Advice for my July outdoor ceremony

My wedding day was forecasted to be super hot. While we initially wanted an outdoor ceremony and chose the venue for its outdoor venue space, we decided on having the ceremony indoors the day before because it was projected to be so hot and we wanted to prioritize our guests’ comfort over the surroundings. Our ceremony was only 15 minutes long total, but guests are also out there for more time than that.

I had a wedding in 106 degree AZ heat. Guests can usually tolerate up to (but no more than 20-30 minutes) in the heat. We were beyond blessed that God brought in a cloud cover and breeze...but it was still hot.

When planning, my husband and I made the dress code, "cocktail attire" because it would keep guests happier in the heat with flexible dressing options. We also gave the guests the heads-up of the likely forecast based on the previous year.

Like you, I aimed to have a ceremony no more than 20 minutes. Fortunately, the ceremony was closer to 10 because my friend/officiant chose a simple Bible verse, and straightforward, simple vows that he selected that fit our personalities and wedding perfectly.

Note: Have the officiant print out the wedding "script" and print or practice your vows. Electronic equipment tends to malfunction and shut down in the heat. This was a direct tip given to us by our wedding planner who has seen cell phones, i-pads, tablets, and even DJ equipment shut down during weddings because of the heat.

To keep guests comfortable, I had the indoor bar area open for guests 30 minutes prior to the ceremony with plenty of water on hand. I bought several hand fans off of Etsy so that guests could fan themselves and I wouldn't have to hear the whirring of fans in the wedding video.

Is there shade where the ceremony is being held? We attended a wedding two summers ago that was outdoors in 90° weather. It was beyond miserable, and it is the first thought that pops into my mind when I think of that wedding. Everyone was complaining, and half the guests ended up staying inside the reception area and missed the ceremony because it was just too unbearable to be outside. There was no shade/coverage for the ceremony. It was just sun beating down on you. Perhaps if there had been coverage (trees or an open-sided shade tent with fans) it would have been bearable. I guess it just depends on how hot it is. A lot of the guests at this particular wedding had those cooling wraps on their necks, and the couple gave out tiny handheld fans… but over half the guests still had to skip the ceremony and stand indoors. Also, all the guests who were outdoors had pit stains and melted make up in photos. The bride later said she wished she had moved the ceremony indoors, and just taken 10 minutes later in the day to get some photos of her & the groom/wedding party in the outdoor space. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but. I would at least look into a shade tent (like the one below), if there is no shade at the ceremony side. And I would seriously consider a back up plan indoors in case it’s just too hot that day.

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Hannah's is the best option, honestly.

Without shade, that 95 degrees is going to be really uncomfortable for your guests. If you're insisting on doing this I would rent lots of fans that also spray mists of water around.

I would ask yourself if it's worth it to have the ceremony outside when the trade off is guest comfort.

I'm sorry but 95 is way too hot to be outside without any type of shade. Even though the ceremony is only 20 minutes long guests usually arrive between 15-30 minutes early which really means they will be sitting outside in the heat for much longer. We got married on the hottest day of the year (approximately 95) and our wedding was completely inside. We had some pictures with the bridal party outside and all they did was complain how hot it was and they were only outside for about 10 minutes at most. We also changed plans because we were going to go to a park for some couple photos and we decided to skip it due to the heat. I will also say that even inside an air conditioned building there were times the reception space felt really hot. If you plan on moving forward with an outdoor wedding then I'd plan for an outdoor bar prior to the ceremony so guests have access to drinks beforehand. It doesn't even have to be alcoholic drinks at that point. It could be as simple as iced water or sodas. Something that will keep them hydrated. I would also provide hand fans so they can cool themselves off. I would also definitely have a tent or some type of covering so the sun isn't beating down on everyone.

Hi all, thanks for the comments! We decided to splurge on an outdoor tent & some fans for cheaper than I originally thought. So hopefully with the tent, fans & individual fans, our guests will be comfortable for the short ceremony!

I was at an outdoor ceremony in July, it was over 90 but the ceremony was quick and the bride and groom had ice-cold bottles of water out for everyone as well as a pitchers of lemonade. On every seat was a program and little fan. Nobody melted it was a beautiful quick ceremony the rest of the evening was in ac. Have the best day!