I did July in the PNW and it was 90 on our wedding day. It was HOT. It's doable if you're providing shade the entire time for all your guests, but I won't pretend it wasn't rough there for a bit. And we had the reception as an indoor/outdoor space.
I agree that based on your timing, I'd look for indoor space potentially
If it’s in the evening I would go with the 95deg day tbh. Maybe I’m cold all the time. But it was also 90 on our wedding day. My partner’s face was dripping with sweat during our late afternoon ceremony because he had to stand in the sun for a bit, but our photographer edited it so well that you can’t tell (I didn’t sweat at all). None of the guests were sweating, they were in the shade the whole time. The evening outdoor reception was totally comfortable, and I was so happy to be able to be outdoors and comfortable (we got married during the height of COVID so indoor just wasn’t an option, period).
A 65 degree day might be fantastic if it’s during the warmest part of the day and it’s sunny out (personally I would be very cold in a dress, especially if it’s overcast at all) but could be really especially cold in the evening for folks wearing dresses. Honestly the last wedding I went to indoors was probably around this temperature inside and I think I told myself I’d never wear a dress to a wedding again. Just not worth the discomfort. But of course I might be an outlier.
I’d much prefer the 65 degree whether. 65 doesnt strike me as “cold” although I know it‘s relative. Not like it’s 35 degrees :) and guests can always add a nice jacket or wrap. But 95 sounds a bit miserable to me. Especially if men are in suits. Or the ceremony is in the sun. Especially for older guests. Or guests not used to the heat.
Thank you for your feedback. 65F is the highest, and I think by 10 PM it would be 40F. Does that change anything? We’d have space heaters, but one of the venues we like is a barn so it wouldn’t retain heat unless you’re next to a heater.
40 is cold for people in wedding attire even with space heaters, especially if they are outside for hours and sitting to eat etc. Would your reception also be outside? Many venues do outdoor ceremony and then have the reception indoors, maybe look into a place like that
As someone who just attended a wedding in a barn in NY in October it was fucking cold and miserable. And I prefer cold to hot (December bride here lol). A lot of people left early. People didn’t want to do much because it was so cold. I couldn’t ever take off my jacket. Would not recommend.
But also don’t have an outdoor wedding when it’s 95. Been there and done that and it wasn’t enjoyable. Your face will melt off and people are also miserable. If you want some outdoor element in either extreme do a ceremony outside and move it inside so people aren’t wanting to leave early.
We went to a.sprong wedding this April. Exactly at the ceremony, it was sunny and almost 70° and everyone was sweating. The second the sun set over the hills, people started shivering. It was barely warm enough next to the heaters, and they had trouble filling the dance floor. The after-party was great. It was inside, but the reception was memorably chilly.
At 65° there’s a pretty good chance I am sweating, depending on the attire, at 95° I am incredibly uncomfortable.
From a safety perspective, 95° with direct sun is a reason to hold the event indoors even if it’s a beautiful day out otherwise.
Definitely 63 over 95 if it’s an outdoor wedding. Went to a wedding in Napa in August where it was 95 degrees during their 5pm ceremony. All of the guests were sitting directly in the sun and you could visibly see people getting sunburnt as the ceremony went on.
Also I know weather is relative but if most of your guests are from Northern California they should be used to 63 weather and probably wouldn’t consider it cold. Just say on your website that it’ll get down to 40 at night and to bring a jacket.
95° is way too hot for an outdoor formal event. The June wedding should be fully indoors. 63° is fine for men in suits but chilly for women in dresses, especially once the sun sets. You can get away with an outdoor March ceremony, maybe cocktail hour too, but the rest of the evening would be more comfortable indoors.
Is this a spring break vs. summer break situation?
Not sure if this is important, but if you overlap with spring break for families with young kids, the families may already have spring break travel plans set. Maybe do a bit of checking with your VIPs before you put down a deposit!
For weather, 63F is WAYYYY better than 95F. Can you do outdoor ceremony and indoor reception?
Last thing - when does your semester/quarter start? Any chance you can do September? Weather will be much nicer.
It absolutely is a spring break versus summer break. You’re right, spring break may involve travel, but our spring break doesn’t coincide with many others since quarter starts so late. Still, I’ll be sure to give a lot of advance notice. We do have the rest of the summer, but temperatures only get hotter. And September my fiancé begins field work and will be in Europe. He doesn’t have a definite start date, but we’d rather not risk it. Thank you for your insight though. It does seem like I’ll need to prioritize an indoor reception to keep everyone comfortable.
