The honest truth about summer in PV...

[Mishka Designs]

Hey guys! I meet with various coordinators through-out the week and there's a common theme that runs amongst them re: brides and summer here in PV ... so, I thought I would give you the honest, low-down truth (in case you are considering a wedding in the summer).

 

I'm sure most of you have read about how our "rainy season" starts mid-May and runs through mid-October. What that means to you is this:

 

1. Starting mid-May to the end of June you have a 50/50 chance of getting rained on. When a coordinator recommends covering it's to protect you as well as the coordinator. I think it's fair to not have covering, as long as your guests know that it might rain and that the area won't be covered. If your guests don't know that, personally I think it's slightly unfair to your guests. But that's just my own personal opinion.

 

2. Starting in June-the middle of October beach ceremonies are HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT (did I say they were hot?). Even if you're planning a 15 minute ceremony, you have to keep in mind that your guests will have to be seated before you come down the aisle. So a 15 minute ceremony easily becomes a 30-40 minute ceremony and it's grueling hot on the beach in the sun with our humidity. I'm not saying "don't have a beach ceremony" in the summer, but I just want you to really understand that it is hotter than blazes out there and what sounds romantic turns into you, your groom and everyone else sweating. You would be super surprised if you knew how many brides heard these stories before but insisted that they would be just fine and their guests would be just fine only to be 150% upset on the day of their wedding that they were so hot and uncomfortable.

 

3. Actually, from mid-May to mid-October you are guaranteed to sweat if you're having a beach ceremony and, more than likely, a reception without air conditioning.

 

4. From July-September we all GUARANTEE that it will rain on your wedding day - it rains EVERY SINGLE DAY. Usually in the afternoon starting around 3ish or so. And when it rains, it POURS.

 

5. It's quite possible that this downpour will make it through to mid-October. But not a guarantee.

 

6. If you're having your wedding here in the Summer I highly recommend that you advise your guests to drink plenty of gatorade, in addition to water. For those of you from humid climates, you already know this, but for those you from dryer climates, the humidity will suck out all your electrolytes, so you need to replenish those so you feel better! And the chances of dehydration increase in the summer with the additional problems of drinking too much alcohol .

 

If you have any questions about any of this, please let me know! I love Vallarta and enthralled with weddings and I just want you guys to have the best possible outcome and experience, no matter where you're having your event or how you're having it. :)

[amyh]

Thank you Mishka! I have to admit, I am one of those brides who has been warned time and time again about the rain and "hotness" in July. I have finally gave in and will rent a tent for our reception, however, our guests will have to live through the heat during our 4pm hour long ceremony at the Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Hey at least I'm providing hand fans!

[pryzeless]

Thanks. Do you think this also applies to the Riviera Maya area?

[Mishka Designs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amyh Thank you Mishka! I have to admit, I am one of those brides who has been warned time and time again about the rain and "hotness" in July. I have finally gave in and will rent a tent for our reception, however, our guests will have to live through the heat during our 4pm hour long ceremony at the Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Hey at least I'm providing hand fans!

LOL. You're funny! The nice thing about the church is that it's inside, so your guests won't have the sun beating down on them! And, I think, even if by some miracle it doesn't rain on your July wedding (I find that highly unlikley, but stranger things have happened , I think all of you will appreciate having some protection from the sun! The only thing I might recommend (and you might already be doing this so, if you are, just ignore me is to have cold water available to your guests after the ceremony that they can take and drink on their way to your reception.

[Mishka Designs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pryzeless Thanks. Do you think this also applies to the Riviera Maya area?

You know, I'm not sure. I've never been over in that area before. But what I would recommend is listening to your coordinator (if you have one) or even finding a forum for locals who live there and asking them. I'm sure the RM is the same as here - there are all sorts of coordinators and providers here and all of them want the same thing - for you to be super happy with your wedding and their work. As a designer, tents are not my favorite things but I would MUCH rather someone have a tent and be protected from the sun/rain than to have them supremely unhappy because they are sweating and wet and I would venture a guess that the providers in the RM feel the same way .

However, if you were in PV, for example, I see your wedding date says October - you go back to having a 50/50 chance of it raining. If you were in PV, I would probably recommend just keeping a close eye on the weather starting at the end of September and, then, based on the history of the rains, make a decision as to whether you wanted to include a tented area or not . But, I don't know how the RM works in terms of climate.

[TA Lindsay]

I was in Puerto Vallarta in mid-September a couple of years ago and OMG it was HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT - just like you said!!!!

 

We would just step outside of our Air Conditioned room in the morning (not even in the sun) and we'd be sweating - and the humidity - oh my goodness - don't get me started - I wasn't dry for 2 weeks!!!!

 

Also, it did rain every day for the 2 weeks, about 3 or 4 pm for a couple of hours, then it would clear up and be much cooler and we'd have a beautiful evening!

 

Fun stuff!

 

Lindsay

[~Melissa~]

So true about PV in the beginning of October. I was an October bride and it was 109 degrees and so humid my DH sweat through 2 dress shirts within the hour! We provided our guests with ice cold water and they got shade under the gazebo. But man it was hot. My poor grandmother had gotten really sick from the heat, which was really scary.

 

Just be prepared girls and it will be fine.

[Rachelle E.]

Yeah, my best friend's wedding was late Sept in PV and it did rain each day. We were very lucky in that it did not rain for very long at a time - like maybe 30-40 mins? But it did rain pretty hard. We also lucked out in that it tended to rain while we were all inside getting ready for dinner. So it may have been raining a bit while we were walking through the resort for dinner, but it was done whenever we came out later after our meal.

 

It really truly is SO hot!! And the humidity just makes it worse. If you're hanging by the pool or on the beach it's not as bad since 1) you're ususally not wearing much! 2) you usually have a cold drink nearby and 3) you can just jump in the water whenever you want.

 

The evening of the wedding it was brutally hot and humid. We were all sweating like CRAZY! We were fanning the bride constantly and made sure we had some tissues to blot her face a few times between pics. It DID rain for about 40 mins before the ceremony...the coordinator was a champ and let us hold off for an extra 15mins 'til the rain stopped before running down to the gazebo for the ceremony. However she did suggest moving the reception inside (off the terrace where it was originally supposed to be) in case it kept raining. The bride agreed that was the best idea and it worked out perfect! It actually didn't rain much more that night, but we were all SO relieved to be in the air conditioning! You may want to consider an indoor reception - even if you have the ceremony outside. It was just so nice not to feel all hot and sweaty while we were hanging out, eating, dancing etc.

 

All that being said, everyone had a BLAST on this trip and we all agreed we wouldn't have changed a thing! So just be prepared and have fun!!

[Yari]

Thank you so much for this! I am an October PV bride. I am ready for rain if it happens, but still keeping my fingers crossed.

 

There is that old saying something about it being good luck if it rains on your wedding day.

[Alyssa]

what great info! so helpful