The summer wedding season is here! Flights may not be cheaper, but moods are lighter thanks to the longer days & sunshine. You may have spent some time thinking about unique summer wedding ideas or the trendiest beach wedding dresses, but have you considered common mistakes that most brides make during summer?
We’ve compiled a list to save you the hassle. Check each one to make sure that your own goes as smoothly as possible!
1. Providing Inappropriate Beverages
The thought of summer comes with vodka lemonades and margaritas, sangrias and beer. However, remember that not all alcoholic drinks or cocktails are wedding appropriate. If you want an elegant theme, for example, you won’t serve an overload of tequila shots and malt liquor.
Have some good wine prepared for the party. If the weather is too warm, a chilled rose and Prosecco make for the perfect summer sips. Don’t forget your non-alcoholic drinks, too. Iced teas and fruit juices should be on your drinks menu, keeping everyone refreshed.
If you’re planning on going to someone else’s wedding this summer, our guide to attending a summer wedding can help you get prepared!
2. Spending Your Wedding Ceremony Sweating
Time your wedding ceremony to make the best use of the sunlight and achieve a romantic mood. Avoid holding the ceremony during the hottest time of the day. If you do this, by the time everyone is present and you’re ready to kiss your groom the sun will have settled a little lower in the sky.
Your guests will also be glad when their photos turn out better because they’re not sweating in their gowns. Can’t turn down the heat but still want to hold your party outside? Look for shaded areas or proper wedding gazebos and tents or terraces to deal with this.
If it’s going to be a scorcher, remind the members your wedding party to bring deodorant and anything else that would help make their time in the heat more bearable!
3. Forgetting the Less Fun Aspects of Nature
A forest wedding may sound fantastic and straight out of a midsummer’s fairy tale. But this is also high time for bugs and insects! Your dozens of guests could be the feast that the forest ticks and mosquitoes are waiting for.
If you must hold your ceremony in the woods, have adequate bug spray available, or remind everyone to dress with legs covered to avoid insect bites. The same goes for grassy or muddy areas. There could be the occasional sun shower or unexpected rain. If you’re at a beach, sand flies may be an issue. Whichever force of nature you intend to deal with, come prepared!
4. Not Setting the Right Summer Vibe
When planning your wedding, there are many summer themes that can enhance the most important day of your life. Flowers thrown everywhere artistically. A fun grill or beach bonfire. These can all set a more delightful mood for everyone present. Garden torches can also add the awesome lighting you need. Forget the DIY café string lights; they only serve to attract afternoon insects.
5. Killing the Mood with Excessive Formality
You’ve heard it before: your wedding should be the happiest day of your life. So have a little fun — or a lot! Summer weddings are a great chance to be more informal than other seasons of the year.
Wedding expert and events designer Bryan Rafanelli agrees. “Take the warm weather into account,” he says, “and the fact that not everyone may want to get dressed to the nines. Summer does, however, create the opportunity to incorporate joys of the season into your event.”
You can raise the fun level by choosing the right playlist for the after-party, or by hiring great entertainers. A fun wedding host can also help carry the event along better.
6. Going Overboard on DIY Details
Remember that your wedding day should not cause you significant stress. Choose your battles! Go with hiring professionals or even friends who will know how to organize everything exactly the way you want.
Don’t succumb to every Instagram photo or feel pressured to take on all the creativity yourself. Summer heat can also drain you of energy — recruit the right wedding team to help you survive the heat and get through this important day!
7. Not Planning the Wedding Dress Properly
You may have wanted to wear your mother’s high-necked, laced wedding dress, which was passed on by her great-grandmother. And you could possibly get away with the traditional fashion, but the heat is an issue you need to consider.
Be prepared for the warmth and potential humidity of summer. Consider how comfortable — or uncomfortable — you will feel when wearing your dress in this season. Some of the most chic wedding dress styles are fuss-free and breathe well. Find something that fits the weather, and your body will definitely appreciate it.
8. Forgetting to Wear Sweat-Proof Makeup
This is the one time of the year you might need that waterproof mascara and light foundation. Not because of the emotions you will feel as your dad walks you down the aisle, but because it’s too hot for makeup!
Plan for your wedding by not forgetting this important detail. If you have hired hair and makeup artists, make sure they know you will be holding the ceremony in the summer heat. Ask them to come prepared with the right brands and fixes for this. Most professional makeup artists get this type of request a lot. They’ll be happy to oblige.
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