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UK wedding industry faces rising heatwave costs for venues
The BBC reports that heat-related cooling needs and softer alcohol sales are pressuring wedding venues, with half of 2015 to 2024 seeing temperatures above 35C.
UK wedding ceremonies this summer were disrupted by unusually intense heat, forcing couples and venues to add last-minute cooling measures, according to BBC Business. One bride described an unbearably hot church in West Yorkshire, where guests passed tissues and the couple later booked an emergency marquee and an ice-cream van to help keep people comfortable.
The outlet reports that heatwaves are becoming more frequent, citing data that half of the years between 2015 and 2024 saw temperatures above 35C, up from one in ten, as climate change raises the risk. Bridebook branding head Zoe Burke said online behavioral data shows couples are increasingly worried about navigating heat.
BBC Business also highlights the financial knock-on effects for the wedding supply chain, saying costs for venues can run into the thousands of pounds as equipment and energy spending rises to keep spaces and food cool. Michelle Miles, board adviser to the UK Wedding Association and founder of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, said the heat has hit alcohol sales, which venues often rely on to boost profits.
The report adds that some popular flowers are being affected by compressed growing conditions, with the flowering window for peonies and roses reportedly narrowing from about two months to two weeks, as drought, low rainfall, and slower germination in higher temperatures take hold.