
9. Take extra care of children and dogs
Children and dogs can both struggle in very hot weather, so their needs deserve a little extra thought.
They need shaded areas, plenty of drinking water and somewhere cool to retreat to. Our recommended Dog Chaperones have an air-conditioned van, which is ideal, especially for older dogs, puppies and breeds that can be more vulnerable to heat.
For children, water rather than fizzy drinks, and quiet, shady spaces to take a little rest break, away from all the excitement, can keep them more comfortable.
10. Professional hair and make-up can help
Finally, don’t underestimate the effect of heat on hair and make-up. Professional hair and make-up artists understand how to prepare for different weather conditions and can choose products and techniques that are more likely to last throughout a warm wedding day. This is particularly useful for photographs outdoors in the summer heat.
Try not to worry about styling perfection as the day progresses, as nobody expects you to look immaculate after hours of sunshine, food and celebrating.
We've learned from experience...
One thing we know from years of planning hundreds of weddings is that you can’t control the weather. What you can control is how well you plan for it. A hot wedding day can be beautiful, with balmy evenings, bare feet on the grass, cold drinks in the garden and photographs in soft evening light.
The trick is to find a few simple ways to help everyone tolerate the heat. Shade, water, and a cool spot to sit can make a big difference. On particularly warm wedding days, the flexibility of a small venue can make a real difference. Rather than keeping everyone outside, we can use the cooler parts of the house and garden.
Your venue and wedding planning team will be on hand regardless of what the weather decides to do. British wedding planning has always been about having a Plan B, and if need be, a Plan C for cooling down!
If you’d like our help planning your own summer wedding in the Lakes, please make an enquiry below – we’d love to help!
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Thank you to our fabulous recommended photographers and wedding couples for sharing their images. If you’d like to know more about getting married in the Lake District, contact the Westmorland and Furness Registrar Team.
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