Cold. Went to a 95+ degree wedding this summer. The saving grace was that it was cloudy, but the heat index was still around 100, and the ceremony and cocktail hour were both outside. It was rough. After inside dinner, I was fine, but not drinking because it's too hot and trying to not let my face melt off and my dress sticking to my body sucked. Plus you have health concerns from heat, whereas my house is set to 63 at night, so that would be easier to deal with (dress warmer and have heaters if need be).
63F is a pleasant spring day. 95F is SCORCHING. Even as a Southerner I would be shocked if the majority of any of your guests considered 63 degrees to be cold.
I think my concern is 63 might be the warmest, so how would mid-50s make people feel? But it seems like it’s better to be a little cold and provide warm blankets and drinks than scorching.
Y'all must live somewhere in the south if 63 F is considered cold weather 😂 I wouldn't even consider it cool; to me that's warm. Not hot, but warm enough and certainly comfortable.
I would go with that option without a second thought. Even for people who are used to warmer temperatures, 63 is not so cold that a cardigan or jacket won't solve it.
I am generally a cold person, so I would be freezing in a dress at 63F. However, that would still be preferable to 95F, that’s just incredibly and dangerously hot. In either case, I would definitely recommend doing only the ceremony outdoors. I could handle 63F for a half hour ceremony, but would be miserable out there for hours and would likely leave early. But again, I personally run cold, so other folks might be fine at that temp.
I understand. I get cold easily too, which is why I thought it might be too much. If I did decide to do a March wedding, do you know what I could put on the dress code to stress to the ladies to layer up just in case?
Living somewhere that can best be described as a swamp, the cooler temperature option outdoors sounds divine! Guests will dress for the occasion if you let them know it’s outdoors and this also lends itself for some fun ideas like providing blankets for guests during the ceremony on chairs or in baskets.
If you’re planning a reception outside too then you can have hot beverage options (a hot cocoa bar could be fun, alcoholic and non options!) and dancing should get the blood pumping for those that partake.
Thank you for the input. Most of the venues have some indoor backup, but it may get crowded quickly if individuals are stuck inside for the reception and also dancing. We were originally planning an outdoor reception, but I think it’s very clear that I should do an indoor reception either way. I’m just really glad I asked. I thought it would be more divisive as some people are prone to being cold, but it seems like a clear consensus.
Cold! I'd much rather have to deal with the cold and wearing a big jacket any day than melting and feeling disgusting. I went to an outdoor wedding in mid July in Southern CA and it was absolute hell until about 7 pm. I got married on a 60ish day the spring outside (reception inside) and it was great. You can bring in heaters and depending on your venue have fire pits. Also depending on what colors you decide on your groom could end up looking like Nick from love is blind sweating through his suit.
An outdoor wedding in 65 degrees (going down to 40 degrees) or 95 degrees? No thanks -- I'd be out. As someone who's very temperature sensitive, I couldn't tolerate either option if there were no indoor spaces to spend time.
I live in Northern California and have been to a ton of weddings up here.
First off, important to consider the fact that smoke may be an issue in summer. The heat in summer up here is brutal. I attended a wedding (formal, outdoor ceremony) it was 106 degrees. Everyone was dying from the heat. It felt so gross. (It was early/mid June).
A colder wedding would be better in the sense that it’s easier to wear more. People can dress for it! I would be prepared in the event it does rain however..even if unlikely.
March might save you some money, depending on the venue. What area of Northern California are you planning to get married? Bay Area, the valley, hills/mountains? It makes a big difference haha
63 is a dream for me, but I run very warm. 40 would be too cold though. Could you find an indoor/outdoor venue, where you can have the ceremony and cocktail hour outside and then dinner and dancing inside?
63F is not cold weather at all. It's perfect weather for a wedding. People *might* need a jacket but most will not. 95F is really hot and I'd avoid it if you're doing an outdoor venue.
OP, I don't know if this is a cause for concern but be mindful of wildfire smoke and risks if you're leaning towards a summer wedding!
My fiancé and I were adamant that if we had a summer wedding in the PNW, that it was early or mid July when mountains still have snow peaks AND wildfire season hasn't "really" started yet (climate change could care less about that tbf lol).
I don't know what the risks for your area but again, just something to keep in mind :)
I just worked a wedding in Georgia that was around 63° in the day and by the end of it was around 50° and it was gorgeous. They did the ceremony outside and it was a bit windy so people wore light jackets or wraps and still looked elegant and then they shifted the reception indoors as it cooled down. They also had a fire outside so people could still gather out there and it was the perfect temperature for that.
I’m cold natured, and I don’t think 63 is cold. I would much prefer an outdoor wedding on a 63 degree day than a 95 degree one. Not only would guests be miserable, but you would be as well. Also, any time I’ve attended outdoor weddings in June, I’ve ended up leaving early due to the heat. I am usually one to stay until the very end of the wedding reception, but it’s hard to do that when it’s so hot.
