Wedding season is officially in
full swing! With the gorgeous weather and seemingly endless hours of daylight,
it's no surprise that the summer months are some of the most popular times of the year to say, "I do."
But when the heat is on, hearts will melt, and unfortunately, so will other
things. To be the absolute best summer wedding host you can be, we talked to a
slew of expert wedding planners, who gave us the scoop on what they wish more summer brides would do. Get your notepads and pens
out, ladies! Elegant wedding gowns
1.
Order extra boutonnieres.
"The heat is tough on cut flowers. With all those big-loving hugs, a lapel receives a lot of action, and the summer suffers. Add an extra one or two to your floral order just in case they get squished or wilt before walking down the aisle." — Viva Max Kaley, NYC-based wedding planner and creator of Viva Max Weddings
"The heat is tough on cut flowers. With all those big-loving hugs, a lapel receives a lot of action, and the summer suffers. Add an extra one or two to your floral order just in case they get squished or wilt before walking down the aisle." — Viva Max Kaley, NYC-based wedding planner and creator of Viva Max Weddings
2.
Prepare for the weather.
"Just because it's summer doesn't mean the weather will hold out so I definitely advise having tents or a tent on standby. Also, it would be great if more outdoor brides had small bottles of sunscreen and parasols handy for guests. No one wants to get burnt during your ceremony." — Sofia Crookes, celebrity wedding planner and owner of Sofia Crookes Events
"Just because it's summer doesn't mean the weather will hold out so I definitely advise having tents or a tent on standby. Also, it would be great if more outdoor brides had small bottles of sunscreen and parasols handy for guests. No one wants to get burnt during your ceremony." — Sofia Crookes, celebrity wedding planner and owner of Sofia Crookes Events
3.
Use the weather to your advantage.
"I wish brides would put a little more thought into the wedding start time. For example, a reception that begins around sunset will give you and your guests that warm summer feeling, yet you can still enjoy an al fresco candlelit dinner, which I personally love." — Andrea Correlate, president of Elegant Affairs
"I wish brides would put a little more thought into the wedding start time. For example, a reception that begins around sunset will give you and your guests that warm summer feeling, yet you can still enjoy an al fresco candlelit dinner, which I personally love." — Andrea Correlate, president of Elegant Affairs
4.
Actually be on time.
"If you know that it's going to be a little warm at your ceremony, don't make your guests wait around an extra 30 minutes in the sun because the bride and her wedding party weren't ready to head down the aisle. You're better off not serving beverages before the ceremony since you end up with ugly cups and bottles in your wedding pictures. However, if you plan on putting your guests outside some place hot with nothing to drink, you'd darned well better be on time!" — Sandy Malone, owner of Weddings in Vieques
"If you know that it's going to be a little warm at your ceremony, don't make your guests wait around an extra 30 minutes in the sun because the bride and her wedding party weren't ready to head down the aisle. You're better off not serving beverages before the ceremony since you end up with ugly cups and bottles in your wedding pictures. However, if you plan on putting your guests outside some place hot with nothing to drink, you'd darned well better be on time!" — Sandy Malone, owner of Weddings in Vieques
5.
Reconsider formality
"For some reason, no matter how much I harp on my clients that it is hot and that they should maybe rethink their outfit or the formality of the day, they still want black tie. While the bride spends most of her time being pampered inside, she never experiences the heat and what the guests endure outside as they wait for the wedding to happen. To keep everyone happy and smiling, cover metal chairs, which are a conductor for heat, and hand out fans to guest as a takeaway item." — Brian Worley, celebrity event planner and co-founder of Your BASH!
"For some reason, no matter how much I harp on my clients that it is hot and that they should maybe rethink their outfit or the formality of the day, they still want black tie. While the bride spends most of her time being pampered inside, she never experiences the heat and what the guests endure outside as they wait for the wedding to happen. To keep everyone happy and smiling, cover metal chairs, which are a conductor for heat, and hand out fans to guest as a takeaway item." — Brian Worley, celebrity event planner and co-founder of Your BASH!
6.
Protect your wedding cake
"Buttercream is by far the best frosting option when it comes to standing up to the summertime heat, but even this yummy option can only endure so much. To prevent a full on wedding cake meltdown, ask your site's staff to store the cake in the refrigerator until you're ready to cut it. This will also keep mosquitos and gnats from attacking it. I've seen way too many cake photos ruined by these little critters!" — Andrea Freeman, celebrity wedding planner at Andrea Freeman Events
"Buttercream is by far the best frosting option when it comes to standing up to the summertime heat, but even this yummy option can only endure so much. To prevent a full on wedding cake meltdown, ask your site's staff to store the cake in the refrigerator until you're ready to cut it. This will also keep mosquitos and gnats from attacking it. I've seen way too many cake photos ruined by these little critters!" — Andrea Freeman, celebrity wedding planner at Andrea Freeman Events
