Summer Wedding Ideas
Warm weather, alfresco dining, flowers in bloom… it is easy to see why summer is the season of choice when it comes to planning a wedding. With so many weddings taking place in summer, you’ll want your day to stand out from the rest and to make the most of the beautiful sunshine (fingers crossed!). So, here’s our pick of exciting summer wedding ideas to make your big day unforgettable...
Wedding Decorations
There is an abundance of inspiring wedding décor out there with Pinterest bursting with ideas. The first place to start is by researching wedding theme ideas to get a better understanding of how you want your wedding to look; there are loads of great themes to pick from, including popular options such as botanical wedding, boho wedding and rustic wedding. Create a board on Pinterest and start pinning ideas, soon you and your partner will get a taste for what you like and what you don’t. Here are a few of our favourite summer wedding decorations to get you started.
Wedding flower Wall
A flower wall could just be the perfect wedding decoration to say ‘I do’ in front of. A stunning backdrop for your outdoor ceremony or wedding reception, a wedding flower wall is traditionally filled with gorgeous white roses and green foliage, but can also be filled with any colour or style to suit your summer wedding theme.
Super Instagrammable, your guests will be snapping away in front of the backdrop which will leave you with some fabulous guest photos to cherish. Search for a local event or wedding company who will be able to give you more information or will be able to point you in the right direction.
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Parasols
If you’re planning on spending your wedding reception outdoors, you may need to consider the unpredictability of British weather. Ensure there is a covered area to congregate in, if your guests need respite from the glaring sunshine or somewhere to continue the festivities if it rains. Another solution that combines style and practicality (win, win!) is to provide a stash of themed parasols. It will protect your guests from harsh UV rays and add an air of sophistication to your outdoor wedding. Arrange neatly in a wicker basket and leave a sign so guests know to help themselves. It will look really beautiful once the parasols start popping up around your venue.
Petal confetti
The tradition of throwing confetti is said to have originated in northern Italy in the Middle Ages and has been common practice in the UK since pagan times. Before paper confetti, rice and grains were thrown to bestow fertility and prosperity. Nowadays, confetti comes in all shapes and colours, and is spread down the aisle by flower girls and thrown over the happy couple at the close of the wedding ceremony.
Wedding confetti is a fun tradition but also a gorgeous wedding decoration. Choose fresh or dried petals as your confetti and save some to spread over the wedding table. Not only is it kind to the environment being biodegradable, it is also a great way to tie your colour scheme and floral arrangements together.
Wedding chair decorations
Sashes are common for decorating wedding chairs, but if you’re more into the boho wedding theme, these cotton macrame chair decorations are ideal for decorating the top table! Weave in some green foliage or flowers for a botanical touch or leave as they are for simplicity.
Foliage garlands
When sitting down at your wedding reception, you’ll want to make sure everything is perfect, including your table decorations. A must for a summer wedding is a fresh or faux foliage garland running across the length of your table. Ask your florist who is making your bouquets to make you a flower runner that will complement your bouquets and place on every table. For a more cost-effective table decoration, check out our equally as stunning pink ruscus, white flower, vine or eucalyptus garlands.
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Luxe picnic
If you’re looking for a no fuss, down to earth wedding reception, why not set up a relaxed picnic? Perfect for families and for kicking back and relaxing without the formalities. Hire a venue with sizeable outdoor space and lay boho cushions and outdoor rugs at each table setting. Hire some food trucks to feed your guests and adorn the outdoor space with rustic inspired decorations such white cotton bunting, wooden tea light holders and mason jars filled with flowers.
Summer Wedding Games and Activities
Wedding games are a great ice breaker and will be an excellent addition to your reception. They could involve the newlyweds, require the guests' participation or simply be spread around the venue for people to jump into when the mood takes them.
Outdoor noughts and crosses
This classic game is an ideal wedding activity to keep your guests entertained outside, weather permitting! Sprawl the board across the lawn and let your guests take each other on. Check out our botanical wood and rope ‘X & O’ kit here.
Croquet
Quintessentially English, croquet is a fabulous outdoor game that can be enjoyed by all ages. Set up the hoops in the grass and line the mallets, pegs and balls next to each other on the floor for your guests to play when they choose.
Sack races & space hoppers
Two great outdoors games that will be sure to get your guests giggling, especially after a drink or two! Get some hessian sacks and space hoppers and set them up on the grass with a start and finish line. Leave a chalk board, so your guests can list the winning teams.
The shoe game
This truly entertaining game can be played indoors, outdoors in summer or winter and is one not to be missed. Never heard of it? Here’s how it works: place two chairs back-to-back and ask the newlyweds to sit down. Ask them to remove both their shoes and trade one with their spouse so that they are holding one of their own and one of their partners. Prepare some questions to ask the couple such as, ‘Who said I love you first?’ or ‘Who’s the better cook?’ After each question, the bride and groom should hold up the shoe of the person they think is the best answer to the question. The key to this game is to ensure that the person who creates the questions knows the bride and groom well, so they can ask questions that will get plenty of funny reactions.
Disposable cameras
Alongside traditional wedding photography, it can also be fun to collect and look back on your guests photos from the night. An easy way to do this is to leave a disposable camera or two on each table and encourage your guests to snap the night away. You’ll end up with some really funny photos from your big day. You should also create a hashtag for people to use on social media, and post it on signs on each table at the wedding breakfast, so everyone knows to use it. You will then be able to search back through everyones pictures in the days following the wedding.
Wedding Cocktails
Whether you are planning on having a manned bar or a help yourself drinks table, tasty cocktails should be in plentiful supply. Serve a couple variations to suit everyone’s tastes and don’t forget to create virgin cocktails for non-drinkers and children.
Personalised cocktails
For a personal touch, create cocktails named after the bride and groom, creating one for each of them and another that represents them as a couple. Perhaps notes of chilli for a fiery personality or a dash of champagne representing a bubbly character? Decorate the cocktail with edible petals to add a classy touch.
Drinks on the veranda
You'll likely be in the great outdoors at your summer wedding, and nothing says summer fun like an outdoor bar. Set up a table with Kilner jars filled with pre-made drinks and leave a menu nearby so your guests know what’s available. For a really hot summer day, try out one of these boozy ice lolly recipes or serve up some Frosé.
Table Settings
Once all your big wedding tasks such as finding and booking your venue are finalised, you can start to plan all those little but important details that will complete your wedding, such as your table centrepieces and your place settings.
Palm leaf place settings
Palm leaf table settings are a unique and budget friendly option that will look fab at any summer wedding. Lay a real or faux palm leaf on top of each plate and write the guests name on the palm with a sharpie. Go for a metallic gold sharpie to really make it shine.
Citrus fruit place setting
Embrace the Mediterranean vibe with bright citrus fruits and colours. Lay some dried slices and wedges around the table setting and place a single orange on the plates and stick a faux leaf in the orange with the guests name on it.
Floral place setting
Opt for a traditional floral arrangement and place a single stem vase on each place setting and place a stem of your favourite bloom with a place card holder with your guest’s name on it. Simply elegant!
For more ideas and inspiration, check out our summer hen party blog full of games, drink ideas, decorations and more!