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Heatwaves are driving higher costs and weaker alcohol sales for UK weddings
Industry figures cited by BBC Business point to thousands of pounds in additional venue spending, and alcohol demand has fallen as guests cut back on drinking.
UK couples planning summer weddings are increasingly having to improvise as heatwaves raise last minute expenses and strain venues, according to BBC Business. The report describes ceremonies held in conditions such as 30C heat in glass churches, with couples booking emergency add ons like marquees for shade and ice cream to cool guests.
BBC Business says hotter summers are becoming more common, with half of the years between 2015 and 2024 seeing temperatures above 35C, up from one in ten, as climate change increases heatwave risk. It also cites brand data from wedding planning app Bridebook showing rising couple concern about coping with heat, including a five fold increase in searches by brides for fans last summer versus 2019.
For wedding businesses, the publication reports that cooling requirements are adding significant costs. A board adviser to the UK Wedding Association and founder of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance said venues face equipment and energy costs and that heat has had a major impact on alcohol sales, with guests drinking less than they would on a temperate day.
The report also points to pressure on suppliers such as florists, citing a shortened flowering window for popular flowers like peonies and roses from two months to two weeks, as heat and water shortages disrupt growing conditions.