Preparing For Hot Weather On Your Wedding Day

Tips for staying cool in creative ways

Unfortunately, weather is one of those things we have absolutely no control over. If you’re getting married in Melbourne- the rumours are true, expect 4 seasons in one day, even if it’s high summer. From January to March it can go from full blown heatwave of 40 degrees, to 19 degrees and torrential rain, sometimes even in same day! There’s no telling what weather will eventuate on your wedding day.

My personal feeling is that you don’t want hot weather to be the one thing people remember from your wedding day. From being a guest at my own friends’ weddings, I can remember seeing the groom with sweat beads across his forehead before the ceremony even began. Looking at the groomsmen in their three-piece suits and just thinking “They must be boiling!”

And while I remember sweet moments from the ceremonies, I can also recall the sweat rolling down the back of my legs at the very moment they were sharing their personal vows.

On a 40-degree day, you’ll probably find me on the beach catching all the rays. But there are guests at your wedding who might not be okay in the heat. We don’t want to put them at risk.

And the last thing I want is for anyone in the wedding party to faint mid-ceremony!

So, if the forecast is over 30 degrees it's a “scorcher” here's some creative ways to keep cool, with added cool-factor.

1. Pre or post ceremony popsicles

Everyone loves an icy pole on a hot day – guaranteed. Offering pre-ceremony or post-ceremony popsicles is a great way for everyone to enjoy themselves despite the heat. An added touch your wedding will be remembered for. It’s easy to organise too – an esky with some ice and bingo! You can even delegate that one to your brother, uncle or best friend.

In terms of what icy poles you share, it’s up to you. But like everything on your wedding day, it’s more fun when it’s something you love. If you’re the kind of couple who stock up on Zooper Doopers before a heatwave – get those! If you can’t go past the traditional lemonade icy when you’re feeling sick, reel them out. If Rainbow Paddle Pops are your jam, same deal.

But if you’re a little fancy, you might like to make your own. You can pick a flavour combination which is you on a stick. Or two options if you’re a sugar vs spice kind of couple. You could even be sneaky and make some which have alcohol in them to really get the party started! Here’s some recipes if you’re a fan of homemade pops.

Non-alcoholic wedding popsicles:

Lemonade and passionfruit icy poles

Pine-lime and coconut pops

Pineapple and strawberry lava flow popsicles

Alcoholic wedding popsicles:

Margarita ice pops

Strawberry Moscato ice sticks

Gin lime-mint gimlet

Hot tip: serve inside an empty glass or cup to catch the drips.

Photo credit: @milla_shar

2. Your Number One Fans

I remember being in the clubs in Ibiza – aircon blaring with no effect! Then suddenly feeling a flutter of cool air from a handheld fan. 

The age-old wooden hand fan is surprisingly effective. You can choose a traditional design or a colour scheme to suit your wedding colour palette. You can even turn the fans into your bonbonniere with something personalised like a photo or a print of your favourite reading.

Some inspiration:

Engraved wooden fan

Personalised hand fans

Boho vibe – palm personalised fans

Or maybe you’re into gadgets, in that case Kmart has battery-operated hand-held fans. Who doesn’t love a trip to Kmart for bargain wedding styling!

Photo credit: John Solano Photography

3. Mr Whippy

Get an ice cream truck to stop by. Everyone will revel in their childhood favourites while wondering if it’s rude to go back for seconds! There are a tonne of suppliers in Melbourne who can make your ice cream dreams come true -Mr Whippy, Melbourne Ice Cream Vans, Mr Softy- to name a few. 

Or you can go for something sleeker with the likes of Something Sweet Gelato, Bianco Latte or Woofy’s.

Photo credit: Adam Taylor

4. Take your shoes off and get a drink

One of my favourite pre-wedding moments was walking towards the ceremony and noticing two big signs – “Shoes here” and “Grab a drink here”. Low and behold, under the shoes sign was a few shoe racks and under the drinks sign was a big esky with sparkling water and mineral waters to take into the ceremony. 

A lot of people don’t offer pre-ceremony drinks because it means their venue drinks package will have to start at that time. It’s one way to save costs and ensure you get to make the most of your booze time. However, a D.I.Y. non-alcoholic beverage might just be okay with the venue. Chat to them to see what’s possible!

Photo credit: Emily Stewart

5. Throw some shade

We often talk about using market umbrellas to shade a ceremony or outdoors areas. Sometimes they look crappy in photos and sometimes the venue really doesn’t have enough to cover the space. Plus, you don’t want to be left out in the blaring sun with make up running and fingers swelling to the point you can’t get rings on!

Providing parsols for guests is lovely way to add shade, while creating a beautiful aesthetic for photos! You can even be romantic and share one throughout the ceremony.

Keep it neutral with white paper parasols or get creative with patterns or colours. Be sure to hold on to them for photos – they make a great prop!

Photo credit: Vasia Han Photography

6. Slip, slop, slap

In the rush to get dapper for your big day, there’s a great chance guests forgot to apply SPF. Offer your wedding guests sunscreen with a little class. You can strip off labels and print your own, play around with signage or place it in cute little baskets at the end of each row.

If you want some signage ideas, hit me up – “Good times, without tan lines”?!!!

Photo credit: Sarabah Estate

7. What's cooler than being cool? A cooling station!

Sweat happens! Set up a cooling station for people to spritz and refresh. Get creative with the mist scents – lavender, rose or fresh cucumber. Add some hand towels in a basket and some H20 with your own labels - ta-da! A nice place for everyone to escape the heat.

For personalised water bottle labels, check out these suppliers:

Wedding Star

WeDoHoney

Zazzle

Fun cooling tips aside, make sure you discuss the hot weather plans at length with your venue. Get them to show you what it looks like as an outdoor setup and indoor option.

If it’s going to be steaming, also think about ways to reduce the ceremony time – sign the documents inside after the ceremony is finished, take out ‘I do’s’ or the words for exchanging rings. As your celebrant I can help you figure it out. If you’re reading this and I’m not your celebrant, ask them what the options are.

FINAL TIPS - Don't forget the wedding party! Consider personalised drink bottles for everyone to sip throughout the day. And two shirts for the groomsmen!

If you like what you read and want to chat to me about your summer wedding plans. Swap deets with me and we can get to conversation started!