61 Summer Wedding Ideas We Can't Get Enough Of

It all starts with the invites! Take inspiration from your warm-weathered wedding destination and choose invitations that feature the same floral and fauna guests will find at your venue.

If you’re hosting your summer wedding in a remote location, it’s important to think of all the things guests may need in a pinch but might not be able to find. Put together a welcome bag filled with essentials like bottled water, sweet and savory snacks, Advil, Band-Aids, safety pins, sunscreen, and bug repellent.

Help your guests battle the heat waves (and look cool while they're at it) by gifting them chic fedora hats. Even better? Make the straw party favors an element of event's summer-ready decor.

Summer is all about letting the good times roll, so instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner, host a pool or beach party ahead of the big day. Before their walk down the aisle, this couple celebrated at a beach party during their week-long destination wedding in Anguilla.

You can also get creative with the food you serve at a summer rehearsal dinner. For example, this couple hosted a clam bake in honor of the groom's Maine roots. The event's printed materials (cocktail napkins, reusable cups, and lobster bibs) featured catchy sayings with nods to the couple and the wedding setting.

One of the major benefits of summer weddings is obviously the warm weather. Embrace the celebratory season by hosting your "I dos" outdoors. There's nothing like dining in the sunshine.

Farryn Weiner, the Insta influencer @jetsetfarryn, and Jake Truen, the cofounder of a restaurant in New York City, took advantage of their beach setting by having their names written in sand (how romantic!) at their seaside nuptials in Los Cabos, Mexico.

How cute is this summer wedding idea?! Leave custom beach towels in your guests' hotel rooms, so they can use them at the pool or beach all weekend long! This couple created a map of their wedding festivities for their custom towels.

The last thing you want to do is ask guests to stand around in the sun for hours on end. While we suggest keeping the time between your ceremony and reception short at any time of year, it's especially essential when temps spike. 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.

Keep your guests hydrated while giving them A+ social media content with a coconut water station. The tropical beverage will quench their thirst, and the coconuts are so Instagrammable.

There's a time and place for a heavy, decadent five-course meal, and your summer wedding is not it. Stick to lighter, more refreshing fare, like simple grilled fish or chicken, a fresh salad, and seasonal vegetables.

Everyone loves watermelon during the summertime! Have your caterer cut small pieces and attach them to sticks for easy eating—and make sure you have plenty of personalized cocktail napkins on hand while you're at it.

Add a popsicle to each glass of Prosecco for the perfect summer drink. Make it 'grammable by filling each pop with edible flowers.

Sunglasses are a great summer wedding favor: You and guests can use them during the ceremony, then take them home after the wedding is over.

It's hard enough for most brides and bridesmaids to tame their hair into a perfect, flowing 'do. Add in heat and humidity and long curls or waves will be disastrous. 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. One idea we love? Trendy braided hairstyles that are an upgrade from more classic looks.

This summer wedding idea is a crucial on! Whether it's your wedding dress, your groom's suit, or your bridal party's ensembles, stick to lighter, flowing fabrics that will keep everyone cool. Sweaty brides, grooms, and attendants do not make for chic wedding photos.

Embrace the summer wardrobe (and vacation!) staple by having a custom clutch made for your big day. This design incorporates the couple's wedding venue and favorite local locations alongside their wedding date.

Use refreshing flavors to in the signature cocktails at your summer wedding to keep guests cool. Focus on flavors like cucumber, mint, and berries—those are always crowd pleasers!

When it's scorching hot outside, most people crave something light and refreshing. And at a party, they want something bite-size! That's why you should put these cute little cones on your menu.

On steamy summer days, it’s a thoughtful idea to provide wedding guests with bug spray to help protect them from pesky mosquitoes. Fill a wooden crate or basket with a few bottles of bug spray and display it at a table near the entrance to the wedding ceremony. Don’t forget to add a cute handmade sign so guests will be sure to spot the bug-spray station.

Guests look sophisticated with a parasol in hand, right? They'll also protect everyone from harsh UV rays. Who doesn't love a prop that pulls double duty?

Think to yourself, “How can I make my wedding ultra-Instagrammable?” One way surefire way: add a flower wall to your decor. Instead of going big and bold with your floral centerpieces, opt for a flower wall that guests can pose in front of and stop and smell as they walk by. Plus, it gives your reception room an ambiance perfect for the fresh summer season.

For summer weddings, skip darker tones in favor of lighter, airier shades. We love white weddings with pops of pretty pastels or bold colors, like bright yellows, coral, or blue. Figure out what works best in your space, but avoid heavy tones that make everything feel warmer than it already is.

If you're throwing a summer wedding, you're probably hosting at least the reception outdoors so make sure to have shaded areas where guests can escape the heat. A tent for dinner or plenty of umbrella-covered seating serve as an escape from scorching sun.

You'll likely be in the great outdoors at your summer wedding, and nothing says cool like a bar outside. Guests can sip their drinks in the sunshine, and you can decorate the bar with garlands of greenery or set it against a stunning seaside backdrop.

One of our favorite summer wedding ideas are pressed flower details. We love those acrylic signs featuring the dried blossoms.

