Summer Weddings : Beat the heat

Yes, so many considerations for the summer. We are going to have comfort "stations" baskets/buckets of ice water, bug spray, sunblock, sunglasses, little hand held fans (easy to make) and you can print your program or menu on it or use them as the gift with your wedding date/names on it.

Plus blankets for later because sometimes it can get cool. We were debating umbrellas but very expensive and if it rains then I'm sure people will bring their own.

Enjoy.

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If your place is shaded from an overhead covering and most of your event is in the evening, I think you'll be fine for heat. Bugs will still be an issue. Even if they're not biting the guests specifically, it's annoying to have them around your dinner table flying around the food. Try to set up some of those camping style bug repellent lanterns around the space.

As for your groom, if he hasn't purchased his suit yet, tell him to get an unlined suit made of either tropical wool or linen/cotton. These materials make clothes breathable. As long as he avoids polyester in any of his clothes, he'll be fine.

View quoted message Yep summer formal/ garden formal/cocktail formal/semi formal is the dress code, recommended no heavy fabrics, or suit jackets. Any fabrics are fine for pants, dress shirts, dresses as long as it can still be dressed up nicer ie just a shirt and tie, breezy dresses. Pondered but drew the line with no dress shorts though.
Bar will be open half an hour before the ceremony so cold drinks will be a thing and then it goes into cocktail hour after the ceremony. It's an evening ceremony and reception after 5pm so while shouldnt be mid day heat and sun could still potentially be hot or humid. Patio has a roof so is covered, and there will be some shade from the building on the grounds since the sun will be to the south west but I don't think it would be to bad if they choose to stay out in the sun at that time of day. Reception itself is shaded by the patio.

Mosquitoes is something I was wondering about, having bug spray around maybe where the hand sanatizer/comfort stations are on the grounds. The groom especially runs hot so if we are unlucky with a hot day then blowing air might be good.

We're September long weekend so kind of in the same boat as you. Not sure what type of venue you're at or what your original formality is but are you willing to relax the dress code a bit for your guests? Giving guests the option for a linen blazer and cotton pants vs a suit (especially lower priced-tiers ones or purchased at department stores where majority content is polyester) will make a HUGE difference.

If your venue has table umbrellas or some kind of overhead covering, that makes a big difference as well.

And ditto to Genevieve, the mosquitoes and other bugs during dusk around the lake will be a much bigger concern than the heat.

You could have a pre-ceremony drink available to keep your guests hydrated until the patio reception. Something non-alcoholic like lemonade will help keep them hydrated and sober for your ceremony in case it is hot.
I don’t know if you’ve also thought of this, but evening by the lake might be high time for mosquitoes. You could kill two birds with one stone by having fans available circulating air to keep the area cool and the bugs away.