The idea of holding your nuptials at the height of summer is likely to appeal very much to your heart. After all, who wouldn’t love to tie the knot to the backdrop of a bright blue sky, while the white roses look immaculate and all of the guests are in their finest seasonal ensembles?
A poorly-planned summer ceremony, however, can be a disaster. The conditions could render everyone in your wedding party overheated, dehydrated or even ill, while wasps may take a little too much interest in your wedding cake and guests may struggle to find any sources of shade.
Here at the luxurious private wedding venue Château Bouffémont, we believe that you should be able to enjoy the finest things about the summer when tying the knot, instead of the heat and glare being a hindrance. So, here are some of our best ideas for ensuring just that.
Choose a venue that offers both indoor and outdoor space
If you are still seeking the right summer venue, it is an extremely good idea to select one that provides good-looking, but also hospitable indoor and outdoor areas. Your guests will then be able to journey between these spaces as they wish during your wedding to ensure their utmost comfort.
This is just one factor in the continued popularity of chateau wedding venues such as Château Bouffémont, which is a truly magnificent heritage venue if you ask us, offering an assortment of function rooms with refined interior decor and crystal chandeliers.
Such a fine impression is sustained on the outside, with our spectacular manicured French gardens lending themselves beautifully to magical photography opportunities and fun activities in the sun.
Opt for lighter fabric for your wedding gown
You are unlikely to wish to compromise on the most traditionally romantic aesthetic with your choice of wedding dress. However, the elegant impression that you wish to give is likely to be somewhat spoilt if your choice of gown leaves you with unsightly sweat stains at your armpits, under your breasts and at the base of your spine.
This is why we strongly advise you to speak to your gown stylist about how they can create an enchanting dress for you that is also ‘summer ready’, incorporating breathable fabrics such as cotton organdie, crepe, voile or chiffon rather than silk.
Provide suitably refreshing drinks
It can be easy to over-think the matter of the perfect summer wedding drink. Most of your guests will simply wish to be refreshed, so some iced teas and freshly squeezed fruit juice over ice will almost certainly serve their needs just fine.
If you do wish to apply a little more imagination to your seasonal wedding refreshments, however, the likes of smoothies, mini milkshakes, frozen margaritas, fresh-fruit ice lollies and snow cones will all probably be met with much appreciation from attendees.
Pay extra attention to preserving flower freshness
Wedding flowers can be prone to wilting quickly in the summer, with even the journey between the florist and your wedding venue providing plenty of scope for them to suffer.
That’s why, when your flowers are to be transported, you should ensure your floral designer has taken steps to guard against droopiness. The decision may be made, for example, to set all of the bouquets upright in a container in a few inches of water, from which the stems can drink.
Keep chilled washcloths on hand
The dance party may be the part of the reception that a lot of your guests will most look forward to, but the heat and humidity may also deter many attendees of yours from strutting their stuff.
Thankfully, even such a simple measure as keeping a generous supply of chilled washcloths and drinks to one side of the dance floor will give your guests a means of quickly cooling down if necessary.
Your summer wedding really can be as idyllic as you imagine it will be, provided that you plan your ceremony and reception in accordance with the specific issues that this time of year can bring.
The noble stone-built Château Bouffémont serves as an excellent venue for all manner of summer nuptials, although the website of Wedding Ideas magazine also has some other fine summer-wedding tips that you may wish to consider.
