From high temperatures, to high prices. Venues and timelines tweaks, would-be catastrophes, and endless potential. Here’s how to plan a wedding in the height of summer.

This is a place where everything is more: More bright, more colourful, more straight-from-a-magazine. More expensive, more hot, more difficult to plan. Sexy as hell, and just as mischievous; dreamy, and exciting, and wildly unpredictable. This, my friend, is a wedding in the summer.

So how do you deal with this beautiful beast? This opportunity and liability all rolled into one. Well, you prepare. You pre-empt. You wring every drop of fun out of every opportunity, and fix every problem from a mile away.

A Quick Reality Check

Let me just say, whatever happens, your wedding day is going to be fucking amazing. Incredible, unforgettable. Hands-down, one of the best days of your life. But it might not be perfect.

You might spend the whole day looking out at the rain. Your budget will vanish, babies will burn, and Boomers will moan. Nana will shrivel like a raisin in the sun and someone will get bitten by a mosquito. Instagram is full of perfect summer weddings. Real life is not.

So, embrace the imperfect; expect it, accept it. Hope for sunshine, but have just as much fun dancing in the rain. Focus on the things that matter, and let go of the things you cannot control.

Find a Summer Venue

Finding the perfect summer venue is tricky. You want space outdoors for your drink’s reception, and after-dinner chill. A big lawn for games, gardens in bloom, and a nice view of the sunset. But that’s all obvious, right?

The tricky part is, you also need a Rainy Day Plan B. For everything. Your ceremony, drinks reception, couple shots, confetti… When you’re venue hunting, look at the indoor spaces as well. Would an indoor ceremony be a disaster? Is there space indoors for everyone to be comfortable? Or would a whole day inside be hell on earth?

Find somewhere you love unconditionally – where Plan B is as good as Plan A. If your whole day hinges on sunshine, your weather app will be hot-to-the-touch.

Make Peace with the Price

Your photographer can’t be in two places at once. Your venue can’t double-book you (we’ve all seen Bride Wars). And come September, your florist won’t have slept for three months straight. So of course they put their prices up when they’re busy. It’s not greed, it’s basic business. It’s the same reason Mexico is cheaper in hurricane season, and Santa suits are pennies if you hire them in June. 

My advice? Make your peace with it now. They’re not trying to screw you over; they’re just covering their bills. And in January, they’ll be getting paid sweet fuck all.

If you’re looking to save money, book last-minute. A year out, they’ve still got time to get a full-price booking (and they probably will). If they’re still available a month before, they might be more willing to negotiate. But be warned: this is a fucking stressful way to plan. And since the good ones get booked-up early, you might have to compromise on the experience you want.

Prepare for Extremes

Summer weather is extreme. Sometimes it’s roasting hot; squinting-bright, and sticky-uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s fucking tipping it down. And then most of the time it’s absolutely fine! But you just don’t know, do you? It’s like reaching into a mystery bag of sweets with marshmallows, and Haribo, and the occasional snappy crab. So, cover your ‘what ifs’, and plan for everything.

If you’re having an outdoor ceremony, have it in the shade. Have parasols, fans, and bottled water for your guests. If you’re getting married at the height of summer, consider a later ceremony when the sun won’t be so punishingly hot.

And of course, plan for rain. Have a stash of clear umbrellas (they keep water out, and let light in) and communicate your indoor plan! Make sure everyone – your planner, your venue, your wedding party – knows what to do if the rain rolls in.

And then breathe. Smile. Relax. Whatever happens, you’ve got it covered.

Stay Hydrated Y’all

This is a marathon, not a sprint. Drink all day in any weather, and water is your best friend. Drink in the sunshine, and water is a lifesaver (sometimes literally). Have a glass of water in-between your other drinks. Have one of those water dispensers so your guests can stay hydrated too (you could even fill it with fruit to make it fancy!) Thirsty guests are moany guests, so make sure everyone has plenty of refreshments.

I won’t go on about it. You know this, you’re grown-ups.

Dress Sensibly

I saw a wedding in Seville where the boys were in black tuxedos…in 43°C! That’s objectively insane. You don’t want to be clammy in Calvin. Dripping in Dior. Horribly sweaty in House of Savin. You want to be happy.

So, look good, but be comfortable. Wear fabrics that breathe (linen, cotton, bamboo); keep it thin (silk), or loose and floaty (lace). Light colours reflect sunlight better, so consider a lighter-palette dress code.

And it wouldn’t hurt to share all this information with your guests. People are remarkably stupid. And there’s bound to be that one person who turns up in a black tuxedo for your wedding on the sun.

Make the Most of It

Think about the experience you want and plan a day you’ll actually enjoy.

Lean into the season. Have Pimms in the sunshine and games on the grass. Serve ice cream from a retro trike and pour Aperol Spritz. Stretch out the drinks reception so it has room to breathe. Give yourselves time to mingle. Book a live band. Head back outside after dinner. Set up a firepit with blankets so people can stay out into the evening. Get your guests comfortable, then slip away for sunset. Serve fish and chips as night falls.

Don’t just get married in the summer. Make it feel like summer.