Hot Wedding Day Survival Guide

We love a summer wedding! Holiday vibes are strong and it’s a beautiful time of year to say “I do”. But with the experts predicting that days over 35 degrees are likely to be SIX TIMES more common in the future, we’ve got you (and your guests) covered with this handy guide on what to do if you wedding day is just.really.hot.

Florals: Chat to your florist about the most appropriate flower for the time of year you are going to get married. Succulents, lisianthus, zinnia, dahlias, chrysanthemums and orchids are all pretty robust. Make sure you have your flowers delivered on the day of the wedding! Your florist is able to keep them in a temperature controlled environment right up to the very last minute. Whenever possible let your bouquets have a drink of water throughout the day. Try to keep all flowers out of the direct sun wherever possible this is so harmful to your delicate bouquet. If you are having an outdoor wedding in a marquee, heat can be a huge issue for flowers (especially clear marquees). Make the most of the onsite mobile cool rooms to keep the flowers fresh! Hugging can cause damage to buttonholes and other flower accessories such as corsages and hair flowers! Have everyone put on their flower accessories at the very last minute to keep them looking amazing all day.

Photography: The light in the middle of the day is high in the sky, and casts some pretty nasty bright light and harsh shadows on faces and couples. It’s really difficult to get beautiful soft flattering light that helps with creating amazing images. Avoid those middle of the day hours for photography if you can! Instead of one big session, that may go on for 1-2 hours consider breaking it up into smaller time slots. Get amongst a great location and smash out some amazing shots, keep it brief and keep everyone happy Maybe your next location is indoors now! Cafe, bars and restaurants offer such amazing light, texture and styles to work with. Hunt out your fave spot and hit them up for a little arvo session – drinks, nibbles and photos. Don’t be afraid of cutting things short – its damn hot remember (and we’ve gone for quality shots, not quantity now!) and you’ll need to freshen up, the next phase, the reception is a long party! Finally, you just cant beat that last half hour of light. The heat is out of the day, the light is softer so why not head out for an intimate session with just the two of you and make the most of that last light. If you just must shoot in the heat and bright light, try to embrace it. Get your photographer out hunting (before the day) for shade, back lit light spots, like carparks, bars, cafes and similar cool spots, jump fences or lean on any contacts to get great shots.

Hair & Makeup: Before you even begin to apply any foundation or eye make up, correct preparation is always the key with long lasting hair and make up. Beginning with a fresh clean face to help beat the heat we would recommend a great Oil free skin moisturiser like The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors. Mattifying Primer and Eye Primer help to provide longevity and help prevent make up sliding off. We use Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and Two Faced Shadow Insurance. Blotting papers are perfect to blot away any sweat and a light spray of face mist such as Mac Fix +, if your skin is starting to look a little dry and cakey. Less is more. These days highlighting is still very much on trend #thatglow. Everyone loves that fresh dewy skin look. However on extreme heat days tone down the highlighting to avoid looking too shiny. Use a light weight and long wearing foundation. Top foundation brands are Mac Studio Fix, Make Up Forever Water Blend Foundation and current fave Kryolan TV Paint Stick because you can use it as a light or heavy coverage. A waterproof mascara is a must. Try Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes. When it comes to your hair, a great “day before” wash and blowdry is not only a fantastic way to prep your hair before styling on your wedding day, but also a great excuse to treat yourself to a little extra pampering before the big day. Be sure to ask your stylist not to use too much product with your blowdry so it won’t affect anything needed for the following day. On the day using anti-frizz sprays such as Moroccan Oil Glimmer & Shine or GHD Straight & Smooth Spray, will help to calm hair fluffiness caused by humidity. Try Moroccan Oil’s Luminous Hairspray to finish off any hairstyle with its protective anti-frizz veil. The go-to hairstyle for a hot summer’s day wedding is a loose textured upstyle. Keeping it light, soft and personalised to work with your face shape and vibe.

Looking after your guests: If you’re outside, try and kick things off as late as possible, the sun can be brutal in the middle of the day! A 4pm ceremony still gives you plenty of time for photos and mingling with your guests. Or ask your reception venue if they have an inside (air-conditioned!) space that would be suitable for the ceremony. As the day approaches, keep in touch with guests and let them know of any changes to planned locations or times. This is a good job for a family member to oversee – just make sure they have everyone’s details #delegate. Make sure there is PLENTY of water available, even if you’re inside. We know of a wedding where the venue provided 40 bottles of room temperature water on a 35 degree day – for 100 guests! An old wheelbarrow full of ice and bottled water will suit a rustic theme and keep everyone cool, or ask you caterers to provide eskys, ice and water for the ceremony. Shade umbrellas and misting fans make great additions to an outdoor ceremony, and you could even organise personal fans as a cute gift for your guests. An expert tip from our stylists is to set the ceremony chairs a little further apart than usual, so your guests have a bit more room on a super-hot day – they will thank you for it. Finally, don’t keep your guests waiting out in the heat – this is not the day to be fashionably late!

Keeping yourselves cool: For the guys – wear a singlet! It’s a bit old-school, but your granddad was onto something. Have a couple on hand and you can switch when things get sweaty, and they will keep you cool and your shirt dry! Keep your jacket off until the last moment and stay in the shade or air conditioning as long as possible. It goes without saying to drink plenty of water, but make sure you take small sips throughout the day rather than guzzling! Have something light to eat so you’re not likely to faint, and pat down with a cool towel just before heading to the ceremony.

If you take care of yourselves and your guests, and take our experts’ advice, your hot wedding day will be one to remember, for all the right reasons!