During the hot summer months, the idea of dressing up in a satin gown or tuxedo for a wedding may seem hard to bear. Instead, opting for a summer-themed wedding can be fun for both the wedding party and the guests.
Weddings do not have to be formal affairs. They can be a fun celebration of the new adventure a couple will be taking together. Embracing the summer heat and making it part of the wedding is a fun and unique way to start a marriage.
Summer Wedding Dress
There are several options for dressing the wedding party and guests in a summer-themed wedding. On one extreme end of the spectrum, the wedding can be a pool or beach party with everyone dressed in their favorite bathing suit or other pool wear. On a less risqué note for those who do not like to display quite so much of themselves, ladies can opt for anything from shorts to sun dresses. For men, khakis are always comfortable in the summer, paired with light cotton Hawaiian shirts.
Summer Wedding Food
When it is hot outside, most people do not want hot or heavy food. The perfect summer feast includes light, cool things like raw fruits and vegetables, cold cuts and rolls, and a variety of salads. Pansanella is a delicious and filling summer salad. Recipes vary, but a common one consists of croutons or stale bread, fresh garden tomatoes, basil, thyme, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper. Six Refreshing Summer Cocktails has recipes for great beverages to serve guests.
Bright, summery tropical flowers—such as leis of orchids or hibiscus, perhaps matching the bride’s bouquet—make the requisite wedding cake look light, pretty and in keeping with the theme. If logistically possible, an ice cream cake will be cooling and refreshing as well as delicious.
Summer Wedding Favors
Helping guests beat the heat with summer-themed wedding favors they can take home and use again will ensure they remember the wedding fondly for summers to come. Fans, whether the paper variety or small, handheld motorized ones, are very nice and can be printed with the couple’s names and the date.
For beach and pool party type weddings, put personalized labels on travel-sized bottles of sunscreen or hand out beach towels in the wedding colors. Wraps or cover-ups to wear over swim suits make nice gifts for the ladies in the wedding party, while men might enjoy straw hats. For more summer wedding favor ideas, read Wedding Favors for Summer Weddings.
Having a summer themed wedding is a fun and different way to celebrate a new union. There many opportunities for the happy couple to be creative in planning their ceremony and reception while enjoying the summer sun.
 |
