Beating The Summer Wedding Heat

Make it an inside event.. I wouldn't do outside during the summer. FH and I are both huge hockey fans, but i'm not going to plan my wedding around NHL playoffs or the Stanley Cup.

Have a space inside for your guests. We wanted a late summer wedding and knew from the get go that we had to have our reception inside and a back up ceremony space we loved. We also got lucky that our venue gives us use of their out door patio for our wedding, closing it down to guests of the restaurant that day, which means if someone wants to step outside during the reception they have the choice to, and that we can use their fire pit for smores!

Look for venues that have that! Don't force your guests, or yourself!, to sit outside in the heat with no relief for 4+ hours!

I live in NC and IMO, outdoor weddings should be reserved for late April/early May or mid/late September. Any other time of the year is too hot or too cold and things should be held inside. Extreme temperatures could cause issues with people who are in sensitive groups, like the elderly, young children, and pregnant women.

We have three ballrooms where I work and they each have their own ceremony space outdoors. We are right in the bay. I tell brides who have this concern, you are outside for such a short time that it will be fine. One space has huge umbrellas that shades everything. Receptions are all held inside in AC. Ceremony will be fine outside, especially when you go later in the day.

You have it inside? Easy.

ETA: We went to an outdoor wedding recently, it was 84 degrees and literally the only thing everyone was talking about was how uncomfortable and hot it was. Please don't do that to your guests.

I live in TN and having a late August wedding that is going to be outside. Well the ceremony is. A big thing for us was that the ceremony site is in the shade a little after noon so that cools it off tremendously by 5 then there are fans in the cocktail garden and the reception site is inside an air conditioned barn. If it's just way too hot or rainy that day we have a backup ceremony site inside the barn too.

Duplicate.

The best thing to do is have an indoor wedding. If your heart is set on outdoor, your best bet is going to be a spring wedding. I live in SWPA and I wouldn't even have an outdoor wedding in August up here.

Man, please don't have a wedding in Richmond in August. I'm just outside Richmond. It's miserable here in August. Soooooo hot and humid.

I knew this girl who had an outdoor wedding in July in Texas. All my friends who went still talk shit about it.

Save yourself. Have it inside

I recommend that you have your wedding indoors. Generally August is miserable and humid. I live in NOVA, so not terribly far from Richmond. If you want outdoors then consider doing it in the spring or late September/early October (I know you didn't want fall but that is when the weather is decent enough for a outdoors wedding).

Gift each of your girls one of those handheld fans, and have one for yourself. I'm not even kidding. Keep them with you. During pictures, put them to the side.

I'm having a January wedding in TX. I'm still planning on it to be around 70 or 80, because this weather here is so unpredictable. But that's my advice!

Or have an indoor wedding. Don't bother with being outside if you don't have to. Your guests will thank you.

We are doing outside ceremony, inside reception. August is miserable in the South. Wait til mid-late September if you can.

Sounds like you're going to have to compromise.

Although we've had a few fortunate yet unusual cool days in August this year, in general, August can be miserable. My cousin had her wedding in early August, but thankfully it was indoors. If you want a summer wedding, make it indoors if possible. If you're hoping for an outdoor ceremony, your FH is going to have to compromise with you and do a fall wedding. It's just one day, surely he can manage. Otherwise, it sounds like you may have to wait until Spring. I understand it's not ideal, but I promise it goes by fast! My FH and I got engaged last May and our wedding is already next month!

Indoor reception!

I'll be putting a fan under our reception table to air out LOL

This is why air conditioning was invented

I've been to two outdoor summer weddings. Everyone left early and people still talk about how much it sucked.

I'm having a July wedding in New Orleans and having the ceremony inside. My venue does have a nice courtyard, though, and I am thinking of renting an outdoor cooling system to help make it more comfortable if guests want to hang out there. So that may be an option for any outdoor space.