How hot is too hot for an outdoor ceremony?

How long is your ceremony? If it's short 15/20 minutes, I think guests can suck it up regardless of the temp.

I'm not normal though. It can never be too hot for me. It was 107 in St. Louis last year when FH and I were there for a ballgame and I loved it. Ideal in my opinion.

Edited: Do you have the option of planning for outside, but if weather doesn't permit, moving it indoors? You could just play it by ear.

Summer before last, a friend of FH got married outside in July in Indiana. It was in the early evening and it was MISERABLE. (Over 90)

Just reading July in Philly makes me warm. It's not the heat, it's the humidity. You really don't want your guests sticking to their chairs of feeling like they need to take a shower right afterwards. I'd say if it's humid, anything over 80 would be uncomfortable for more than 15-20 minutes. Can you set up fans or umbrellas to block the sun?

I spend a decent amount of time in philly and it gets HOT. I live in a shore town so im use to the sea breeze and cooler temps. Even if philly is the same temp as atlantic city it feels 15 degrees hotter.

What time is your ceremony? Can you start it later so that the cooler temps will have started to kick in? 70 in july in philly doesnt happen until nighttime.

Yay for another Philly girl. July can be so hard here because like you said, it can be 70 one day and 100 the next. 2 summers ago I suffered through an outdoor wedding at 106 degrees. It was awful. Like Crystal said, it's not the heat, it's the humidity.

I'm totally just pulling this out of no where, but if I were going to make a cut off I think it would be 80 something.

The ceremony should be relatively short -- no longer than 30 minutes. Yep, we have the option of planning for outside and moving it inside if the weather is bad. I am just not sure where the cut-off should be. I know for sure if it's 90 plus we will hold it inside, so I was thinking somewhere in the 80s should be the cut-off.

I just don't want our guests to think back on our wedding and think how miserable they were sitting in the heat, like you said Glenda C.!

Right now we have the ceremony starting at 5 p.m., but FH wants to move it until 5:30 or later (one reason is because it won't be as hot.)

When I looked at the typical temperature for July 4 in Philly, it says the typical high is 84 degrees, so who knows! It could be 70 and nice or 110 and disgustingly hot!

I'm having mine on the beach in the hot Caribbean in the end of June ! Hope there's a little breeze then reception is also outside on covered terrace - should have an ocean breeze. Fingers crossed

My sister got married in August, not Philly, but still in PA. It was over 100° and 15 min. Wouldn't have been to bad, but the ceremony started like 30 min. late because my sister waited to long to get ready, our poor guests were out there forever waiting for it to start and ended up roasting

My brother got married outside in mid-July in Texas (south of Houston...talk about humidity and guaranteed >100 degrees). Most of the guests who arrived more than ~5 min before the ceremony started hung out inside where the venue provided water and my SIL decorated the little lobby area with pictures and such so people could look at something if they wanted. There were also some tables and chairs there inside.

Then ~5 min before the ceremony, everyone but the wedding party went out and took their seats. Then the processional, ceremony, recessional and back inside. All told, maybe 25 minutes (they didn't do any extra readings or anything). I was pretty worried that it would be miserable, but it wasn't. The rehearsal was b/c we spent the whole time outside, but the actual wedding was lovely. It started at 6:30.

So I would say as long as you have a place indoors for guests to relax ahead of time or if they show up early, you will be fine.

OMG @ Juliette - I was worried about my wedding, but mid-July in Houston!?! wow. lol - I feel a lot better about mine

Lol @Purple Sun...I thought they were completely insane too!!!! But it worked out.

I should add -- there was lots of direct shade at the ceremony spot; just noticed you said you had none...that makes a big difference.

The only way I would have a summer wedding outdoors ANYWHERE is if the setup was like Juliette described. You have to remember, even if the ceremony itself is short, some people arrive early, sometimes things start late (our wedding started late and I was ADAMANT that it wouldn't), and then before you know it, people have been sitting out there for an hour or more.

As far as yourself - remember your emotions are going to be up, which means your heartrate is going to be up, which means you're going to be warmer than usual. At least I was. Our wedding day was 45 degrees and I was so grateful.

If you can set it up like Juliette described, I would also make sure people have access to cold drinks, even cold bottles of water, and maybe set out some fans.

If there's no structure close by, maybe you could rent a tent with some chairs/tables where you have drinks and fans set out for people?

Otherwise - inside I would go.

I remember a wedding during the second week of July in the NY suburbs. It took place at 5:00 PM, and it was outdoors. The ceremony space looked over a beautiful body of water. The temperature was still hovering at around 88 degrees, and the humidity was so high that you could barely see the bridge in the distance. Truly miserable. Lots of hair frizzing and flopping, and lots of brow wiping.

There are always older people who simply cannot tolerate that type of heat. If the heat is oppressive (and you'll know if it is by how often they comment on it on the radio and TV), you might want to move the ceremony indoors.

For some reason, half the weddings I have been to have been outdoors in the greater DC area during July or August. I'm not going to lie... it can be rough.

If your ceremony is short and there is indoor space for people to gather before the ceremony begins, then it's probably doable. But I'd also consider having water and fans (yay program fans, they have been my saving grace at several weddings!) like kris suggested.

@Juliette - were you talking to me about the shade? ours will be under shady trees and in the morning in September so I think it will be fine.

I think it depends, personally I would be concerned about the humidity in Philly that time of year. you better make sure your hair is hard core sprayed to keep it from frizzing, unless you are lucky (unlike me) and dont have to worry about that lol. I have been to a wedding in a desert in July and it was bearable because it was short. So thats the key. It was about 98degrees for me and I was ok. It was also windy so that helped. Can you set up fans? Have a drink station byt the back with water or lemonade to keep them hydrated while they wait, or have everyone wait inside and then be escorted to the ceremony site. Fans for programs would help too. But I would judge the day of that if its humid and in the high-80s to move it. If it isnt humid, they can bear it. I assum ether are chairs too so no standing around?

I'm from Philly and have suffered through outdoor ceremonies lol. Honestly I don't care, if its only for a bit I can suck it up. Offer fans that's my big thing.

@ Purple Sun -- no the OP mentioned the garden setting she has doesn't have any direct shade. I think that might make a difference even in a short ceremony.

Last year I went to a wedding in mid July for a co-worker. It was hot and humid. She decorated with paper flowers she made. The flowers ended up looking pretty sad. Actually, we all looked pretty sad. The groomsmen looked miserable. Now, I don't like the heat generally, but this was just bad. You can't really get up and go inside either. Can you imagine getting up when the ceremony is started and leaving?

Personally, I don't mind the heat, in general. I can be outside in the middle of summer in the sun for hours a day and be fine. It can be 90* outside & I will be bundled under blankets inside on the couch, drives my parents and FI insane! However, when it comes to humidity, I'm a pansy, but not out of my own free will. If it is hotter than 80* when the humidity is included, I start getting a heat stroke & dehydrated within 10 minutes of being out in the sun. So, honestly, I would make the cut off 80* when you add in the humidity. If you have any guests like me that can't take full on sun & humidity, there is the potential of them having health problems, no matter how short your ceremony is or how much of a breeze there is. Don't forget about yourself! Your guests can plan their wardrobe accordingly (guys wear dressy khaki shorts, women wearing shorter, light weight dresses, etc), but if your dress is long and heavy, you will get HOT quick!! Don't wanna pass out at the alter!