We all love summer. The days get longer and the grass turns greener, making an outdoor wedding a scenic place to say your “I do’s.” However, the sun gets hotter in the summer, too. 😉 This can make the original scenic, outdoor wedding a place for sweat and dehydration – no couple wants that. Never fear, there’s no reason to cancel the beautiful outdoor ceremony you have planned for the middle of July. Here are some tips to keep everyone happy in the heat, at least long enough for you to say “I do.”

1. Keep guests hydrated

Dehydration can be a major cause of guests passing out at outdoor weddings as well as overall crankiness from guests and wedding party  members. In order to keep moods in check and safe from the sweltering sun, make sure water is available before folks head outside. You can slice & add a variety of fresh fruit to give your water a classy edge and fill up clear glass dispensers behind the last row of your ceremony chairs. This way, guests can pour themselves a bit of liquid salvation before waiting for the best day ever to begin.

2. Watch the booze

We know that a wedding is also a time for celebration, but try to keep the champagne and spirits to a minimum prior to heat exposure. After the vows are said and the wedding party and guests are safely in the reception or cocktail hour area, feel free to pop the bottles. By limiting alcohol consumption before going out in the heat, you will allow everyone to retain the water they consumed in preparation for the heat. Not to mention, less bathroom breaks is always a plus!

3. Sunscreen!

The last thing you want on your wedding day is for guests to get sunburnt and be uncomfortable the rest of the night. Be sure to set out some bottles of sunscreen or simple sunscreen wipes in decorative baskets at the entrance to the outdoor area where guests will be seated. This will keep everyone from turning into dancing lobsters by 10pm – plus it prevents wrinkles! Win, win!

4. Consider an up-do

Come the moment you walk down the aisle, the last thing that you want to be on your mind is how your hair is sticking to the back of your neck and whether or not the sweat is making your hair flat. When deciding on a hairstyle for the big day, consider options that get the hair off of your neck in a delicate and chic way. There are a plethora of hairdressers that can make an up-do look exactly the way you want it, and then the sweaty baby hairs will all stay out of your face in an elegant way. Ask your hair and makeup company if they will do concierge service to keep you and your friends looking fresh all throughout the day!

5. Start later in the day

The hottest hours of the day are from 10am-4pm, making this a less than ideal time to tie the knot outdoors. The sun starts to sink after 5pm in the middle of the summer – so the later the better! Consider the angles of the sunlight in relation to your ceremony set up as well. Best to avoid squinting in your once-in-a-lifetime photos. Twilight is also an ideal time for photos – so everyone wins!

6. Plan for breaks from the heat

If you are planning to have the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all outdoors, perhaps you should reconsider changing the location of one of these portions of your day. A good idea is to move cocktail hour indoors so that guests can grab a drink in the air conditioning and enjoy some refreshing hors d’oeuvres. Another tip is to serve some cold appetizers during this time as well as the hot ones we all love (read: meatballs). A watermelon feta salad skewer is a great example of a treat that will refresh guests before sending them back outdoors for a night of dinner and dancing under the moon.

7. Consider the attire

Sometimes it is difficult to remember the comfort element when your dream vision for your wedding has all of the groomsmen wearing full suits and the bridesmaids wearing long dresses. If you keep the outfits light and breezy, it will make for a happier wedding party overall and more relaxed faces in all of the photos. Consider allowing the groomsmen to wear suit pants and a shirt with a tie, but skip the jacket. You can also ensure that the dresses for the bridesmaids are shorter instead of long because any extra fabric will trap the heat in and make for sticky legs and uncomfortable faces.

Outdoor weddings not going anywhere anytime soon. After all, who can say no to twinkling lights under the moon with your best friends, family, and the love of your live? When planning for the best day of your life, make sure to keep these tips in mind to ensure that all guests your wedding party will have the best, most comfortable day possible!