Outdoor wedding in July in Atlanta. Bad idea? Thoughts!

[Deleted User]

Hi all, 

My upcoming wedding is July 11 in Auburn, GA. We start at 5.30pm. Right now we're all geared to have both the ceremony and reception outside, but I am having slight anxiety about the heat. I am from Canada so I no concept of what Georgia heat is in July. We have the option of doing everything inside or just the ceremony inside but I reaaaaalllly want to have this outdoor wedding (garden wedding, string lights in the evening etc etc).  Am I crazy? Are people just going to die of heat? Should I rethink this decision?

Thanks in advance

blabla89

Yes, it gets pretty hot in July, with highs of 85-90 degrees. My graduation was all outdoors in May and it was somewhat uncomfortable, and it will be even hotter in July. I think you might be okay with an outdoor ceremony if you had it under a tent, but I would rethink the outdoor reception. Most people won't want to be out in the heat for multiple hours in their nice clothes, and it could pose a danger to elderly guests or young children.

If your reception is going to go on until after 9:00 or so, you could still decorate the garden so that your guests can step outside and enjoy it when the sun sets and the temperature cools off.

Just curious, what venue are you using?

[Deleted User]

Aww maannn, that really sucks. I so want it to be outside, but maybe we'll rethink things. 

We're getting married at Carl House, in Auburn. 

blabla89

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

Trust me, you don't want to be getting all sweaty under your gown and flushed from the heat, and if it's a particularly humid day it might mess up your hairdo. The other thing is that we sometimes get pop-up afternoon/evening thunderstorms in the summer. They come and go pretty quickly, but if you have all your stuff set up outside without a tent, it will all get soaked.

labro

Yeah, sometimes (rare occasions) in July you can get lucky. Lucky as in, it's in the low 80s with zero humidity. I wouldn't want to be out in that in formalwear (especially not a wedding dress) for ANY length of time if I could help it. At the very least, move your reception indoors, and try to arrange a tent or fans or something for the ceremony. People are going to BAKE if you don't provide some sort of shade. Especially at 5:30, that tends to be during the hottest period of the day.