Weddings across the UK are being disrupted by increasingly frequent summer heatwaves, forcing couples to make costly, last-minute changes to keep guests comfortable. Aimie Seale, married in West Yorkshire during 30C heat, had to book an emergency marquee and hire an ice-cream van after her makeup began melting and guests struggled with the heat inside a glass-fronted church. Experts say this is becoming a widespread problem as climate change makes extreme summer temperatures far more common, adding unexpected strain and expense to an already costly occasion.

Industry figures report the financial impact is significant: wedding venues face thousands of pounds in extra costs for air conditioning and cooling equipment, while alcohol sales have dropped as guests drink more water in the heat, cutting into venue profit margins. Searches for fans on wedding planning app Bridebook were up fivefold compared with 2019, and florists have struggled to source popular flowers like peonies and roses, whose blooming window has shrunk from two months to two weeks, sometimes adding around £200 in extra delivery costs per wedding. Data shows that half of the years between 2015 and 2024 saw temperatures exceed 35C, up from just one in ten previously, prompting wedding planners to advise couples to consider later dates or cooler venues.