Setting the date dilemmas

trinie456

Hi all

My man and I cannot manage to set the date. We know that we're getting married in Ohiopyle, PA, and want an outdoor ceremony....but when??

We're looking at 2012, but I'm worried about the weather--not so much if it rains, because thats iffy in whatever month, though I am trying to pick less wet months--but more the temperature and humidity. We were thinking Spring, but with yesterday's crazy weather reminding us just how hot/humid late May/early June can be, I'm starting to wonder....

Is late april too early for an outdoor wedding? April 28th is the last saturday and most of the trees will have leaves again. I'd like to avoid May and July due to them being the rainiest months of the year and am thinking that early June will be really warm (venue won't have cooling)

September or October are great for weather, but I don't know if we really want to wait that long. Delaying the wedding is also delaying a big move, most likely.

Its crazy how your knowledge of seasons goes out the window when trying to set a date. Argh!

pantherRN

You can't really set a date until you have a venue. I would start contacting churches and/or reception venues and see what they have open. They may already be booked for the day you want. I also think you are over thinking this.

mm4662

I don't think the end of April is too late. Actually, some places think it's early for an outdoor wedding. The zoo doesn't use the tent until then or later.

I think April, September, AND October can surprise you and be super hot. I'd just try to stay away from May, June, July, and August,

Flowerstar1023

Regardless of what date you pick, I'd say you want a contingency plan in case of rain with a tent/pavillion/somewhere for everyone to go if it's pouring. And, since this is Pittsburgh, I don't think you can ever safely say one month of weather is better than the next. Finally, I agree with Panther -you're over thinking this and should call places to see when they still have availability.

jlbaxter33

I think April can be too cold. If you did a later in the afternoon wedding near the water, I bet beginning of June would be perfect. I think April is too iffy. Def. have a back-up plan!

trinie456

We have 2 venues in mind, both only have 2-3 dates booked so far for all of 2012. The venue is important to us, so we didn't want to pick a date if they weren't available. So now we basically have our choice of dates for the whole year.

It's kind of impossible not to over think it. We're having an outdoor ceremony and neither venue will have climate control. I'm trying to think of the guests so people won't be sweltering or freezing.

pantherRN

Neither venue has air conditioning?

trinie456

No. Neither venue has climate control of any kind.

pantherRN

The only way I think you could  do this is to have it in early April or late March or wait until November. Even then, the weather is so unpredictable. The outdoor part isn't my worry, it's getting all of your guests in an un-air conditioned or unheated room for a number of hours. I would also worry about the food getting cold if the temperature is low that day. If it's too hot, you'll have ice melting and drinks getting warm quickly. I honestly think you should reconsider the venue choice.

And I'm just being honest, but I think you need to think about how your guests are going to feel at venue without any sort of climate control. The likelihood of having perfect weather on that specific day is quite unlikely and putting all of those people in a room that is subject to Mother Nature is a huge gamble. And out of curiousity, what are the venues? Maybe we can try to help you find something similar if you decided to go that route.

cgyvhu

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-pittsburgh_setting-date-dilemmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:116Discussion:4cc495fa-bd4b-4759-9f1f-c31943b4f0e9Post:e3c0be1e-3215-424e-b8a6-6094b74c6660">Re: Setting the date dilemmas</a>:
[QUOTE]Regardless of what date you pick, I'd say you want a contingency plan in case of rain with a tent/pavillion/somewhere for everyone to go if it's pouring. And, since this is Pittsburgh, I don't think you can ever safely say one month of weather is better than the next. Finally, I agree with Panther -you're over thinking this and should call places to see when they still have availability.
Posted by Flowerstar1023[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I agree with Flower (and panther, as always).

</div>

carcrashheart

We attended a wedding last October 15th where the ceremony was held outside. It was unseasonably cold. The guests were shivering. The bride was shivering. It was the longest 20 minute ceremony ever! Thank goodness it wasn't raining-that would have made it worse!

So, make sure you have back up options in case of inclimate weather, as well as maybe some portable heaters/coolers just incase. If you're going to have a reception outside you need to have some sort of way to control the conditions a little bit, or else people are going to leave (i.e., a tent with some fans, etc).