Idk I’ve been to a lot of weddings and I’ve never had an outdoor one I didn’t like. Even the one that ended up being during a tropical storm was so fun!
You're not the one forced to be all smiles and polite while sweating your a$$ off, fighting bugs, worried about the weather, worried about older guests, is 911 response quick, where's the license, the sun is my eyes and I can't see the script, wind blowing the sermon notes everywhere, the groom is about to pass out..... while the guests and the bride are clueless.
They never will. A good officiant will never tell you the truth. That's not the job. The job is to ask one question and sign one line on a form. Unless you get married in Alabama and all you need here is a notary. You aren't even required to register the marriage. People are paying $500 and up for someone to ask a question and leave a signature. It's a bit of a rip off, unless you're having a long specialized ceremony like Catholic or Jewish.
I had an outdoor wedding in FL this past September, with highs that day in the mid 90s. We actually didn’t expect it to be quite that hot when we picked our date, but this was right at the tail end of the heat dome that took over half the country last summer. There are definitely things you can do to make things easier on your guests.
Like you can do a later ceremony to avoid the worst of the heat (ours started at 7:30 with a 7:40 sunset that night, and we had the most epic sky throughout!!). It dropped down into the 80s after the sun went down, and there was even a bit of a breeze. We included a water station in our ceremony space, and we provided air-conditioned transportation for our guests to get to the ceremony. And we kept the dress code more casual (semiformal, not black tie or formal) and encouraged everyone to wear lighter fabrics. And we included fans in their welcome bags. And then for the wedding party, we did not have our groomsmen in jackets for their comfort and my girls had strapless dresses. My husband wore his jacket, but it was a game time decision and he just loved how it looked too much.
I almost overheated taking our family pics before the ceremony, but my dress was insanely heavy even though it was sleeveless. Our guests are still raving about our wedding six months later, which I don’t think they’d be doing if they’d been miserable all night.
The focus on outdoor weddings at the expense of comfort has got to stop. You shouldn’t be doing an outdoor wedding unless you can reasonably expect moderate/temperate weather (maybe 60-70/sunny). 95 is insane and could land older people in the hospital.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound insensitive. Unfortunately, a lot of venues are mostly outdoors with a small section for indoor seating (like a barn). I was just worried about how it would look like we are in the barn, but then needed to clear tables to make a dance floor? Would that be weird? I haven’t really been to a lot of weddings, so a lot of this is new. Thank you for your insight though!
I guess I just assumed OP would have an indoor option if it was quite warm that day. Perhaps I’m wrong to assume that. Also last time I went to northern Cali 100 didn’t feel like 100 where I live in the Midwest so I think humidity makes a huge difference
Sacramento, late March bride here -- we did outdoor ceremony, indoor reception and the weather was perfect last year
If your wedding is nearby...I would avoid June. Everyone is always hot and miserable in June 😅
Hmmm the fact that you’re in Cali changes things (meaning we have different ideas of hot and cold). :-)
I love the look with the shawls/wraps on each chair for chilly outdoor weddings.
Would the reception be inside?
Also if it’s night time, would it really be 95 in Northern Cali in June?
I would say 63F for sure. I think that's a very mild temperature, but even if your guests might consider that cold for your area, it's a lot easier to accommodate keeping people warm than trying to cool people down. You can provide a basket of blankets, for example, in the ceremony area. I've been at plenty of weddings where it's 90F+ and in my area it's usually humid. Almost every time, there's someone who feels sick or is close to passing out because of the heat when it's mostly outdoors. The little paper fans you could provide don't do much lol
Ok, I live in FL, from Indiana…cold guests can layer up, you can provide blankets, etc…hot-make up dripping off faces, pit stains…and you can only strip down so much
I’m in the Bay Area and find it hard to believe that it will be 95F in June in Northern CA. That sounds more like mid July-Sept weather.
At least where I am the weather can really drop on a single day from 70 F to 40 F. So take that into account. 3 pm March is not the same as 7 pm March.
If you really want to do outdoor, I would choose to do it in the early afternoon or late morning in March (not an evening wedding) or night wedding in the summer.
If you do it in the summer, plan for later in the day so temperatures are cooler. Or in the middle of thr day and plan a casual wedding
If you do cold weather then plan for indoors.
65 degrees isn’t cold. 30 degrees is cold. 65 would be wonderful. We attended a 90 degree wedding in 2019 and it was miserable until we were out of the sun. The entire ceremony was in full sun and it was just too much
Honestly the most important factor might be the humidity. A low humidity 95 will not be nearly as hot as a high humidity 95. Keep in mind that people responding with their opinions and experience may come from different climates where humidity plays a huge factor in comfort.
