Worrying about outdoor wedding and temperatures!

I went to a barn wedding in October in Michigan. It was beautiful -looked straight off Pinterest - and we were all freezing. It was an uninsulated barn (like a tent would be) and the bathrooms were those trailers located outside. They had about 3 of those stand heater things and most guests spent the entire evening huddled around them. I would have to get warmed up by one before I would brave going outside to use the bathroom. I was in a dress and heels, not exactly appropriate attire to be hanging out outside in October. Basically what I'm saying is that yea, to look at pictures it was an amazing wedding but to be there was a bit miserable. The heaters helped but honestly I would have preferred to just be inside. Or have the wedding earlier in the year. My comfort was sacrificed for pictures/bride's vision. A shawl would not have made a significant difference. Just be careful that your vision isn't overshadowing your guests' comfort!

Where in New England are you? If you don't mind me asking.

I'm a day later in Rochester. I went to the venue a year ahead and it was gorgeous. Fall leaves, sun out, didn't even need a jacket. You never know what the weather is gonna do. Have a back up plan but don't worry yourself sick over it! I am going to put outdoor ceremony on the invite somehow so people bring coats just in case maybe

Um....I did a wedding on Snowtober, a few Halloweens ago. You remember...it was snowing.

If it's cold, shawls aren't going to really help that much. Tents with heaters can be very, very comfortable, but walking outside to the bathrooms would be a deal breaker....

It is in Massachusetts...I myself went to a wedding on the ocean 2 years ago Columbus day weekend in October and the ceremony was outside and it was comfortable but the reception was inside and I have never been to one outside in a tent reception.

I would look into different types of heaters. Our venue was telling us about a type of heater that a truck comes and blows heat into the enclosed area a couple hours before the event.

I would not do this. It gets cold in the fall in the evening. Have the ceremony outdoors if you must and it's over 70, but at least have the reception indoors.

Then again, I think outdoor receptions are kind of gross anyway, with flies and bugs in the food and everything...

If you're dead set on everything being outside, you're probably going to need lots of heaters. You might get lucky and not need any, but you should plan on needing them.

The thing is this farm belongs to a very close friend of mine and she is letting us use the farm for free for our wedding. There is no indoor space big enough for the reception to be inside which is why we rented a tent.

You always need a back up plan for outdoor weddings! I did an October wedding & got lucky with perfect, 70 degree weather but you never know what you're going to get. Plan for plan B!

We have a back-up plan for an indoor reception with inclimate weather...The only thing I do not have an answer for is the bathrooms, unless we get a tented walkway which I have seen some tent companies offer.

If it's a friend's farm, why not move the date to September for safer weather?

I went to an outdoor wedding in NY on October 8 this year. It was lovely all the way until 10pm. But the day before it was like 40 degrees and it would have been miserable.

Get lots and lots of heaters and tell your guests it is outside so they dress appropriately with jackets and proper shoes. And have lots of hot drinks available. The temperature dogs when the sun goes down.

"We have no way to have a fully indoor reception!"

"We have an indoor inclement weather backup reception location!"

That makes zero sense. Have the reception in the backup location and call it a day. Asking your guests to freeze their asses off to save you a few bucks means a few things:

1: You're passing the buck to your guests in the form of discomfort.

2: You really don't care about your guests' comfort, and they'll get that message loud and clear.

3: You've invited more people than you can actually afford to properly accommodate and you need to cut your guest list until you CAN offer a weather-appropriate indoor reception location.

Period.

Stop putting your budget before your guests. That's just crappy hosting all the way around.

Bottom line there is no way to predict the weather. You need to have a full indoor back up plan.

It sounds like it would be easy to reschedule for August or September. Why not do that and then you don't have to worry about such variable weather? Is there some compelling reason to have it in October?

@mna...may have been a typo I meant to write we have a backup ceremony location not reception. @alwaysms. It is beautiful there with the fall foliage in October.

I appreciate everyone's advice, I am talking to the property owner next week about alternative dates earlier in the year.

I would be miserable in the cold! I probably wouldn't move the whole time and then I would probably end up leaving early. Yeah, I'd definitely try to change the date so everyone can be comfortable and therefore have fun!

(Binge watch the show Four Weddings. You will see guests true opinions on outdoor weddings.)

In a nutshell, no one will care about the beautiful foliage if they are freezing their asses off. You need to move the wedding to a warmer time of year. Like August or September. October is too unpredictable... freezing temps, snow, cold rain...

I use to do catering and did one on the shore in CT in summer and it was FREEZING that day.. they had tent heaters which helped but one of those trailers for the bathrooms plus we had a separate tent for the catering aspect not heated I was freezing my butt off but inside the tent was nice