OPINIONS! heat in september

alextimes2

I am getting married on September 26, 2015. I have always wanted an outdoor wedding in the evening right when its getting dark and an indoor reception.

My fiance and I have the perfect reception venue The Column's Hotel which we love. 

We absolutely love the Fountain at Audubon park right down the street but are very concerned about heat as you must get married there latest 430pm.

We are at a loss for what to do. I need some HONEST opinions on ya'lls heat tolerance because we already have friends and family in uproar about it and I do not want to make my guests miserable. 

This would also put us having probably a 1 1/2 hour break between wedding and reception.

If I had it my way the wedding would be at 7pm but now am at a loss. We could move the wedding but not sure where (we are on a pretty tight budget).

Basically just need some opinions on heat.

Knottie77902567

My friend got married in early September last year.  Everything was inside (I think ceremony started at 6), except the cocktail hour around 6:30.  It wasn't that bad.  We did pictures outside earlier that day wearing long (satin) gowns and I don't recall the heat being particularly stifling.

onefootinthebayou

alextimes2 said:

I am getting married on September 26, 2015. I have always wanted an outdoor wedding in the evening right when its getting dark and an indoor reception.

My fiance and I have the perfect reception venue The Column's Hotel which we love. 

We absolutely love the Fountain at Audubon park right down the street but are very concerned about heat as you must get married there latest 430pm.

We are at a loss for what to do. I need some HONEST opinions on ya'lls heat tolerance because we already have friends and family in uproar about it and I do not want to make my guests miserable. 

This would also put us having probably a 1 1/2 hour break between wedding and reception.

If I had it my way the wedding would be at 7pm but now am at a loss. We could move the wedding but not sure where (we are on a pretty tight budget).

Basically just need some opinions on heat.

We were living in New Orleans when we got engaged last November and I chose to plan a large wedding on the fly (6.5 months) rather than wait until October when the weather finally starts to get tolerable.  Sept. 26th *could* be OK but it's a huge roll of the dice.  Daytime when it's that hot is absolutely awful and I would not gamble on having my guests endure that.  You'll find that typically anything below 80 with low humidity is considered "comfortable" by most guests, excluding elderly or infirm. Above 80 with any appreciable humidity would likely make the majority of your guests sticky, sweaty, and uncomfortable.  And this is coming from someone who enjoys running outside in the summer in New Orleans.   

Additionally, you will find if you read the boards here that an hour and a half un-hosted gap is extremely rude.  I'm not accusing you of planning this but if you are hoping to host your guests well, according to proper etiquette, you will not allow for a circumstance where this will occur.  

The Columns is an amazing and magical place.  I would let go of the outdoor wedding hope and focus on throwing a great reception there.  I was hoping to get married at the Audubon Tea Room but the venue didn't have a satisfactory rain plan IMO so I adjusted my plans to make sure all of my guests would be comfortable with indoor and outdoor spaces at the venue I chose.  

alextimes2

onefootinthebayou,

Do you know of any indoor areas that may be an option? We originally had our ceremony outside at Columns at 7 pm but that traffic noise, it was 2k for our 20 minute ceremony, and they would not even move the tables off of the porch. Seemed like a waste of money, especially when we have the whole hotel booked for 2 nights as well as the cost of the reception and still allowing outside bar guests. We loved Audubon but didn't realize you couldn't get married after 430 pm and agree its too risky for heat! So now we are kind of scrambling! I am a very laid back whatever bride, but I don't want my guests to be miserable either!

missmagnolia

alextimes2 said:

onefootinthebayou,

Do you know of any indoor areas that may be an option? We originally had our ceremony outside at Columns at 7 pm but that traffic noise, it was 2k for our 20 minute ceremony, and they would not even move the tables off of the porch. Seemed like a waste of money, especially when we have the whole hotel booked for 2 nights as well as the cost of the reception and still allowing outside bar guests. We loved Audubon but didn't realize you couldn't get married after 430 pm and agree its too risky for heat! So now we are kind of scrambling! I am a very laid back whatever bride, but I don't want my guests to be miserable either!

I think it is kinda crazy that The Columns won't accommodate you considering you have the whole place booked for two days. I agree that daytime will just be too hot in September, and having a gap between the ceremony and reception would not be fun for your guests. 

Maybe you could contact one of the universities across from Audubon Park (Loyola or Tulane) and see if you can rent a courtyard space? They are both beautiful campuses, and would probably allow you to have a ceremony later than 4:30. 

Or, could you contact Audubon's event sales department (which I think is different from just the regular park management) because I know Audubon also has the Oak Grove and the Newman Bandstand both in the park available for booking for ceremonies. Usually they are booked in conjunction with the Clubhouse, but I would think that the Clubhouse probably just gets the right of first refusal on that date, and so one of them is bound to be available. The prices are: Oak Grove $500 and Newman Bandstand $750. I have definitely seen ceremonies at these two sites past 4:30.