Summer Weddings & How to Prepare

As someone who has been in the wedding industry for just over nine years, I have been apart of my fair share of weddings. The majority of which have been held in the warmer months of Ontario, typically June-September. It is known as wedding season for a reason, it is the most popular time of year to hold weddings!

In the past on the blog I have written about how to prepare for rainy weddings, winter weddings and even covid weddings but something I have never written about is summer weddings. And just because it is the most popular time of year for weddings doesn’t mean I don’t have tips and tricks to navigate planning your summer wedding!

So today on the blog I am giving my top 5 tips and tricks to prepare for your summer wedding and some of these points you may not have even thought of!

5 Tips for Preparing for your Summer Wedding Day

1. They are HOT

Now this seems like a no brainer, we live in southwestern Ontario after all where the weather is questionable day to day. But when I say weddings from June-September are hot, I mean HOT! I have photographed weddings in well over 40 degree, sunny days and let me tell you the sweat is real. Although there is no true way to keep cool during an outdoor summer wedding, I suggest always having lots of water and snacks on hand. Especially through photos! I personally always aim to find shade as much as possible for image sake and heat sake and ALWAYS take a break if you are feeling faint.

2. Bugs are Inevitable

If any portion of your wedding is outdoors (which in the summer is pretty likely) make sure to have bug spray on hand! Especially if you are getting married on a farm, private property, near the water or even a golf course. They may be manageable during the day, but the second evening rolls around they are everywhere. Personally I have had bugs fly in my mask, into my eyes and have come out of weddings literally covered in mosquito bites. Make sure to have someone bring along bug spray because you are going to want it.

And on the topic of bugs, if you are planning to wear a gown with tule…prepare for bugs to fly into and get stuck in your dress. Tule literally acts as a glorified bug net!

3. Sunscreen Always

As someone who got burnt pretty bad on my own wedding day, bring that sunscreen and make time to reapply! Especially if you are planning an outdoor ceremony with little to no shade. It is no fun feeling sick or being in pain due to getting a little bit too much sun on your special day.

4. Unpredictable Weather

This tip truly goes for anytime of year in Ontario but random rain showers and storms tend to blow their way through in the summer months. I wrote a whole blog post about preparing for rain on your wedding day HERE. But my main tips are to have clear umbrellas on hand, have back up plans in place and if worst comes to worst, embrace it. No one can control the weather (as much as we would love to) so you might as well go with the flow and rock those rainy day photos!

5. Get that Golden Hour

Summer is hands down the BEST time of year for those sweet golden hour images. You are far more likely to get a golden hour in the summer months than in the winter and fall. But be mindful, whereas a huge concern in the cooler months is how early the sunsets, in the hot months it is how late it sets. If sunset photos are important to you (and you will want them) make sure you plan your timeline with your photographer so they are around long enough for those 8pm-9pm sunsets!

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“Michelle is a featured and award winning London Ontario Wedding Photographer, who loves to capture unique relationships and create lasting memories! Behind the camera, I am a wife to my high school sweetheart, a mom to a little corgi named Samson, a collector of cute pins and supporter of small business!”