How Cold is Too Cold?

KM51240 · October 2009

Hello,My wedding is this saturday & we've been planning for almost two years for an outdoor ceremony. Now just 3 days away, the forecast is a high of 47 degrees! There is a plan b at the venue which is an outdoor pavillion building w/concrete floor & walls but I would really like to avoid using it. So the big question is, how cold it too cold for guests to sit outside??

jennyp08 · October 2009

This would be JUST for the ceremony, correct? I went to a summer outdoor ceremony this July.. IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA, and the temp was horribly high (107). I have to say, it did take away from my enjoyment of the wedding. Even worse, the ceremony AND THE RECEPTION were both outdoors...I was miserable for most of the weddingIf your ceremony is short, the guests are warned, MAYBE (and its a big maybe) an outdoor ceremony will be tolerable. Maybe if you keep everyone inside until right before the wedding party is going to walk down the aise, and you serve warm beverages, etc, it will help.I'm not used to that cold of weather anymore, but especially as a girl who usually wears a dress & heels to wedding, I'd be freezing my butt off (and probably cursing you silently for making be sit outside for more than a few minutes. lol)Then again, I don't know what is normal or colder than normal temps for your area.. Perhaps ask your local board?Good luck!

mikesboo23 · October 2009

If your ceremony isn't too long they can suck it up. You can put blankets out for people if it gets too cold.

Pirata13 · October 2009

Where do you live? Is this normal temperatures for this time of year?

KM51240 · October 2009

I live in Central Illinois. The normal high at this time is lower 60's, but it's been unseasonably cold this year. Last year it was close to 70 degrees.

C&JBigDay · October 2009

I'm sure your guests are aware that the ceremony is to be held outdoors, and when they leave their homes hopefully they will have the sense to dress for the weather! Definitely take the good advice of serving warm beverages and keeping people indoors as long as possible, if possible. Not too many guests would expect you to pull your ceremony from a beautiful setting to a drab one just for their momentary comfort... as long as your ceremony DOESN'T go too long, they'll understand! If you can find them in your area, it's possible to rent silent portable space heaters which you may be able to incorporate onto the ends of seating rows, or in standing areas, if you get desperate! Your guests will forgive the obscurity for their comfort. Have lap blankets on hand too, you never know how somebody with a lower body temperature is going to feel. If it's a smaller, personal ceremony it also wouldn't hurt to have a small stash of cardigans / sleeves for those who show up in little dresses. Have a well known attendant offer and keep track of who they've been lent to! I'd say you're right on the brink and you'll have to make it quickish. If it drops below the forecast, pull it inside. It might not be ideal, but you'll have to roll with it!

MidniteSun383 · October 2009

I'm not far away-Milwaukee and since we're used to cold weather, just not used to it getting this cold quite so soon, I don't think it's too much of a problem. Especially for just 30 min or so. If everyone knows it's outside, they'll dress appropriately-or decide they can deal with the cold.

kmmssg · October 2009

I'm the odd one out here and would recommend the tent. The HIGH will be 47, but was is the wind going to be like? Cloudy or sunny? those all make a big difference. I would put my guests comfort first. Will there be children there? People will arrive 15-30 minutes early. I'm guessing those folks are looking at 45-60 minutes outside. How long will your ceremony last , and then are you doing a receiving line or anything like that?

cowgirl_tarr · October 2009

Well... I am from Seattle and all my family are in Oregon or Washington so they wouldn't even blink if it started raining in the middle of my wedding but I am sure that people from other dryer states would freak out so I say ask around to the people that live near you.Here is only gets to maybe the mid 50s so 47 would be just another day.

momofayden · October 2009

just FYI-The warmest time of the day is around 4pm and it is usually higher than the average daily temp by 5-10 degrees and if it's directly in the sun, then you might be ok. If you are having an hour long ceremony, provide blankets or possibly rent some outdoor heaters. If it's going to be short, spread the word about bringing a good jacket and have some nice blankets and enjoy your wedding.

KM51240 · October 2009

Thanks everyone for the comments! It helped to have some outside perspective. We ended up renting propane heaters & moving into the pavilion building. Then during the ceremony we opened up the doors at the ends so the background was still trees. The guests seemed to be happy and they were only shivering a little at the end

How Cold is Too Cold?

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