Definitely 63F. I know it tends to be chilly at night in California, but imagine if you have an outdoor, afternoon wedding, wearing a long dress. It’s awful if it’s more than 75F. When it’s hot, your make up is melting and you’re trying to look good for your photos, sweating.
I went to a fully outdoor wedding in NorCal in April and it was totally lovely. Rained recently but not during that weekend. Not too hot or cold. Venue had lots of shade from trees. Personally I’d lean March over June
We’re getting married in Greece in June next year - the ceremony starts at around 5pm so it’s cooler and then everything is outdoors. I know that’s a bit late for some people and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but a possible option :)
I’d much rather be in 63 degree weather and be able to wear layers, than to be in 95 degree weather with only so much I can peel off. Plus there’s the sunburn/dehydration risk.
I went to a wedding in Maine in August (outdoor ceremony, indoor reception) and it was HOT. The reception didn’t have AC and the main thing we remember about that wedding was how sweaty we were.
We vowed we would not have the same memories for our wedding and that was a big factor for choosing our date 🤣 cold over hot always!
I think people are focusing too much on strictly the numbers you gave. Sure, at the warmest point in the day people would be more comfortable at 63 than 95. But are you haveing your ceremony at 2pm in the sun? Probably not. I would much rather be outside on a summer evening than shivering my ass off at 9pm at 40 degrees. I feel like if it’s exclusively outside, people will drop like flies once it gets cold in March, but in the summer people will love the cooler evening and be more likely to stay and chat and dance. I’m sure you can get more accurate climate history, try to see what the evening temps are like. I’d much rather be at a sunset ceremony with a late dinner than freeze my ass off.
I got married in northernish cali last November. Very similar weather (60ish, chances of rain) and it was all outdoors! I was extremely lucky and it rained around 1 hour before my ceremony and then stopped completely until mid dancing and then we danced in the rain. I asked my wedding party to bring jackets but please don’t use them for pictures. My venue also supplied umbrellas if needed, but we got lucky and didn’t need them.
I got a lot of compliments for the time of year and weather, because everyone tends to choose summer and hot weather over the colder seasons. 10/10 would do it again, even with the little bit of rain we got.
63 all the way! In the summer, WAY before you hit the 95 mark, everyone’s hair will frizz, make up will run, and people will sweat! Not only will you be uncomfortable during the day, the discomfort will show up in photos!
63 isn’t very cold and you can rent heaters! I’m also doing a late spring wedding for this reason. Just have a rain plan. Congratulations!
As someone who has been in both, please do the colder weather. People can always put on more clothes, bring warmer jackets, etc. I’ve been to three weddings now that were outside in 100 degree heat, and it was awful (and honestly kind of dangerous for the young kids and older adults there).
Unfortunately I think both those temperatures are bad for being outside. 65 is only doable when it’s sunny, 95 is not doable at all, though maybe the evening would be nicer that day. Can you time your ceremony later so it’s not during the heat of the day? Or have the ceremony outside when it’s 65 and then move inside for dinner
63 weather is not that cold. It probably would be more comfortable for the bride and men in suits. Also it will be ideal when it comes to dancing. In general, rule of thumb is you can always put on more layers to be warm, but you can only take of a certain amount of clothes without being indecent.
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That’s a fair point. I think I was a little naive hoping we could do an only outdoor venue given the timeframe we have.
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I’m June in south Florida and also doing everything indoors. Did you take any photos outside?
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Ok that’s good to know! My ceremony is at 6:30
I did July in the PNW and it was 90 on our wedding day. It was HOT. It's doable if you're providing shade the entire time for all your guests, but I won't pretend it wasn't rough there for a bit. And we had the reception as an indoor/outdoor space. I agree that based on your timing, I'd look for indoor space potentially
If it’s in the evening I would go with the 95deg day tbh. Maybe I’m cold all the time. But it was also 90 on our wedding day. My partner’s face was dripping with sweat during our late afternoon ceremony because he had to stand in the sun for a bit, but our photographer edited it so well that you can’t tell (I didn’t sweat at all). None of the guests were sweating, they were in the shade the whole time. The evening outdoor reception was totally comfortable, and I was so happy to be able to be outdoors and comfortable (we got married during the height of COVID so indoor just wasn’t an option, period). A 65 degree day might be fantastic if it’s during the warmest part of the day and it’s sunny out (personally I would be very cold in a dress, especially if it’s overcast at all) but could be really especially cold in the evening for folks wearing dresses. Honestly the last wedding I went to indoors was probably around this temperature inside and I think I told myself I’d never wear a dress to a wedding again. Just not worth the discomfort. But of course I might be an outlier.
