Everyone looooves summer. And betches everywhere loooove a summer wedding. Of course, summer weddings can be the absolute best or the total worst…and there’s definitely a fine line between the two. It all lies in the small details and, fortunately for you—and really, for your guests as well—there are event design services that take care of all of that for you. One of our personal faves is Birch Event Design, who helped us come up with this list of summer weddings dos and don’ts. So, in order to make sure you stay on the right side of that aforementioned fine line, here are some v crucial summer wedding dos and don’ts you should follow (or else, like, probably face the wrath of your guests).
DO: Have An Outdoor Ceremony (If Possible)
The benefit of having an outdoor summer wedding is that you can utilize the beauty of nature for an effortless picturesque backdrop. Effortless, beautiful, and the best part…free. When you’re spending all the money in the world to make your wedding day as flawless as possible, you’ll want all the free sh*t you can get. That being said, your main concern with an outdoor ceremony will still be that one unpredictable, bipolar woman in attendance. No, not your mother-in-law: Mother Nature. Just to be safe, make sure you prepare for any and all of Mother Nature’s possible mood swings. Of course, the beauty of hiring a service like Birch Event Design is that they can do that sh*t for you. Because we both know that you already have enough to worry about.
DO: Have An Outdoor Cocktail Hour
Outdoor cocktail hours are the perfect complement to your summer wedding. Especially if you’re not able to have a full outdoor wedding ceremony, an outdoor cocktail hour allows you to take advantage of the gorgeous summer weather regardless, so you can properly kick off your wedding with those good summer vibes. Plus, it gives you and your guests some more time outdoors to get pics in that Insta-worthy natural daytime lighting. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, #doitforthegram.
DO: Have A Cigar Bar Right Outside The Reception
A cigar bar is classy, bougie, and essential to your summer wedding. It gives people an excuse to step outside and enjoy the weather, plus it makes for a great “activity” for the men at the party. Disclaimer, though: just don’t make said outdoor area so cute and comfy that people choose to congregate there the whole time. You don’t want to spend all this money on perfecting the interior details just for everyone to decide to stay outdoors the entire time.
DON’T: Be Afraid To Use Velvet Or Heavy Linen
These quality fabrics are essential for grounding the room and decor, so don’t be afraid to use heavier materials, even though it is a summer wedding. Again, you don’t need to be so literal about the fact that you’re having a summer wedding. A summer wedding doesn’t need to mean beach themed, with seashells and mason jars everywhere. So don’t be afraid to get unconventional with it and do the unexpected. At least, in regards to the decor. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of unexpected, I’d steer away from trying to be “goofy and cute” with a choreographed dance with your wedding party. I mean, it’s just not unconventional anymore. If you don’t believe me, just search YouTube. In fact, at this point I think it would be more unconventional not to do one of those tacky dance numbers, but that’s just IMHO.
DON’T: Refrain From Using Bold, Dark Colors
When having a summer wedding, the natural impulse is to go with a theme of light neutral colors. But again, like, why be so predictable? Darker, bolder colors for your summer wedding are way less basic, and will make your wedding more chic and thus, more elevated. It’s a lot less cookie-cutter, and a lot more all-around cool. And, I mean, what better time to be the trendsetting cool girl than at your own wedding? Of course, that’s rhetorical: there isn’t a better time.
DON’T: Skip The Coat Check
You may think, “why would I need a coat check in the summer?” Well, I’m here to tell you why. Because people are unpredictable af, and your guests will likely be coming from all over. Plus, for a lot of people, their “coat” may be part of their ~lewk~, but they don’t want to be stuck carrying it around for the entire reception. And also, besides needing the coat check for actual coats, your guests can use it to check other belongings. Like, your grandfather who brought his bulky huge vintage videocamera in a non-ironic retro-cool kind of way. The poor guy’s got a bad back—give him a coat check so he doesn’t have to worry about feeling like he needs to carry around his heavy dinosaur-era camera.
For some brides, their wedding is hands down the biggest day of their life. Even if you’re not as obsessed with your wedding as the girls who have meticulously planned out every detail since age 7, it’s definitely worth hiring a service like Birch Event Design just to ensure that your day is flawless. Hire a production team and make the investment in yourself, your relationship, your memories and, most importantly, your sanity, to ensure that your wedding day truly is the best day of your life.
Images: Birch Event Design (2)
