RAIN, HEAT, MIDDAY HOURS ADVICE

Rain, Heat and Weather Advice~

Good news:  in 14 years, LESS THAN 1% of our 2,000+ beach weddings were moved due to rain!
Besides us being very “charmed” here’s why:

For beach weddings along the coastline areas between Wilmington NC and Myrtle Beach SC, the weather is relatively stable and dry. Rain is very brief, real storms are few, and sunshine is plentiful. Why?  The geography affects this weather:  

• the Carolinas coastline curves inward as it becomes South Carolina. See our blue, white, and sunny “MAP” image on here?
• Look at that blue coastline on map inside that RED circle. The inward curve creates an eddy overhead in sky, a.k.a. slowly swirling air in atmosphere 
• that eddy pushes air and clouds (BLACK arrows), and sweeps away most rainstorms inland or out to sea! 
• As a result, often when it storms in Wilmington or Myrtle Beach, the weather remains clear and sunny INSIDE that red circle. We stay dry! 
• Thus, national forecasts for “the beach” are 90% wrong.  A better weather resource is below, so read on.

So for YOU and your day, some STRONG ADVICE:

WORRYING OVER THE WEATHER and REPEATEDLY CHECKING FORECASTS works against you! ** Instead, for tried-and-true advice… 

1. We recommend that you avoid thinking or saying the “R” word 24-7. ALSO DISALLOW any joking, talking, and worrying about it!  Instead, tell people to think only “clear, calm weather.”  Avoid manifesting the “R” word, give it no power.  ONLY think about clear, calm, light breezes, overcast & dry weather! Overcast clouds are PERFECT!
2. It sprinkles or gusts here SOMETIMES … for 5-15 minutes. Or, it may sprinkle or blow hard only on the next block, but not where you are! So if it does, we just wait a few minutes, and it passes fast. Easy peasy!
3. If you want to accurately track those scattered showers in real time?  Download these free cellphone apps “AccuWeather” and “My Radar” that we also use. Use the “map” or “radar” icon on it. 
4. GOOD TO KNOW INFO:  if THOSE real-time forecasters say 30% chance or less, then NO worries here.  If it’s 50% or less, you MIGHT wait a few minutes if it comes to your neighborhood, if it comes there at all.

HEAT & MIDDAY HARSH SUNLIGHT:

For May, June, July, August, September dates~ 

•  Avoid midday hours between 9am – 6pm between mid-April – mid-October! They are terrible times for a wedding… SUPER HOT (heat index around 100 degrees May-Sept) & humid,  sweaty,
• burning sand on bare feet,
• crowded & very noisy (running screaming kids, others’ music boxes, etc)
• trashed beach (i.e. cluttered with towels, chairs, shoes, coolers, litter),
• overhead, harsh sunlight makes everyone squint nonstop with shadowy ‘black-eyes’ and black cheekbones/noses make everyone look super haggard, old, tired (see pics below)
• THE hottest hours YEAR ROUND are 10am-4pm.  In winter, the warmest are 2-5pm. 
• THE Best time for beach weddings is first hour at sunrise time. 
• Second Best is the last hour before sundown time, sunset time.
• FYI: a breeze will not help at 100+ degrees in direct burning sunlight! Remember, you cannot jump in water or walk away under a shade-canopy during your ceremony in wedding clothes.  It is nothing like being on beach in your swimsuit and shorts, friend. 
• PHOTO INSIGHTS:  overcast skies are BEST! Harsh overhead sunlight casts hard black shadows on faces, making everyone look haggard, tired, old, bleary. See these examples: