7 Key Summer Wedding Planning Tips

Summer sounds like the perfect time to have your wedding. You have plenty of gorgeous options right here in Toronto, from hip downtown locations to romantic estates on the outskirts of the city–not to mention the fact that when you and your spouse head off on your honeymoon, you’ll have your choice of amazing, warm locations. As you plan your summer wedding, however, there are several summer wedding planning tips you shouldn’t forget.

Summer Wedding Planning Tips

1. Vendors get picked over fast

From your photographer to the bakery making your cake, vendors disappear fast during the summer months. If you want to secure the vendors you really want, it’s important to secure your vendors as early as possible. A last-minute summer wedding can be the hardest to prepare! Make sure to confirm your deposits and your dates with your vendors early so that you get your faves. 

2. Evaluate the heat

When you walked over your outdoor venue in May, it was beautiful. The sun was shining on the grounds, and the temperature was perfect! Unfortunately, a venue that is comfortably warm in spring may be stifling in the summer. Take the time to consider the temperature in your area and plan accordingly. If you’re inviting elderly guests, an indoor wedding and reception might help keep them safer. Tents with fans can also help stave off the heat. Remember the bridal party, too: you don’t want your makeup running or your hair going flat in the middle of the pictures! You should also consider the chairs you’ve chosen for the wedding or reception: metal chairs may need to be covered in order to prevent guests from ending up with burnt legs. 

3. Photo timing is EVERYTHING

The bright light outside in the middle of a summer day won’t provide the soft, romantic look you want for your wedding pictures. Opting for a wedding time that will allow you to take your photos closer to sunset, on the other hand, will provide a the perfect light for all of your photos. Make sure you take those photos–and the heat–into consideration as you plan all the details of your wedding. You may also want to limit the amount of time you spend taking photos outside before the wedding to keep your hair, makeup, and clothes looking sharp instead of sweaty.

4. Consider your guests

During the summer, many people plan vacations–and they may plan them early. Send out save the date cards well ahead of the wedding day to help decrease the odds that you’ll miss some of your most important visitors or choose a wedding date that’s less likely to interfere with guests’ plans. 

5. Flower power

Real flowers quickly get droopy in the summer heat, especially if your wedding is a long event. If you want real flowers, opt for blooms that thrive in the summer heat or consider having backup flowers on hand for items like the groom’s boutonniere. 

6. Offer lots of drinks

No, not just the alcoholic kind, which can lead to dehydration in the hot sun! Make sure there’s plenty of water and other drinks available for your guests–and your wedding party–so that you’ll all be able to stay nice and cool. 

7. Choose your clothing with care

If you’re getting married in the summer heat, you need to be even more careful with your clothing choices! Carefully consider whether black is really the right choice for the groom and his groomsmen. Make sure that bridesmaids’ dresses are lightweight and in a colour that’s less likely to absorb the heat, especially if you’re having an outdoor wedding. Nothing ruins a ceremony quite so fast as someone fainting in the middle of the vows!

Summer is a gorgeous time to have a wedding, but it does bring with it several important concerns. By carefully evaluating your needs before you dive into your special day, you can increase the odds of successfully having the wedding of your dreams no matter how hot it is outside.