Summer is finally here, and you know what that means. That’s right, it’s wedding season. After the last couple of years, it seems like everyone is finally getting around to having their big day in the months ahead.
If you’re not having your wedding this summer, you may have a good number of others already scheduled in your diary. Now, some of them may be conveniently located nearby that you can get away without having to pack an overnight bag. But often, the big day will be somewhere far enough away that you’ll need to spend a couple of days away from home.
Although it can be a headache to sort out your travel and accommodation, it is important to remember that there’s nothing quite like the wedding of someone who is important to you.
A summer wedding is also an excuse for you to treat yourself to some new clothes and to go somewhere beautiful to leave the daily grind behind. If you’re looking at more than one wedding in your diary this summer, here are a few essentials to remember.
1. Get Your Travel and Hotel Booked Early
Let’s start with one of the less fun items, shall we? One of the most important things to do as early as possible is to get all of your admin squared away. That means planning your route to the location and booking hotel rooms if you are going to be spending the night or longer. And really, if the wedding is somewhere nice, why not treat yourself to a mini break?
We’re all trying to minimize costs right now with the cost of living going up, so try to book as early as possible to get a good deal. This is also important because so many people are getting married this summer that places are going to get booked up fast. You do not want to be the one who ended up in a hotel an hour away from the venue.
2. Invest in Some New Clothes
Most guys have that one suit that they wear to weddings and leave it at that. Well, if you’re going to more than one wedding this summer, you may not be able to get away with sporting the same look in several different sets of wedding photos. Think about splashing out on a new wedding suit, a new tie, and some new shoes while you’re at it. And if you’re going to be overnighting at the wedding, why not treat yourself to some new leisure wear?
You don’t want to be at the wedding brunch in a ratty old t-shirt. Men’s polo shirts are a great way to feel relaxed without feeling like you are not putting any effort in. Try on a range of polo shirts that are stylish and comfortable for the warm weather.
3. Pack Overnight Essentials
When you’re packing for a big event like a wedding, it can be easy to overlook some of the basics. However, these are the things that you will wish you had remembered, especially if you’re going away for more than one night. So make sure that you have got your phone charger with you. You do not want to be knocking on people’s doors asking if anyone has a charger that is compatible.
Pack your washbag essentials, like a toothbrush and toothpaste, facewash, hair gel and shampoo. You will also want to take a razor and shaving cream with you if you don’t want to face the morning after brunch looking like you were up all night (which you very well may have been, in fairness!). You should also make sure that you have plenty of memory on your phone to take as many photos and videos as you want. And make sure that you have packed some paracetamol or other headache remedies, for obvious reasons.
4. Think Options for All Weather
We’re all hoping for bright sunny wedding days, but you simply cannot count on the weather to do what it’s supposed to. Remember the snow showers in late March in early April? There’s no predicting what weather is on the way. With that in mind, make sure that you have packed options for any eventuality.
Take a raincoat with you, and make sure that you have some shoes that can stand up to the mud if there is an outdoor wedding party. You’ll also need to take sunglasses, sun lotion and a hat because if you count on it raining, you can be sure the sun will be blazing.