Heat, Sweat, & Booze – The Groom's Guide to Summer Weddings

Well, well, well, you made it to summer. Wedding season can vary based on where you are, but where we’re from, summer means wedding season. Buffalo and Western New York have some serious weather in the winter, and with football in the fall, weddings often find themselves nestled in the sweet, sweet summertime. Still, even though we Buffalonians have kin all over the country, and if you’re from the south or out west, you know how to survive the heat, but maybe not in a tux! So we’re here to help! 

As we are right in the thick of it, in America’s 250th summer, let’s take some time today on the blog to help the future grooms and groomsmen be best prepared for a hot, sultry, romantic day that will ideally be full of beautiful and amazing memories. 

Let’s break down what Grooms NEED to know about getting married on a hot summer day.

The Venue

The first thing you’ll need to consider when planning for a summer wedding day is the location and venue. We are assuming is going to be hot, muggy, maybe rainy. So the next thing to consider is the ceremony location, follow-up, and reception. Couples traditionally used to get married in the church but that’s becoming less and less normal, with venues providing on-site officiants to have the ceremony lead into cocktail hour and reception. Either way, if you’re going to be outdoors for any part of the day, you should keep reading. 

The Attire

Of course, one thing you can control is what you and your groomsmen wear. It’s important to note that you don’t need to wear cutoff dress shirts and daisy dukes just because it’s hot. You can still get the classic tux look with the right fabrics and quality of fabric. Of course, you can definitely make things easier on yourself with some lighter fabrics like linen, cotton, seersucker or khaki/sage blends. You can also consider going more “comfortable” with the suspenders look if you’re all going to be outdoors. Ultimately, just remember it might be a little hot for a three-piece, lined, wool suit, Sherlock. 

The Day Of

There are a few things you can do to prepare yourself ahead of the wedding, in the morning, and on the day of the wedding to prevent disasters. You want to be loose and comfortable for your big day, but it will be harder to be loose and comfortable if you’re unprepared or scrambling before the big moments. 

Preparation

One thing you can do to set yourself up for success is hydrate. The night before, the morning of, and leading up to the ceremony. A common mistake is letting it rip the night before the wedding and waking up all hungover and dehydrated, but this is a big no-no if you’re going to be in the sun! 

Dehydration increases your risk of fainting or overheating, or just looking off for your big day. Drink plenty of water the night before and morning of, but you don’t need to be walking around with a gallon jug. You know yourself; just keep yourself in tip-top shape. This means don’t overdo it on booze the night before, but also don’t overdo it on the caffeine or energy drinks before either. By hitting the caffeine, you’re only increasing your adrenaline, which will probably already be through the roof naturally. This can also cause too much sweating. 

Another aspect of preparation is sweat control and maintenance. 

This means what you wear, but also how you prepare. 

Have a Groom’s emergency kit.

With whatever bag, backpack, duffel, or stuff you bring with you for the day, you’ll want to pack a few emergency things. 

Groom’s Summer Wedding Emergency Kit

• Deodorant

• Tide Stick

• Hair Stuff

• Backup Shirt

• Backup Underwear 

• Backup Socks

• Body Wipes

• Lint Roller

• Phone Charger

• Any particular medicines, salves, balms, or snake oil you need to be your best

Remember, Survive & Advance

When things go wrong, just remember, don’t sweat the small stuff. Your wife needs you to be strong, wise, patient, and understanding, but especially on this day. Be the gentleman you always dreamed of being and enjoy yourself. You should understand that you can almost guarantee a few things will go wrong. No one is perfect and fairy tales aren’t real. If and when something goes wrong, whether it be a lost groomsman’s tie, or a limo driver who drove to the wrong place, you’re going to need to survive and advance as a groomsman unit. 

That’s what the groomsmen are there for. They are there to help prevent things from going wrong, but also to provide assistance and quick reaction when they do, to help things move forward. The more communication you have ahead of the wedding with your men, the better, and part of that communication is showing them your appreciation. 

Shop Groomsmen gifts that tell a story and give a personal memento that isn’t cheesy or fake. Our gifts allow you to simply give something that means what it says and says what it means. "Thanks, man."

Thanks for reading! Remember to follow us on social media for more grooms tps & helpful hints for groomsmen!