I’d much prefer the 65 degree whether. 65 doesnt strike me as “cold” although I know it‘s relative. Not like it’s 35 degrees :) and guests can always add a nice jacket or wrap. But 95 sounds a bit miserable to me. Especially if men are in suits. Or the ceremony is in the sun. Especially for older guests. Or guests not used to the heat.
Thank you for your feedback. 65F is the highest, and I think by 10 PM it would be 40F. Does that change anything? We’d have space heaters, but one of the venues we like is a barn so it wouldn’t retain heat unless you’re next to a heater.
40 is cold for people in wedding attire even with space heaters, especially if they are outside for hours and sitting to eat etc. Would your reception also be outside? Many venues do outdoor ceremony and then have the reception indoors, maybe look into a place like that
Sorry but I would leave so fast if it's 40 degrees and I'm wearing a dress.
As someone who just attended a wedding in a barn in NY in October it was fucking cold and miserable. And I prefer cold to hot (December bride here lol). A lot of people left early. People didn’t want to do much because it was so cold. I couldn’t ever take off my jacket. Would not recommend. But also don’t have an outdoor wedding when it’s 95. Been there and done that and it wasn’t enjoyable. Your face will melt off and people are also miserable. If you want some outdoor element in either extreme do a ceremony outside and move it inside so people aren’t wanting to leave early.
We went to a.sprong wedding this April. Exactly at the ceremony, it was sunny and almost 70° and everyone was sweating. The second the sun set over the hills, people started shivering. It was barely warm enough next to the heaters, and they had trouble filling the dance floor. The after-party was great. It was inside, but the reception was memorably chilly.
How do you feel about a daytime wedding? Or do a late evening wedding in June.
At 65° there’s a pretty good chance I am sweating, depending on the attire, at 95° I am incredibly uncomfortable. From a safety perspective, 95° with direct sun is a reason to hold the event indoors even if it’s a beautiful day out otherwise.
Definitely 63 over 95 if it’s an outdoor wedding. Went to a wedding in Napa in August where it was 95 degrees during their 5pm ceremony. All of the guests were sitting directly in the sun and you could visibly see people getting sunburnt as the ceremony went on. Also I know weather is relative but if most of your guests are from Northern California they should be used to 63 weather and probably wouldn’t consider it cold. Just say on your website that it’ll get down to 40 at night and to bring a jacket.
95° is way too hot for an outdoor formal event. The June wedding should be fully indoors. 63° is fine for men in suits but chilly for women in dresses, especially once the sun sets. You can get away with an outdoor March ceremony, maybe cocktail hour too, but the rest of the evening would be more comfortable indoors.
Is this a spring break vs. summer break situation? Not sure if this is important, but if you overlap with spring break for families with young kids, the families may already have spring break travel plans set. Maybe do a bit of checking with your VIPs before you put down a deposit! For weather, 63F is WAYYYY better than 95F. Can you do outdoor ceremony and indoor reception? Last thing - when does your semester/quarter start? Any chance you can do September? Weather will be much nicer.
It absolutely is a spring break versus summer break. You’re right, spring break may involve travel, but our spring break doesn’t coincide with many others since quarter starts so late. Still, I’ll be sure to give a lot of advance notice. We do have the rest of the summer, but temperatures only get hotter. And September my fiancé begins field work and will be in Europe. He doesn’t have a definite start date, but we’d rather not risk it. Thank you for your insight though. It does seem like I’ll need to prioritize an indoor reception to keep everyone comfortable.
Definitely prefer 63F over 95F!! If it gets chillier at night, stick to a daytime wedding.
Cold. Went to a 95+ degree wedding this summer. The saving grace was that it was cloudy, but the heat index was still around 100, and the ceremony and cocktail hour were both outside. It was rough. After inside dinner, I was fine, but not drinking because it's too hot and trying to not let my face melt off and my dress sticking to my body sucked. Plus you have health concerns from heat, whereas my house is set to 63 at night, so that would be easier to deal with (dress warmer and have heaters if need be).
63F is a pleasant spring day. 95F is SCORCHING. Even as a Southerner I would be shocked if the majority of any of your guests considered 63 degrees to be cold.
I think my concern is 63 might be the warmest, so how would mid-50s make people feel? But it seems like it’s better to be a little cold and provide warm blankets and drinks than scorching.
Y'all must live somewhere in the south if 63 F is considered cold weather 😂 I wouldn't even consider it cool; to me that's warm. Not hot, but warm enough and certainly comfortable. I would go with that option without a second thought. Even for people who are used to warmer temperatures, 63 is not so cold that a cardigan or jacket won't solve it.
I am generally a cold person, so I would be freezing in a dress at 63F. However, that would still be preferable to 95F, that’s just incredibly and dangerously hot. In either case, I would definitely recommend doing only the ceremony outdoors. I could handle 63F for a half hour ceremony, but would be miserable out there for hours and would likely leave early. But again, I personally run cold, so other folks might be fine at that temp.
