The Ultimate Guide to a Summer Wedding

Are you interested in organizing the summer wedding that you’ve always dreamed of? Do you find yourself wishing for a summer wedding, but unsure of where to start? If so, then you need to learn all that you can about creating the perfect setup and spectacle for your summer wedding.

It’s not just about deciding on inside vs outside, it’s so much more than that! There are many factors that you need to consider such as the colors, the layout, and beyond.

Be sure to read below for an in-depth guide to summer weddings and everything that you should plan for.

1. Summer Wedding Venues

You can’t have jaw-dropping pictures or create an unforgettable moment without a proper summer wedding venue. Since you’re planning for a summer wedding, you need to find the perfect setup.

For example, if you want an outdoor wedding, then be sure to find a venue that has plenty of shade for you and your guests. Ask any bride and they will tell you that those dresses get hot really quickly, but more on that in a bit.

There are many things you should consider for your venue. Be sure to ask yourself some of these questions:

Does the venue meet your budget?
Can you envision yourself and your future spouse walking down the aisle?
Does the venue have an opening on your preferred date?
How many guests are you planning on inviting? Can the venue meet that number?
Does it match the dream aesthetic that you’re going for? (Don’t be afraid to be picky)
Are you giving yourself enough time to prepare with the dates they have available?
Are they willing to accommodate other features of your wedding that you were hoping to incorporate? (EX: Cash Bar, DJ Tent, etc.)
Does the view match the online pictures when you take the in-person tour? (Don’t place a deposit until you’ve toured it in person)

Be sure to read this article on how to pick a wedding venue for more features to look for as you start your search.

2. Summer Wedding Colors

Ask 10 married women what colors they used for their wedding and you are likely to get 10 different answers. Color combinations are plentiful and, to be honest, almost all of them can be pulled off.

The important thing is to factor in the summer aesthetic when deciding on your colors. Typically, you will want to choose a lighter color combination both to match the festivity of the summer, as well as to keep yourself cool from the harmful UV rays.

Perhaps you’re struggling with this part of the wedding planning. If so, here are a few popular color combinations to get you started:

mint and gold
seafoam blue and grey
lilac and white
white, gold, and blue
light blue and dusty blue (a few shades above dark blue)
beige and gold
green and light grey
red and rose gold

Think about colors that are personal to you and your fiancé. Does your favorite color and his make a good combination? If so, then you might have your answer right there!

3. Summer Wedding Dresses

As if saying yes to the dress wasn’t difficult enough. Now you have to factor in the summer weather into your dress’s design.

This should be prefaced by saying that if you feel like you’ve found the dress, then you should have zero reservations about the one you’ve picked out. If you’re getting married early on in the summer, the heat might not even play much of a factor.

For those of you that are still looking, there are several aspects of the dress that you’ll want to consider:

The fabric
The layers
How comfortable you are when you put it on
Your body type
The style of the wedding (EX: if you’re going for a rustic look to your wedding, then a more old-timey dress might mesh better with the setup)

4. Summer Wedding Cost

Spoiler alert: you aren’t the only one looking to get married in the summer. Many brides are wanting to get married in the summer, and many of them want to have a venue outside.

If you’re looking at a high-quality wedding venue, then you can guarantee those summer months are in demand. With higher demand comes a higher price point.

Be sure to start by setting a budget for your wedding venue. How much can you realistically afford to spend on it? How much does the venue need for a down payment? When do they need the event to be paid for in full?

5. Summer Wedding Date

Make sure you’re proactive when searching for wedding venues. To find your dream venue, you will want to look for venues essentially as soon as you get engaged.

The need to book a wedding venue as early as possible is two-fold:

It ensures that you get the date for your wedding that you wanted (before someone else comes along and grabs it).
It gives your guests plenty of time to plan for their travels, save up for your gift, book hotel reservations in your block, and so forth.

Make a list of 4 to 5 wedding venues you might consider in the city that you’re wanting to get married in. Take a tour of them all and list them in order of preference afterward. Book the one you feel best about before it gets locked up by someone else.