If the wedding we attended had had their reception outside, there is no way we would have stuck around and shivered through it!

sarilynnep

I completely agree with Panther... you are taking a huge risk by having it at a venue with absolutely no climate control. Maybe talk to the venue and find out what they do during each month to make guests comfortable.

trinie456

Panther, what part of the burgh do you live in where it would be warm enough to be in an unheated room in March or November?

Mainly I wanted opinions on if you think late April is too cold for an outdoor ceremony...I think I'm getting that it is? September works fine then, just is a long way away. The ceremony is outdoors. The reception is indoors (there seems to be some confusion here), but the venue has no heating or cooling, other than ceiling fans. Portable heaters are always an option, which is why I feel better about Spring and Fall than May-Aug.

And the first thing I stated was that I was thinking of my guests being too hot or too cold which is why April, May, June, July, and August have me worried. Obviously I'm thinking of them, but I have to say I think that some of you are overreaacting by calling it a "huge risk" to go with that sort of venue. Hundreds of the most popular and most inexpensive venues lack heating or ac. Betsy's Barn is one example that we were thinking of but passed on, and they're filling up quickly. Obviously I'm not the only "risk taking" bride to be.

MRads

I would be scared for April outside.  Two years ago it snowed on Earth Day (april 22), so you just never know.  I'm having my wedding in late September at a venue that does not have air conditioning.  There is an outside part of the venue (with a roof), so we can have the doors open if it is warm, and we will also have fans.

Since the sun will be down during the reception, I feel fairly comfortable that between inside and outside my guests won't be too uncomfortable.  Even then I do worry that it will be very hot on that day and my guests will be uncomfortable.  If you have fans (and heaters, cause who knows) , then early May to mid May you should be good.

cgyvhu

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-pittsburgh_setting-date-dilemmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:116Discussion:4cc495fa-bd4b-4759-9f1f-c31943b4f0e9Post:1cf6de41-d49e-4baa-ac68-8d99a1b18279">Re: Setting the date dilemmas</a>:
[QUOTE]Panther, what part of the burgh do you live in where it would be warm enough to be in an unheated room in March or November? Mainly I wanted opinions on if you think late April is too cold for an outdoor ceremony...I think I'm getting that it is? September works fine then, just is a long way away. The ceremony is outdoors. The reception is indoors (there seems to be some confusion here), but the venue has no heating or cooling, other than ceiling fans. Portable heaters are always an option, which is why I feel better about Spring and Fall than May-Aug. And the first thing I stated was that I was thinking of my guests being too hot or too cold which is why April, May, June, July, and August have me worried. Obviously I'm thinking of them, but I have to say I think that some of you are overreaacting by calling it a "huge risk" to go with that sort of venue. Hundreds of the most popular and most inexpensive venues lack heating or ac. Betsy's Barn is one example that we were thinking of but passed on, and they're filling up quickly. Obviously I'm not the only "risk taking" bride to be.
Posted by trinie456[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>What we're all saying (I think) is that ANY month in Pittsburgh can have days that are too hot/too cold/rainy, and so any month you need a backup plan where you can have an indoor ceremony.</div><div>
</div><div>I can see March and November as better for unheated indoor ceremonies than May/June/July/August with no A/C.  I'm guessing April and September would be ok too, but again, ANY day in april and september can climb into 70 (or can have snow).</div><div>
</div><div>We're giving you honest opinions - just because other brides take risks doesn't mean it isnt rude or inconvenient to guests. 

</div>

pantherRN

I was wearing flip flops two weeks ago. It was 80 degrees yesterday. It might snow on Sunday. What I'm saying is that you can't choose a date that is foolproof. And I actually think September is too hot for an indoor reception with no AC. April is fine and probably a better option than others.

gmc22

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-pittsburgh_setting-date-dilemmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:116Discussion:4cc495fa-bd4b-4759-9f1f-c31943b4f0e9Post:080fbcde-8450-4913-af11-51a904ef1be2">Re: Setting the date dilemmas</a>:
[QUOTE]The only way I think you could  do this is to have it in early April or late March or wait until November. Even then, the weather is so unpredictable. The outdoor part isn't my worry, it's getting all of your guests in an un-air conditioned or unheated room for a number of hours. I would also worry about the food getting cold if the temperature is low that day. If it's too hot, you'll have ice melting and drinks getting warm quickly. <strong>I honestly think you should reconsider the venue choice. And I'm just being honest, but I think you need to think about how your guests are going to feel at venue without any sort of climate control. The likelihood of having perfect weather on that specific day is quite unlikely and putting all of those people in a room that is subject to Mother Nature is a huge gamble.</strong> And out of curiousity, what are the venues? Maybe we can try to help you find something similar if you decided to go that route.
Posted by pantherRN[/QUOTE]