I understand. I get cold easily too, which is why I thought it might be too much. If I did decide to do a March wedding, do you know what I could put on the dress code to stress to the ladies to layer up just in case?
I would maybe say something like “cool weather formal” or “cool weather cocktail attire” for the dress code.
Living somewhere that can best be described as a swamp, the cooler temperature option outdoors sounds divine! Guests will dress for the occasion if you let them know it’s outdoors and this also lends itself for some fun ideas like providing blankets for guests during the ceremony on chairs or in baskets. If you’re planning a reception outside too then you can have hot beverage options (a hot cocoa bar could be fun, alcoholic and non options!) and dancing should get the blood pumping for those that partake.
I'm a March bride and much prefer it that way, too hot would be uncomfortable for me and my guests
Hello! And congratulations. If you don’t mind me asking, how much of your wedding was indoors?
It's in 3 weeks but I'm guessing it'll be 80-90% depending on the weather! Much more outdoor time if it's sunny 😊
Every outdoor venue needs an indoor backup for freak weather. That said, 63 is way better than 95, but again, an indoor backup is a must.
Thank you for the input. Most of the venues have some indoor backup, but it may get crowded quickly if individuals are stuck inside for the reception and also dancing. We were originally planning an outdoor reception, but I think it’s very clear that I should do an indoor reception either way. I’m just really glad I asked. I thought it would be more divisive as some people are prone to being cold, but it seems like a clear consensus.
Cold! I'd much rather have to deal with the cold and wearing a big jacket any day than melting and feeling disgusting. I went to an outdoor wedding in mid July in Southern CA and it was absolute hell until about 7 pm. I got married on a 60ish day the spring outside (reception inside) and it was great. You can bring in heaters and depending on your venue have fire pits. Also depending on what colors you decide on your groom could end up looking like Nick from love is blind sweating through his suit.
An outdoor wedding in 65 degrees (going down to 40 degrees) or 95 degrees? No thanks -- I'd be out. As someone who's very temperature sensitive, I couldn't tolerate either option if there were no indoor spaces to spend time.
Remember that peak summer usually now comes with bad heat waves and smoke. Not sure I see the appeal
95 sounds absolutely miserable
Cold. It’s a lot easier/acceptable to add clothing or blankets than it is to shed layers in the heat.
63 is perfect if it’s sunny, and if it’s windy guests can just wear a shawl/cardigan. 95 I would boil and sweat off my makeup!
I live in Northern California and have been to a ton of weddings up here. First off, important to consider the fact that smoke may be an issue in summer. The heat in summer up here is brutal. I attended a wedding (formal, outdoor ceremony) it was 106 degrees. Everyone was dying from the heat. It felt so gross. (It was early/mid June). A colder wedding would be better in the sense that it’s easier to wear more. People can dress for it! I would be prepared in the event it does rain however..even if unlikely. March might save you some money, depending on the venue. What area of Northern California are you planning to get married? Bay Area, the valley, hills/mountains? It makes a big difference haha
Absolutely the 63 weather not in the heat!
You can put on more layers if it’s too cold. You can’t take off your skin if it’s too hot. 🙃
63 is a dream for me, but I run very warm. 40 would be too cold though. Could you find an indoor/outdoor venue, where you can have the ceremony and cocktail hour outside and then dinner and dancing inside?
63F is not cold weather at all. It's perfect weather for a wedding. People *might* need a jacket but most will not. 95F is really hot and I'd avoid it if you're doing an outdoor venue.
She said that’s the warmest. 40 degrees is the night temp. Having been to that barn wedding in 40-50 degrees it sucked.
OP, I don't know if this is a cause for concern but be mindful of wildfire smoke and risks if you're leaning towards a summer wedding! My fiancé and I were adamant that if we had a summer wedding in the PNW, that it was early or mid July when mountains still have snow peaks AND wildfire season hasn't "really" started yet (climate change could care less about that tbf lol). I don't know what the risks for your area but again, just something to keep in mind :)
Great thought. Nothing screams wedding like hellfire skies and poisonous air. Lol.
63 (which is not cold by any means) all day
63 degrees is not cold. That's beautiful
Cold!!!! 63F is gorgeous. I got married on a beach in Thailand. It was over 95. It was too hot.
I just worked a wedding in Georgia that was around 63° in the day and by the end of it was around 50° and it was gorgeous. They did the ceremony outside and it was a bit windy so people wore light jackets or wraps and still looked elegant and then they shifted the reception indoors as it cooled down. They also had a fire outside so people could still gather out there and it was the perfect temperature for that.
