This summer has seen temperatures in the UK rise into the 30s, and whilst you may be worrying about rain on your wedding day, you are unlikely to have planned for the opposite problem, the heatwave!
A hot summer’s day sounds great in theory, beautiful light for photos, late night drinks on the lawn and no soggy confetti. In reality though, 32 degrees in the UK can turn your beautifully planned day into a slightly sweaty scramble if nobody is keeping an eye on the details.
The good news is you absolutely can have a wonderful wedding in a heatwave.
As on-the-day wedding coordinators, we’ve spent years running weddings across London and the Home Counties in every setting you can imagine: marquees in full sun, city rooftops, barns, town halls and grand hotels. We have seen weddings come to life in all weathers. If it looks like it is going to be hitting high temperatures on your wedding day, you don’t need to panic. Instead it comes down to clever planning and someone on the ground making plans work, so you don’t have to.
Here’s our guide to keeping your cool, if your wedding falls on one of the hottest days of the year.
Can You Heatwave-Proof a Wedding?
You can’t change the weather, but you can change how your day works around it. Most weddings are planned months (sometimes years) in advance, so the trick isn’t predicting a heatwave. Instead it’s about building enough flexibility into your plans that when the forecast becomes clear on wedding week, you can adapt without any stress.
That means thinking ahead about shade, timings, water and your suppliers, and having someone whose job it is to make those changes happen on the day while you carry on enjoying yourself.
Step 1: Review Your Wedding Day Timeline
A lot of your wedding timings will be fixed, but there may be some small adjustments you can make to work with, not against the weather.
Change the time of your wedding photos. Having couple portraits during the hottest part of the day may not give you the results you are hoping for. Ask your photographer about moving your couple portraits to the early evening golden hour instead. You’ll be cooler and the photos will be even more gorgeous.
Slow the day down. Build in longer transitions between each part of the day. Guests move more slowly in the heat, and rushing 100 warm people from ceremony to drinks reception is nobody’s idea of fun. You can ask your coordinator to give everyone plenty of time to move from one space to the next.
Push the party later. If your venue allows, start the dancing a little later so that your dance floor fills up once the temperature drops, or if your venue and entertainment allows it, perhaps there’s an option to take the party outside?
Step 2: Keep Your Guests Cool and Comfortable
In a heatwave your guests need looking after a little more than usual, so how can we give them that extra attention?
Water, water everywhere. Water stations at the ceremony, at the drinks reception and on every table. Add ice buckets, sliced citrus and plenty of top-ups. This is the one thing we would never compromise on. Also make sure you drink water too, you will want to keep your energy up during the day.
Create shade. Parasols, umbrellas, gazebos, or simply moving the ceremony chairs under the trees. If your venue has both a sunny and a shaded option, have a plan B agreed in advance so switching is easy.
Little touches go a long way. Suncream by the door, paper fans on chairs or a last minute addition of ice lollies after the ceremony will definitely make your guests feel appreciated.
Look after the most vulnerable. Older guests, little ones and anyone who is pregnant will feel the heat first. Reserve them shaded seats, ensure there’s someone to keep an eye on them throughout the day, and ask the venue about a cool indoor space they can escape to.
Step 3: Chat with your suppliers
Heat affects your suppliers just as much as your guests, and a quick conversation in advance saves a lot of stress on the day.
Your cake needs a cool room and a late set-up. Buttercream and 30 degree heat are not friends. Ask your caterer or venue where the cake will live until cutting time.
Your flowers should be delivered as late as possible and kept in water and shade. Talk to your florist about heat-hardy blooms if you’re marrying in peak summer.
Your band or DJ may need extra shade or fans for their equipment if they’re playing outdoors or in a warm space inside.
Step 4: Think about yourselves
You are going to feel the heat more than anyone. You are likely in the heaviest outfits, you’re the centre of attention, and you’ll barely sit down all day.
Keep drinking water and eat properly at breakfast even if the nerves say otherwise.
Ask your makeup artist about heat-proof, long-wear products and consider a touch-up kit for later.
Plan a moment to lose the jacket if you are in a suit, and if you’re in a big dress, schedule a proper sit-down break somewhere cool. You can even agree to change into something cooler in the evening for when you hit the dance floor.
What Does a Wedding Coordinator Actually Do in a Heatwave?
This is where we come in. All of the ideas above are easy to write down and much harder to actually make happen at 2pm on the day, when you’re mid-photos and someone needs to decide whether the ceremony chairs move into the shade.
As your on-the-day coordinators, we watch the forecast in the final week and can work with you to adapt any plans or timings that could be an issue. On the day itself, we’re the ones moving the water stations to where people actually are, chasing the caterers for more ice, finding a fan for the band, walking your grandparents to the coolest seats and quietly adjusting the timeline so nobody is standing in full sun waiting for the next thing to happen. We will even carry water for you during your couple photos, because we want you to look and feel your best.
You planned a beautiful day and our job is to ensure the weather doesn’t take anything away from that.
Our Five Heatwave Wedding Essentials
- Water stations everywhere, always topped up
- Shade for the ceremony
- Include extra time for moving your guests around
- Cold storage sorted for the cake and flowers
- Someone on the day whose job it is to adapt when the temperature climbs
A heatwave doesn’t have to be a disaster. Handled well, it becomes part of the story, some of our favourite weddings have been scorching and they have been incredible.
If you’re planning a summer wedding and want the peace of mind that someone has all of this covered while you soak up every moment, we’d love to help. Take a look at our on-the-day coordination packages or book a complimentary discovery call for a chat about your day.