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FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT

Let’s face it, Summer can be a fantastic time of year to get married, but it sure can get hot.  We know that a lot of couples think ‘Hey, we’ll only be in the sun for about 30 minutes during the ceremony’ but the reality is, it will be a lot longer.  Many guests arrive anywhere from 30+ minutes before the ceremony, even earlier if you’ve told guests the ceremony starts at 3pm, but you’ve always planned for it to start at 3.30pm (a trick many couples use when there’s guests who are known for being tardy to the party). Coupled with time mingling post-ceremony, chances are your guests will be in the sun for up to two hours.

We’ve come up with some hints and tips to help make a mid-summer wedding a little cooler, and have also picked the brains of some of our Queensland members as to what their advice would be for couples looking at planning a wedding in those sunnier seasons.

Bride with love heart glass. Make up: Bella Brides, Photography: Claire Elise Photography, Frock:  Helena Couture Designs

WATER

Bottled water, jugs of water, water dispensers, whatever… H20 is going to be a life-saver for some of your guests, especially those who have travelled far to get to your ceremony.Roxy Hotten, QLD Celebrant

I attended a wedding as a guest where the bride fainted from the heat.  So stay well hydrated during the day getting ready and make sure you have something to eat before the ceremony!” Amanda Lutvey, QLD Celebrant

SHADE

Think about whether there’s any shade at your ceremony area.  Make sure you ask the venue, or visit the location at the time of the day that you are planning to have your ceremony.  If there’s no shade, provide some, either with parasols, a marquee, umbrellas, or warn your guests beforehand so they know to bring some. 

Fresh and natural make up and hair will keep in place all day long. Photo: Aesthete Film and Photography

TIMING

Be mindful of sunset times, storm likelihood in summer, and discuss with venue and the photographer about the best time to hold ceremony.  Oh, and always have a back up plan for torrential rain and heat waveCarmen Dillon, QLD Celebrant

SLIP, SLOP, SLAP

Provide sunscreen, suggest guests bring hats, and warn everyone beforehand that they will be little/no shade so dress appropriately.

FANS

One of my weddings handed out hot pink paper fans at the ceremony for all of the guests.  Made the photos very cool, as well as the guests!” – Anna Bauer, QLD Celebrant

Print an Order of Service, or thank you’s on the fans for guests” – Venita Manning, QLD Celebrant

Whether giving bonbonniere to guests or cute little carry pieces for your bridal party, we love the summer fan collection by Sista and Co.

DRESS APPROPRIATELY

We love a three-piece tailored suit, but when it’s 38 degrees with 90% humidity… yeah, no.  Consider a dress code for you and your guests which will allow them to be comfortable, eg: smart casual rather than black tie.

And for those wearing a wedding dress, make sure you consider the weather when out shopping.  It’s easy to fall in love with a frock that’s super glam, but if it’s heavy and hot, you’re not going to enjoy wearing it on the day.

For those wearing shirts, get two of them, one for the ceremony and outdoor photos, then a fresh one to wear to the reception.  It’s amazing how sweaty you get waiting around and if you feel any stress.Sarah May Alexander, QLD Celebrant

Summer wedding dresses stocked by White Lily Couture

MAKE-UP

Make sure you get ready in air conditioning, and have air conditioning in your car.  What you don’t want is to get all dolled up, travel in an old car with no A/C, and arrive with your hair all frizzy and your make up running.

Keep make up more natural looking to prevent a melting face after the ceremony is done.” Ange Buttigieg, QLD Celebrant

Make-up: Bella Brides, Photo: Aesthete Film and Photography

AND FINALLY

Don’t jump in and book a wedding ceremony spot without thinking through whether it’s appropriate for the time of year you want to marry.  Consider whether it’s truly practical to have that summer wedding in the middle of a tree-less field at 12pm.  Having your heart set on a particular spot may mean that you need to rethink the time of year or day you’d like to marry. 

Sadly, we’ve seen weddings where guests are burnt to cinders before the ceremony has even started, where brides are as frazzled as their frizzled hair, groom are grumpy and wanting to get their jacket off toot-sweet, and where the celebrant has an internal monologue of ‘Please don’t faint, please don’t faint’.

 

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Author Bio

Roxy Hotten

Roxy is a dog-loving, wine-sipping, vintage-hunting Celebrant, and the Queensland Local Leader for The Celebrant Society.
Having started her celebrant career in 2011 in the UK, where she lived for 26 years, Roxy has a hybrid London/Australian accent that confuses almost everyone she meets (‘Are you New Zealander?’).  She lives on the northside of Brisbane with her yeasty-smelling rescue-Staff X, Valentine Mc Farty. In her spare time, you can find Roxy out on her bicycle, scouring op-shops for vintage bargains, down her local bowls club where she hosts a trivia night, or hanging out in her garden, trying hard not to kill anything.

FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT