What could be cooler than marrying your best friend?  We set out to answer that question on our quest to keep you and your guests cool at a wedding in the Florida heat.  While summer may boast off-season discounts and time off for guests who need to travel, it also brings challenges here in the sunshine state.  We’ve put together some ideas to keep everyone cool, whether they’re walking the aisle or watching the love story unfold.

Offer a dress code that shows you want your guests and wedding party to be comfortable as well as dapper.  Consider skipping traditional suits for the guys, leaning more toward rolled-up sleeves or breezy khakis.  Sundresses with breathable fabric will keep your bridesmaids focused on you instead of the sweat dripping down all the wrong places.

Encourage your wedding party to use sunscreen for outdoor photo shoots, and even at pre-wedding parties in the days immediately before the ceremony.  A little SPF can keep an unfortunate sunburn from being eternally memorialized in your wedding photos.  Pick an easily applied spray that you like the smell of.

If the bride has opted for a gown that bares her shoulders, consider a delicate but sun-deflecting white parasol for shade.  Or a large and lovely umbrella that will double as emergency cover for the inevitable afternoon showers.

Consider a morning wedding before the hottest part of the day, which may also save you money on lunchtime catering and a reception venue.

Fill a few ice buckets at the entrance to the venue with water bottles guests can grab coming or going.  Print custom labels at home, customize coozies to keep them chilly, or offer monogramed napkins that keep moisture off their clothes and come in handy for dabbing a damp brow.

Give your guests thoughtful favors focused on their comfort.  Cell phone fans can be chosen to match your colors, many with 2-in-1 adapters that favor both Android and iPhone devices.  Or print your wedding program directly onto a paper fan.  People will undoubtedly use the program to fan themselves anyway, why not make it personal and effective?

The sun and humidity are bound to impact your special day, even if you opt for an air-conditioned indoor ceremony at Harborside Chapel.  But if you stay mindful of the heat, your wedding is guaranteed to be both the hottest – and coolest – event of the season.

 

Article by: Sarah Piguet