Many of us dream of having a Summer wedding and with good reason! Who doesn’t want guaranteed blue skies, stunning sunsets, and a beautiful, golden tan to contrast the wedding whites? The sunshine season gifts us with so many more venue options, like sandy beaches or vast vineyards, which are magnificent backdrops for those everlasting wedding photos. Honestly, what could possibly go wrong when you have a summer wedding?

Well, for many couples in love, planning a wedding, especially when doing so without the foresight and experience of a professional planner, there may be things that accidentally get overlooked. This blog will help you consider possibilities you might have forgotten and prevent you and your guests from melting on your big day.

DO Keep Cool

In the peak of summer heat, it is hot all hours of the day and night! Keep yourself and your guests cool with signature iced cocktails, air conditioning, and a canopy to protect everyone from the powerful sun. Fans that spray mist are also a great option for an outdoor dance floor. However, this means that, although cool, your guests might regret getting their hair done for the occasion.

You might even consider providing guests with a personalised hand fan as a wedding souvenir, or a fun addition to your wedding goodie bags. You might also consider handing out customised flip flops for those guests who braved formal footwear… and came to regret it.

Providing some sunscreen would probably be greatly appreciated too!

DON’T Leave Invitations Until the Last Minute

Save-the-dates are a crucial part of throwing a summer wedding and you should send them out as soon as possible. Most people plan to take their vacation time during the summer months and it is the busiest season in terms of events.

Let your guests know well in advance, so your wedding can be a priority that friends and family will surely not miss!

If you are planning a destination wedding, this could be your guests’ big trip of the season too! That is even more of a reason to give your guests a lot of time to plan around your celebration, take the necessary time off work, and make the necessary arrangements.

DO Consider Light Fabrics

Lighter fabrics mean you maintain your energy levels for longer, instead of losing it all to the heat. When you are picking your wonderful wedding dress, be sure to consider light-weight fabrics. You will definitely want to be able to dance and socialise for hours while still remaining comfortable. There are many breathable fabrics that look as incandescent as a bride could hope for, such as silk, so you could be practical without sacrificing style and compromising the bridal image. If you want to be daring and adventurous, you might even consider wearing a shorter skirt. Heavy gowns might look as a fairytale and magical as a wedding dress can get, but a sticky bride is not a happy one, and above all else, your happiness and enjoyment of the day is what really counts.

It goes without saying that the same goes for the groom’s attire! There are some incredibly-designed linen suits out there that compliment the beach wedding look fantastically, without renouncing the title of Best-dressed and Most Dashing Groom.

DON’T Leave Your Cake in the Sun

A lot of couples splurge on a fantastic multi-tiered cake with intricate decorations that are masterpieces of creativity and hours of hard work, and the last thing you want as your dessert table centrepiece is a fondant flood! Keep that tasty tower refrigerated until about an hour before dessert is being served in order to allow it to reach room temperature by the time you are playfully smothering cake into your newly beloved’s face for those classic shots.

DO Serve Lighter Fare

There is so much fresh, succulent produce that is available in the summer months, so try to design your menu around them. Try not to over-stuff your guests with heavy, rich food in the blazing heat, otherwise, you would be severely limiting the rocking dance moves they have been waiting to show off.

You could serve ice-cream based desserts, fruit cocktails and cool, fresh Mojitos to keep everyone satiated and mobile.

DON’T Start the Ceremony Early

Whether it is a church wedding, or having the ceremony held outdoors, it is crucial to remember that shade can be stifling too. When selecting your venue, ensure there is an adequate cooling system, and, even then, you should consider a late afternoon ceremony.

Do not let the heat steal your guests’ attention and outshine your vows. Yes, the reception is when the fun happens, but the most romantic and memorable moments happen during the ceremony, so secure the spotlight with a later wedding.

An experienced, professional and guiding hand might be just what you need to remove the stress from your wedding planning. Sarah Young is the leading wedding planner in Malta whom hundreds of couples turn to in order to make their dreams come through. Contact Sarah Young to guarantee your special day is as magical as you expected it to be.