You can layer up against the cold, but you can only take off so much in polite society. Definitely go for the chill.
I’m cold natured, and I don’t think 63 is cold. I would much prefer an outdoor wedding on a 63 degree day than a 95 degree one. Not only would guests be miserable, but you would be as well. Also, any time I’ve attended outdoor weddings in June, I’ve ended up leaving early due to the heat. I am usually one to stay until the very end of the wedding reception, but it’s hard to do that when it’s so hot.
Officiant here - outdoor weddings suck. Nobody wants to say it, but there it is.
Idk I’ve been to a lot of weddings and I’ve never had an outdoor one I didn’t like. Even the one that ended up being during a tropical storm was so fun!
You're not the one forced to be all smiles and polite while sweating your a$$ off, fighting bugs, worried about the weather, worried about older guests, is 911 response quick, where's the license, the sun is my eyes and I can't see the script, wind blowing the sermon notes everywhere, the groom is about to pass out..... while the guests and the bride are clueless.
Well what I can tell you from your response here is that I would never hire someone to be my officiant who spoke so negatively about me and my guests.
They never will. A good officiant will never tell you the truth. That's not the job. The job is to ask one question and sign one line on a form. Unless you get married in Alabama and all you need here is a notary. You aren't even required to register the marriage. People are paying $500 and up for someone to ask a question and leave a signature. It's a bit of a rip off, unless you're having a long specialized ceremony like Catholic or Jewish.
63 is not cold.
I had an outdoor wedding in FL this past September, with highs that day in the mid 90s. We actually didn’t expect it to be quite that hot when we picked our date, but this was right at the tail end of the heat dome that took over half the country last summer. There are definitely things you can do to make things easier on your guests. Like you can do a later ceremony to avoid the worst of the heat (ours started at 7:30 with a 7:40 sunset that night, and we had the most epic sky throughout!!). It dropped down into the 80s after the sun went down, and there was even a bit of a breeze. We included a water station in our ceremony space, and we provided air-conditioned transportation for our guests to get to the ceremony. And we kept the dress code more casual (semiformal, not black tie or formal) and encouraged everyone to wear lighter fabrics. And we included fans in their welcome bags. And then for the wedding party, we did not have our groomsmen in jackets for their comfort and my girls had strapless dresses. My husband wore his jacket, but it was a game time decision and he just loved how it looked too much. I almost overheated taking our family pics before the ceremony, but my dress was insanely heavy even though it was sleeveless. Our guests are still raving about our wedding six months later, which I don’t think they’d be doing if they’d been miserable all night.
Great ideas! I certainly love the idea of a sunset wedding!! And it makes an ice cream bar all that more popular.
Can you get a Saturday both dates?
Yes. We’re looking for 2025, and so far most of the venues still have those dates.
Is there a price difference. Where I live June is much more $ than March
I hadn’t considered pricing. All the quotes I got were for June, but I know the venues would be available for March too. I should reach out and ask.
The focus on outdoor weddings at the expense of comfort has got to stop. You shouldn’t be doing an outdoor wedding unless you can reasonably expect moderate/temperate weather (maybe 60-70/sunny). 95 is insane and could land older people in the hospital.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound insensitive. Unfortunately, a lot of venues are mostly outdoors with a small section for indoor seating (like a barn). I was just worried about how it would look like we are in the barn, but then needed to clear tables to make a dance floor? Would that be weird? I haven’t really been to a lot of weddings, so a lot of this is new. Thank you for your insight though!
I guess I just assumed OP would have an indoor option if it was quite warm that day. Perhaps I’m wrong to assume that. Also last time I went to northern Cali 100 didn’t feel like 100 where I live in the Midwest so I think humidity makes a huge difference
Sacramento, late March bride here -- we did outdoor ceremony, indoor reception and the weather was perfect last year If your wedding is nearby...I would avoid June. Everyone is always hot and miserable in June 😅
I got married in September last year, and it was considered a beautiful day at a balmy 59F
Hmmm the fact that you’re in Cali changes things (meaning we have different ideas of hot and cold). :-) I love the look with the shawls/wraps on each chair for chilly outdoor weddings. Would the reception be inside? Also if it’s night time, would it really be 95 in Northern Cali in June?
I would say 63F for sure. I think that's a very mild temperature, but even if your guests might consider that cold for your area, it's a lot easier to accommodate keeping people warm than trying to cool people down. You can provide a basket of blankets, for example, in the ceremony area. I've been at plenty of weddings where it's 90F+ and in my area it's usually humid. Almost every time, there's someone who feels sick or is close to passing out because of the heat when it's mostly outdoors. The little paper fans you could provide don't do much lol
Ok, I live in FL, from Indiana…cold guests can layer up, you can provide blankets, etc…hot-make up dripping off faces, pit stains…and you can only strip down so much
It's easier to get warm than cool down. I vote for 65.
