Summer is a magical time for a wedding, with the long evenings, choice of beautiful flowers and the likelihood of sunshine and good weather. There are many ways to make your day extra special, not only for the bride and groom but for your guests too. Make it a day to remember by using some of the ideas below.
1. Decorate Your Summer Wedding Venue
Little ideas can make a significant impact, such as illuminating areas with festoon lights giving off a soft and gentle glow. Keep it simple with bulbs of all one shade or add a pop of colour with several lights in your wedding colours.
2. Arriving in Style at your Wedding
To take full advantage of the good weather, why not arrive or leave the ceremony in a classic open-top car. Alternatively, make a dramatic Cinderella-like appearance in a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage. Decorate the outside with a choice of colours to suit the theme of your wedding day.
3. Alfresco Wedding Ideas
You could even say your vows outside, beneath a floral arch or decorated gazebo. There are plenty of choices for the perfect alfresco wedding backdrop: a pretty English garden, a barn in the countryside, a beautiful stately home or castle. A destination such as Spain or Italy could increase your chances of good weather, as well as providing a more unusual setting of olive trees or vineyards.
4. Pamper Your Wedding Guests
Whilst the focus is on the vows, do not forget your guests in the heat. Little thoughtful touches add to the day such as providing sun cream protection as well as shade, perhaps with some pretty parasols for the occasion.
5. Keep Cool with an Ice Cream Cart
Another novel way to make the most of the summer weather is hiring a vintage ice-cream cart or ice-cream van, to add to the fun of the day. You will have the advantage of keeping both the smaller and grown-up guests happy!
6. Summer Wedding Drinks Inspiration
There are so many drinks to choose from to add to the summery feel of your big day. Your drinks list could include Pimms in jugs, which looks lovely and fresh with pieces of mint, strawberries and cucumber. A gin cocktail, like the Elderflower Collins which is a simple mix of gin, lemon, sugar syrup, soda and elderflower cordial or top it with sparkling wine to make an Elderflower Royale. Aperol Spritz, the Italian classic is a light, but tangy tasting drink that has become a favourite drink for greeting wedding guests.
7. Offer Petal Ice Cubes to Create That Summer Feeling
Creating petal ice cubes is a lovely touch for any summer drink. Simply tear off some edible flower petals and place these in your ice cube trays. Once frozen, the petal is suspended in your ice cube. Choose flowers grown without chemicals, such as the herb flowers of mint or lavender, or use roses or nasturtium. Check with the
Royal Horticultural Society to see if the flowers of your bouquet are edible!
8. Capture Pictures with a Photo Booth
There are plenty of photo opportunities at a summer wedding, and you can make them all the more memorable by hiring a photo booth. There are many to choose from such as an open-air version allowing for more guests to get involved in the photo taking action or a festival floral photo pod in keeping with the summer feel.
Your photo booth may provide a beautiful backdrop, or find a hippie style van for your guests to use to capture some fun memories of the day.
9. Use a Vow Book to Preserve Memories of Your Big Day
A vow book is a beautiful way to remember your summer wedding. The book will be a unique keepsake of your day and one to treasure always, as well as a reminder of the promises you made to one another.
10. Summer Wedding Dresses
The choice of your wedding dress can add to the magic of your day. Tulle dresses create an ethereal air with their volume and grace for a princess look and feel. They are elegant and feminine, working in perfect harmony with this time of year and bringing to life that fairytale wedding dream. Or why not take advantage of the good weather and wear an off the shoulder dress. Or go a little shorter with a tea length style dress, not only a stylish but also a practical choice to keep you cool in the hot summer heat.
11. Garden Party Games for Your Wedding
Summer weddings benefit from being able to use the outdoors, with garden party games like a giant Twister, Jenga or Connect Four for guests to get to know each other as well as taking them back to their childhood.
12. Flower Rings for Summer All Year Long
Summer weddings bring to mind
our pretty flower rings, some delicate and others more dramatic. We can discuss your ideal ring design and style to create your own unique ring
by booking an appointment here, or call us on
+44 (0)20 7193 4412.
Photography Credits:
Where stated images featured in Rock My Wedding, with photography by Jo Bradbury. All other images sourced from Unsplash