I 100% agree with panther here - you definitely want to consider your guests and make sure they are comfortable. Perhaps there are other venue choices you can look into?

gmc22

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-pittsburgh_setting-date-dilemmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:116Discussion:4cc495fa-bd4b-4759-9f1f-c31943b4f0e9Post:1cf6de41-d49e-4baa-ac68-8d99a1b18279">Re: Setting the date dilemmas</a>:
[QUOTE]Panther, what part of the burgh do you live in where it would be warm enough to be in an unheated room in March or November? Mainly I wanted opinions on if you think late April is too cold for an outdoor ceremony...I think I'm getting that it is? September works fine then, just is a long way away. The ceremony is outdoors. The reception is indoors (there seems to be some confusion here), but the venue has no heating or cooling, other than ceiling fans. Portable heaters are always an option, which is why I feel better about Spring and Fall than May-Aug. And the first thing I stated was that I was thinking of my guests being too hot or too cold which is why April, May, June, July, and August have me worried. Obviously I'm thinking of them, but I have to say I think that some of you are overreaacting by calling it a "huge risk" to go with that sort of venue. Hundreds of the most popular and most inexpensive venues lack heating or ac. Betsy's Barn is one example that we were thinking of but passed on, and they're filling up quickly. Obviously I'm not the only "risk taking" bride to be.
Posted by trinie456[/QUOTE]

Wow - no need to get so defensive here! We are just trying to offer you potential issues that may arise... and, as many have stated, weather is extremely unpredictable so even though you may not want to hear it, you may just want to consider a back up plan.

Flowerstar1023

You asked about an outside wedding in your initial post - not a barn wedding and made no mention of the reception inside unless I missed it. So, that's where the confusion occurred. For an outdoor wedding (just ceremony or not) you need a contingency plan. Your guests won't appreciate being cold and rained on and at least the latter could happen any month. Your contingency plan could be having the ceremony indoors if you find out the day of is going to look like today's weather. For an indoor wedding, you can do whatever you want, but still may want to have a rental plan in place for indoor heaters or fans depending on what Pittsburgh brings you. 

Decide when you want the wedding by and then plan accordingly. If September is too late, then don't pick September. Again, yesterday I had the window open, the heat off, and was wearing flip flops. Now I just went back downstairs to turn the heat on and am looking at a very gray rainy mess outside. 

Also, you can check average weather by month on weather.com Look at that and decide. But I still say you need contingency plans because they're averages...not a guaranteed day to day.

trinie456

I apologize for the confusion. In my original post, I stated that the ceremony would be outdoors and that the venue didn't have any cooling--I thought it would be understood that the venue is not a tent our outdoors.

There is a contingency plan to move the ceremony indoors in case of inclement weather, so thats not the issue. I have planned to look into heaters and fans as it gets closer to the day. My post wasn't concerning back up plans, which I have, so sorry for the confusion there, I've thought about it. I wanted to see if anyone had experienced an outdoor ceremony in April and how that fared as opposed to May, the wettest month of the year in Pgh.

Again, I apologize for my defensiveness, but I found the implication insulting that I wasn't thinking of my guests when I mentioned their comfort in my first response. And it seems crazy to me that so many people would have a huge problem with an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception at a beautiful, though not climate controlled venue. But my family and friends are awesome and pretty laid back, so as long as its not mid july and I ask for black tie, I think they'll be okay.

sarilynnep

No one was claiming that you weren't thinking of guests. Obviousy you wouldn't even be on here asking us questions if you weren't thinking of them. On this board we just try and give our opinions and give you all of the perspectives.

And I said that is was a risk with absolutely no climate control at any time of year because it is. But you mentioned in posts after my comment that there are fans as well as heaters you can rent. So you do have some way to manage the heat/cold and therefore manage the risk. I didn't in any way mean to come off as rude. That is not who I am. I was just commenting that if you have absolutely NOTHING at the venue to help with heat or cold then it is risk.