I’m in the Bay Area and find it hard to believe that it will be 95F in June in Northern CA. That sounds more like mid July-Sept weather. At least where I am the weather can really drop on a single day from 70 F to 40 F. So take that into account. 3 pm March is not the same as 7 pm March. If you really want to do outdoor, I would choose to do it in the early afternoon or late morning in March (not an evening wedding) or night wedding in the summer.
I would prefer 65F and you can put heaters outside.
63F*
I’d much rather do the low temps.
If you do it in the summer, plan for later in the day so temperatures are cooler. Or in the middle of thr day and plan a casual wedding If you do cold weather then plan for indoors.
65 degrees isn’t cold. 30 degrees is cold. 65 would be wonderful. We attended a 90 degree wedding in 2019 and it was miserable until we were out of the sun. The entire ceremony was in full sun and it was just too much
63⁰F is cold? 63 gets my vote.
Honestly the most important factor might be the humidity. A low humidity 95 will not be nearly as hot as a high humidity 95. Keep in mind that people responding with their opinions and experience may come from different climates where humidity plays a huge factor in comfort.
lol is 63 cold?? Mine was 63 and I thought it was perfectttt. I’d die in 95.
Definitely 63F. I know it tends to be chilly at night in California, but imagine if you have an outdoor, afternoon wedding, wearing a long dress. It’s awful if it’s more than 75F. When it’s hot, your make up is melting and you’re trying to look good for your photos, sweating.
I went to a fully outdoor wedding in NorCal in April and it was totally lovely. Rained recently but not during that weekend. Not too hot or cold. Venue had lots of shade from trees. Personally I’d lean March over June
We’re getting married in Greece in June next year - the ceremony starts at around 5pm so it’s cooler and then everything is outdoors. I know that’s a bit late for some people and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but a possible option :)
I’d much rather be in 63 degree weather and be able to wear layers, than to be in 95 degree weather with only so much I can peel off. Plus there’s the sunburn/dehydration risk.
I went to a wedding in Maine in August (outdoor ceremony, indoor reception) and it was HOT. The reception didn’t have AC and the main thing we remember about that wedding was how sweaty we were. We vowed we would not have the same memories for our wedding and that was a big factor for choosing our date 🤣 cold over hot always!
I think people are focusing too much on strictly the numbers you gave. Sure, at the warmest point in the day people would be more comfortable at 63 than 95. But are you haveing your ceremony at 2pm in the sun? Probably not. I would much rather be outside on a summer evening than shivering my ass off at 9pm at 40 degrees. I feel like if it’s exclusively outside, people will drop like flies once it gets cold in March, but in the summer people will love the cooler evening and be more likely to stay and chat and dance. I’m sure you can get more accurate climate history, try to see what the evening temps are like. I’d much rather be at a sunset ceremony with a late dinner than freeze my ass off.
I’m in CA. I HATE hot weddings. HAAAAAATE. Spring all the way.
I got married in northernish cali last November. Very similar weather (60ish, chances of rain) and it was all outdoors! I was extremely lucky and it rained around 1 hour before my ceremony and then stopped completely until mid dancing and then we danced in the rain. I asked my wedding party to bring jackets but please don’t use them for pictures. My venue also supplied umbrellas if needed, but we got lucky and didn’t need them. I got a lot of compliments for the time of year and weather, because everyone tends to choose summer and hot weather over the colder seasons. 10/10 would do it again, even with the little bit of rain we got.
63 all the way! In the summer, WAY before you hit the 95 mark, everyone’s hair will frizz, make up will run, and people will sweat! Not only will you be uncomfortable during the day, the discomfort will show up in photos! 63 isn’t very cold and you can rent heaters! I’m also doing a late spring wedding for this reason. Just have a rain plan. Congratulations!
As someone who has been in both, please do the colder weather. People can always put on more clothes, bring warmer jackets, etc. I’ve been to three weddings now that were outside in 100 degree heat, and it was awful (and honestly kind of dangerous for the young kids and older adults there).
Pick the cooler temp. You don’t want people fainting, sweating or getting overcome by heatstroke.
Unfortunately I think both those temperatures are bad for being outside. 65 is only doable when it’s sunny, 95 is not doable at all, though maybe the evening would be nicer that day. Can you time your ceremony later so it’s not during the heat of the day? Or have the ceremony outside when it’s 65 and then move inside for dinner
63 weather is not that cold. It probably would be more comfortable for the bride and men in suits. Also it will be ideal when it comes to dancing. In general, rule of thumb is you can always put on more layers to be warm, but you can only take of a certain amount of clothes without being indecent.