When you invite Mother Nature to be the guest of honor at your wedding amidst the picture book of breathtaking backdrops offered here, you can expect her to be stunning, but beautifully unpredictable. The bride-to-be just needs to respect nature’s weathered tendencies during each season and take advantage of her many assets.

Planning an outdoor wedding on the Grand Strand–from beach to garden to waterway–is a wonderful option to be able to have in this area. “I never tell brides not to have an outdoor wedding, but to be aware of and consider a lot of things,” says wedding planner Elizabeth Hodges of Grand Occasions. “I always tell the girls that you have to have a plan B.”

While most of that backup plan is based on budget, there are oodles of options – from outdoor tents to a nearby beach house for more intimate crowds to renting a banquet space just in case or combining the indoor banquet hall that was originally intended exclusively for the reception into a ceremony space, too, for the rained-out I do’s.

In other words, for less stress, don’t put all your stakes on a clear forecast. And vow to keep these tips in mind:

Hurricanes
Tropical storm and hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, with peak activity spiking in mid-September. The average number of hurricanes that affect the Southeast coast (and Gulf Coast) is two to three, but this, of course, varies from year to year. This well-known hurricane weather trend, however, doesn’t seem to deter brides when selecting a wedding date. Hodges says September is usually the most popular wedding month around here; she planned nine last year.

Keep in mind that lower-lying areas on the South Strand–from Garden City Beach through Pawleys Island–tend to flood more frequently during the storms.
High tide along the marsh (instead of views of sticky mud at low tide) is perfect timing for holy matrimony, but especially keep an eye on tide charts during hurricane season to avoid unsafe conditions (www.visitmyrtlebeach.com).

Temperature and Time of Day
The average annual temperature in Myrtle Beach is a mild 74 degrees, and the sun shines down upon us about 215 days each year. A blissful wedding forecast. “Something I recommend, however, is to hold the ceremony later in the day because of the heat from the sun,” says Hodges. “And earlier in the day, the beaches are more crowded. All beaches are public to some extent and too crowded, so you may have people around you that you didn’t necessarily invite to the wedding.”

A late-afternoon wedding will also allow for more water sunset photo ops if your wedding is taking place at a marina location along the waterway.
Not only are tents and umbrellas necessary for coverage from rain, but equally as accommodating to shade from the heat and sun. July tops the heat index with an average air temperature of 90 degrees (July also peaks the tourist numbers). “But that’s not to say you can’t have a lovely July wedding later in the afternoon,” says Hodges.

Hodges also advises outdoor brides to think about how their cake will withstand the heat and protecting it from the friendly flies that accompany summertime.
She says her first outdoor wedding of the season last year was actually in March, which was nice. “It was 56 degrees, but it was nice,” says Hodges. Brides just need to prewarn guests to dress appropriately (i.e., you may need layers, you may be walking or standing in sand, grass or dirt).

Wind
Coastal breezes and gusts make a regular appearance here, so be prepared when planning your gown, veil and hair, plus any ceremony/reception décor like candles, chairs and table linens. “One thing you have no control over is the wind,” says Hodges. “You just need to be aware of it and make adjustments if needed.”