Summer Weddings
Masks may be required!
Summer Weddings
A few things you should know
You are engaged and planning a wedding in the sunshine state ….FLORIDA
Florida summers are not only hot but humid. This is a different kind of heat than dry heat. There is more moisture in the air, you will sweat more and your hair and makeup may not hold up. If you are spending money on a nice wedding cake, consider that it will sweat (fondant icing) and slide in the sweltering heat.
Planning your wedding earlier in the morning or later in the evening may help make the heat and humidity more bearable for you and your guests. Consider choosing a venue that has indoor and outdoor space so that there is some relief from the heat and humidity. Covering the chairs will help with the real possibility of the wooden or plastic chairs being too hot to sit on. We are experiencing days in the upper 90’s and if the chairs are on slow bake for even an hour (most chairs are set up hours in advance) your guests can end up with some hot hineys (and not in a good way. ) If your dream day includes having the ceremony outside, provide fans, ice cold water bottles and a ceremony that fits well inside of a 30 minute time slot, have the cocktail hour on a covered porch, under a large shady group of trees or move the festivities inside along with the reception.. Or better yet have the whole affair indoors. Make sure the temperature is turned down to 60 degrees or below. This may seem cold but as soon as your guests arrive the temperature will go up and soon you will have guest and vendors complaining about being uncomfortable. This is also a good idea for home weddings.
Venue Pricing
Many venues have higher prices in the summer months because summer brides are still traditionally requesting a time of the year when the weather is warm and the sky is sunny. Since June is the most popular month almost anything to do with a wedding will be at a premium price. Consider out of season months for your wedding or having a weekday wedding to save money. Trust me your friends and family would not mind taking a day off to celebrate with you!
Butterfly Releases
If you plan on incorporating a butterfly release make sure it is scheduled and done no later than 7pm if you want the butterflies to fly out of the box. They also can’t be too cold.
Consider your wedding day attire
Take care to decide on your wedding attire, especially if you are having an outside or beach wedding. Trains may get trampled, dirt or leaves on them and full suits for groomsmen and women may show visible sweating. Check out these detachable wedding dresses or short wedding dresses on my Pinterest board. Bring slides, tennis shoes or flip flops to wear after the ceremony pictures.Try not get sunburned leading up to your wedding day especially if you are wearing attire that would show tan lines. Sunblock is your friend.
Seasonal Flowers
You have probably been eyeing that fabulous bouquet you saw in the latest bridal magazine shoot or website like the ones shown above at that I captured at weddings I have done. These are all very pricey bouquets. Rose, lilies and hydrangea are some of the most expensive and most requested wedding flowers. Consider other less expensive flowers that are in season and can add an unique look to your wedding day florals.
Consider a few things when choosing a summer wedding bouquet. First you want a pop of color that offers some contrast to your wedding attire, otherwise the expensive bouquet may blend into your attire during photos. Also the bigger the bouquet, the heavier they are and of course more costly. Do your homework when shopping for bouquets. Don’t be afraid to combine real and artificial flowers, or go to your local grocer and make your own bouquets from their colorful selections. ask for a petite bouquet. I have some examples here .
You can also get a few choice flowers and fill the rest of the bouquet with less expensive filler flowers. While I personally love seeing weddings with real flowers, the flowers are tossed out afterwards. Have a stipulation to use them for the reception and have them taken to a local nursing home or hospital where they may brighten someone’s day. If the venue is booked for the next day, you may want to reach out to the couple to see if they want to share the cost and reuse the flowers. This was actually done once at a wedding I did for a Canadian couple and the bride did not want to see the florals go to waste. Both parties saved money, the flowers were still fresh and beautiful and then they were taken to the local retirement home. Another couple even shared the expenses on the chairs since they were going to use the same company anyways. I am sure a couple out there just fainted at the thought… but for brides looking to cut costs, there are plenty of unconventional ways to get the fabulous wedding you want without going broke. another great option is to have your bouquet dried and framed. There is a lovely company in Winter Park Florida that does an excellent job.
Happy Summer future couples!
Sheri Thomson Orlando/Central Florida Professional Wedding Officiant
I DO Weddings by Sheri
