you need to have a heat backup plan for your wedding

We all know that for outdoor weddings, it is critical to have a backup rain plan.

But have you considered the other weather elements? Like oppressive, humid, glaring, blazing heat from the sun?

This year we have had a tremendous shift of venues for wedding selections. More people are choosing personal residences or outdoor venues for their wedding ceremony (and/or receptions).

It’s a fab idea, as bride and grooms are looking for something different for their special day. The concern is mostly with the potential of rain, but you have to remember other weather elements. In southern Indiana, the humidity factor is a huge concern as it is oppressive to a woman in a beautiful, layered wedding dress and men in full tuxedos. This can lead to crabby attitudes, sweaty faces, heat exhaustion, and fainting.

Keep these points in mind, when planning your outdoor extravaganza:

  1. Your elderly guests need to have shade and comfort.
  2. Outdoor musicians will not play in direct sunlight. It’s not the uncomfortable factor (although that should be a concern, imagine YOU trying to play a violin dripping of sweat and exhaustion for an hour), musicians WILL NOT expose their high-dollar instruments to direct sunlight. It ruins them.
  3. Should you proceed with the outdoor, sunny plan; then make sure you are choosing garments to wear that will allow some coolness factor. This includes your wedding dress, groom/groomsmen attire, bridesmaids, and parent attire.
  4. Prepare for helping the guests cool off: A shaded location to wait until the last minute to be seated for the ceremony, fans (electric and handheld), cool non-alcoholic drinks to refresh themselves.
  5. Choose a short vow ceremony. Short…. very short.
  6. Have an inside backup plan to move the ceremony. You don’t want to think about this now, but once you step outside in full dress, you may change your mind.
  7. Do NOT choose a month that an outdoor wedding will almost 98% sure to be miserable. In this area, August is the worth month of the year with high humidity and heat.
  8. Encourage more casual dress for guests; open collar shirts and sundresses for the girls.

7 thoughts on “you need to have a heat backup plan for your wedding”

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention having a backup (heat) plan | planning....forever events blog -- Topsy.com

  2. Great Post! I definitely wish my friends who had their wedding last week thought about the heat. It was more than a notion it was extremely humid and I just wanted to take a cold shower afterwards. And I know they were just happy it was no rain but I’m sure they didn’t think about how their guests would feel in 94 degree weather.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top