How to Dress for an Outdoor Wedding Without Overheating

An outdoor wedding is very often a great choice. After all, they look great in photos, and they’ll certainly be memorable. But you don’t want yours to be memorable for the wrong reasons, and one of those reasons is the wedding party all getting too hot and feeling uncomfortable, especially if it’s a really warm and sunny day. With that in mind, here are some ideas about how to dress for an outdoor wedding without overheating.

How to Dress for an Outdoor Wedding Without Overheating

photo by White Diamond Photo – full wedding here

Choose Breathable Fabrics

The first mistake people usually make when it comes to choosing wedding clothes is assuming that if it’s formal, it’s got to be made out of thick material because it really doesn’t. And actually, there are some great fabrics you can pick that mean you’ll be comfortable and still look like you’re attending a wedding, which is clearly important.

The truth is that heavy synthetic clothes trap heat, and thick linings make it all much worse, and if you’re going to be outside for hours, you need something that allows air to move. That’s why options like men’s linen suits are such a great and highly practical choice because linen breathes properly, it doesn’t cling in the heat, and it feels lighter on the body, which makes a big difference in hot or even warm temperatures.

photo by Honey + Bee Photography – full wedding here

Think About Layers

Outdoor weddings tend to start off warm and then get cooler once the sun goes down, which is why instead of choosing just one heavier layer, it’s best to be a bit more flexible, and try multiple layers instead.

That could include a light jacket you can easily take on and off, for example, or a waistcoat you could forget about if it’s too hot for it, and so on. The most important thing to do is to pick a shirt that looks good on its own because that way, no matter which layers you do or don’t wear, it won’t matter.

photo by Bacalao Films – full wedding here

Rethink Dark Colours

Dark colours absorb heat, and that’s just how it works, so if the wedding allows for it, lighter shades are going to be the best choice because they’ll feel cooler and they’ll also look more in keeping with an outdoor setting anyway.

You can try options like soft greys, pale blues, and beige or cream tones, and they’re good because they’ll reflect the light rather than trap it. Combined with breathable fabrics like we mentioned above, they can keep you looking sharp without feeling uncomfortable.

photo by  Lukas P. Schmidt – full post here

Pay Attention To Footwear

It’s easy to focus on suits and forget about shoes, but standing on grass or gravel in heavy formal footwear can be massively uncomfortable, which is why you need to choose something smart but practical, and, crucially, make sure they’re broken in. Plus, if you’re going to be on uneven ground, it’s best to avoid anything too delicate because you’ll feel every stone and crack beneath your feet.

photo by  Apollo Fields – full wedding here

Final Thoughts

Dressing for an outdoor wedding is simple once you start thinking about the setting before anything else. And once you do that, you can be sure everyone’s going to be comfortable and happy, and the big day will go a lot more smoothly.

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