Heat Wave Weddings

Wedding season in Washington has been heating up this summer. We have seen record-breaking temperatures, heatwave after heatwave, and wedding season is nowhere near over. As temperatures rise again this weekend, make sure your wedding plan includes some easy beat-the-heat solutions. Here are some tips for keeping yourself and everyone else comfortable during your heatwave wedding.

1. Bottled water is your best friend. Plan ahead to put cases of bottled water everywhere. You should have readily available water in your bridal suite (or wherever you’re getting ready), at the reception site, the ceremony site, in the cars you’re taking from place to place, and anywhere else you might be during the day. If your dress makes it difficult to use the restroom, make sure you’ve got a bridesmaid on standby to help you when you need.
2. Ask a trusted bridesmaid and groomsmen to be in charge of encouraging the rest of the wedding party to hydrate on the day of. The last thing you want is to get halfway through your beautiful outdoor ceremony just for one of your bridesmaids to pass out due to the heat and dehydration.
3. Set your guests up for success. A station with communal sunscreens or a basket with personal-sized sunscreens for guests to take with them is an easy way to help guests combat the sun. A basket with paper fans or cute, simple sunglasses for guests to grab can also help keep everyone comfortable in the heat.
4. Put hydration on the menu. Have bottled water as well as non-alcoholic seltzer water available in fruity flavors to make hydrating fun. If you have waiters circulating with drink trays, discuss having bartenders whip up trays of garnished water or flavored waters to make hydration accessible and easy for everyone.
5. Shade-a-plenty. Make sure that your wedding site has ample shade for guests during the ceremony and reception. Be aware that some guests may be disproportionately affected by the heat and will need to sit in the shade to enjoy the day.
6. Talk to your photographer about taking group photos and formals before the ceremony. Sunshine and heat equals sweat and melting make-up. To ensure that everyone looks their best, snap pictures early in the day!

Thinking ahead about heatwave wedding hacks can really reduce your stress on the big day! Use these tips to easily keep everyone comfortable and hydrated all day, no matter the heat.