22 Outdoor Summer Wedding Tips And 68 Ideas

    3. Prevent mosquito and gnat dive-bombers from attacking your cake and keep it from melting in the sun—and collapsing to the floor—by having the site staff keep the cake in the refrigerator for the majority of the reception. It can be wheeled out, fresh and cool, when it’s time to cut the cake.
    4. Go for thoughtful dessert stations. Have your caterer create a summer-friendly dessert station with chilly treats like ice cream or popsicles to help cool everyone down on the dance floor. Alcohol-spiked shaved ice is a delicious, adult-friendly option to elevate the idea even more!

Summer Wedding Florals

    1. Choose flowers that hold up in the heat: calla lilies, orchids, or fluffy flowers like garden roses or sunflowers or go for trendy succulents as an ideal, statement-making option.
    2. The cut stems of your bouquet should be exposed at the bottom to drink up water, not fully covered by ribbon or other wrap. Or choose single-bloom bouquets as both a budget idea and as a more realistic plan to keep flowers fresh and cool.

    3. Keep your summer wedding flowers ultra-cool before the ceremony, perhaps popping all of your bouquets into the refrigerator between the pre-wedding photos and when you depart for the ceremony. And don’t spritz centerpiece flowers with water for outdoor settings, since direct sunlight will burn that water right off the bloom and turn your flowers brown.
    4. Re-think the flowers in your hair. Individual fresh blooms tucked into your hair won’t have a water source and may be the first to wilt, which is not the best effect on your wedding day.

Summer Wedding Outfits, Hair and Makeup

    1. Choose light fabrics that breathe and won’t make you, your groom or bridesmaids sweat excessively: cotton organdy, chiffon, crepe or voile over silk. Select open-backed vests for the men’s comfort as well.

    2. Choose the right shoes. Go for comfort as well as style with thicker heels that won’t sink into soft summertime grass or just choose sandals.

    3. Skip the train. If your ceremony and reception will be outdoors, skip the long train that only gathers grass stains with every step you take.
    4. Prepare for summer hair. Curls and sculpted up-do’s often don’t fare well in hot, humid weather, so to fight frizz and humidity, ladies should try pulling part or all of their hair off their face and neck to stay cool and picture-perfect. Try various braided hairstyles, they are very trendy and look amazing even in heat.

    5. Pack an emergency kit. Ask a bridesmaid to let you know when you need to treat your skin shine so that you don’t look oil-dipped in your important photos. More summer wedding makeup tips are here.
    6. Skip the perfume. If you don’t want swarms of bees around you, skip the scent until the evening hours when you can freshen with a gentle spritz.

Summer Wedding Pictures

    1. Plan your pictures. Don’t take your wedding pictures at noon or too close to noon—the sun will be directly overhead and will cause unflattering shadows. With that in mind, aim to take your pictures in the morning or later in the afternoon/evening.
    2. Make a smart timeline. The last thing you want to do is ask guests to stand around in the sun for hours on end. Minimize time without shade and try to plan your wedding to start at the cooler points of the day, like a sunset ceremony and evening reception.

by Mia