If you’re a June/July/August bride, you have weeks—or months, even—until your wedding day. If you start panicking now, you’ll have a meltdown or three before the day arrives. And still, there are a few details you need to think about ahead of time to prevent wedding day disasters. Minor or, um, not so minor.
This fresh-off-the-runway wedding dress—the Giselle from Theia—would be perfect for a summer 2016 bride.
WEDDING WORRY 1: TAN LINES
We’re all itching to hit the beach, but brides, beware. You’re one ill-timed catnap in the sun away from some picture-ruining tan lines. Make sure you pack a wide-brimmed hat and apply sunscreen liberally if you’re headed outdoors. And, if possible, find a bathing suit with a neckline that matches your dress, just to be on the safe side.
WEDDING WORRY 2: A BAD HAIR DAY
You need to hit a sweet spot with both your cut and color. You should be trimming your ends every three months before your wedding, with your final trim about a month out. (Otherwise you risk those awkward, too-straight lines.) Don’t make any drastic color changes this late in the game, but touch up your roots or get a final round of highlights two weeks before the big day so that color has a little time to settle.
WEDDING WORRY 3: BUG BITES
This is something you need to worry about ahead of time and day-of. You don’t want to walk down the aisle with a mosquito bite bump between your eyes—and you also don’t want your guests to get eaten alive if all or part of your wedding is outdoors. To protect yourself ahead of time, try citronella incense at your summer barbecues, which feels more effective, to me, than candles. And to keep your guests bite-free day-of, be sure to include bug spray in your bathroom baskets.
WEDDING WORRY 4: A HEAT WAVE—OR A COLD FRONT
Don’t start checking the weather reports just yet. But do talk to your venue about what you’ll do in case of extreme weather. If there’s even a slight chance that it could get super hot at your outdoor wedding, look into renting portable air conditioners for the tent. And if you’ve only visited your venue during the day, be sure to ask how low the temps might dip at night. In New England, especially, a summer night can be downright chilly—nothing that can’t be combatted with a few portable heaters.
What else could happen now that would throw a wrench into a summer wedding?