We love the idea of summer-inspired passed appetizers. Think of everything you enjoy munching on in your backyard when June, July, and August roll around: Burgers, hot dogs, tacos, and other barbecue favorites. Then, leave it to your caterer to elevate the noshes and make them cocktail-hour-ready. Who knew that BBQ could be fancy enough for a wedding?

Who doesn't love a refreshing margarita when summertime rolls around? Serve adorable mini margaritas at your cocktail hour, and your guests will instantly be transported to the tropics.

Clearly we love boozy summer wedding ideas—and we promise your guests will, too! Have your caterer or bartender freeze a few bottles of everyone's favorite summer wine, rosé, to create this delicious, slushy beverage. We especially crazy for these fun, push-pop servings.

Summer is all about seafood! If you're hosting your summer wedding seaside, see if you can source fresh local oysters for your guests to enjoy during the cocktail hour.

The days of pool parties don't have to end now that you're a full-fledged adult! Find a venue (such as a resort) where you can host your nuptials poolside. Nothing says summer wedding like glistening blue pool!

Have we convinced you to throw a poolside bash? Throw some monogrammed letters in the water!

Balloons aren't just for children's birthday parties! They also make fun and playful summer wedding decor. You can stick to white balloons to keep the color palette clean and sophisticated, or go all out with a colorful rainbow of balloons!

Give your guests fun activities to do besides dancing. At backyard summer weddings, we love the idea of having games set up, such as corn hole and croquet.

Instead of a traditional guest book, have your guests sign something that's a little more on-theme—like a surfboard! Hang it on a wall of your home and this becomes a summer wedding idea that you can enjoy way past your wedding date.

This creative bride painted her old nightstand a bright coral pink to match the wedding’s color scheme and turned it into a “relief station” stocked with not only bug spray, but also summer wedding essentials including hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and tissues.

Play up your destination by embracing the local fauna. This idea works especially well for summer because it's bright and poppy—thanks to colorful name cards—yet doesn't require any flowers, which can wilt in especially warm locales.

Palm leaf details are one of those summer wedding ideas that have withstood the test of time over the past few years.

If you haven't heard, palm leaves are the ultimate destination wedding decor. Hang some up above the head table—with a sign to get the party going!—and you'll be mega on-trend.

Our summer wedding inspo is bright, unexpected and fresh. Case in point: These citrus fruits that double as chic centerpieces.

Think out-of-the box—or in this case, out of the basket—when approaching summer florals. A favorite idea? These hanging florals, which showcase the summer's bright hues without screaming for too much attention.

Summer is truly all about color; and one way to add it to your tables is with candles. Whether in a centerpiece or floating in water in the middle of the table, add a vibrant splash of color by using colored candles.

You'll want to talk to your florist about heat-resistant blooms that won't wilt in high temps. Trendy succulents are an ideal, statement-making option that can withstand even the steamiest of wedding days. Also, as a rule of thumb, hydrangeas will wither in heat, while tropical blooms like calla lilies, orchids, or fluffy flowers like garden roses or sunflowers can handle warmer weather.

Summer wedding flowers are not only drop-dead-gorgeous, but they also might save you a bit of money! It's much easier for florists to source seasonal blooms than those that are out of season.

At a summer wedding, it is important to think about your fans. One way to make them happy? Place one at each place setting at dinner—bonus points if it doubles as as the escort card.

Chances are that the setting of your summer wedding is already gorgeous, so ensure that you don't take away from the beautiful natural backdrop by keeping your table decor simple.

It wouldn't be a list of summer wedding ideas without including twinkling string lights! Dinner al fresco under the stars is a summer tradition—so we say: Embrace this theme with a casual tabletop (think terra cotta pots, as shown here) surrounded by romantic yet simple twinkle lights.

We've said it once, and we'll say it again: We love a summer dinner outdoors. That said, feel free to dress up the destination by adding string lights up above each dining table.

Dainty flower garlands have such a woodland, fairytale vibe about them. String them up at your summer wedding for sweet look.

Give guests a place to rest their feet from all that dancing by setting up a relaxing lounge area, full of vibrant summer hues and florals. Even better if it's al fresco!

We said it once, and now we'll say it again: Summer weddings are notoriously hot. The best summer wedding idea that we could offer is to focus on your guests. Ensure that they have all they need to deal with the heat, whether it's cold drinks always on tap or plenty of shade.

Want to really wow your guests? 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!

Every summer party needs flamingo pool floats. Elevate yours (these mini ones fit beer cans!) with a pretty display of coordinating glassware—and plastic pineapple cups for fun.

Add flowers to your ice buckets, making each do double duty as a cooler and decoration.

Keep your confection simple: All a summer wedding cake really needs is a few beautiful flowers to top it off and add some sunshine!

It's no surprise that the summer heat can make fondant and icing melt. That's why this rolling cart is an awesome choice for summer weddings—just roll it out when you're ready to cut the cake!

Everyone loves pie come the Fourth of July, so why not serve it at the wedding? See ya, wedding cake!

Photo booths are a longstanding wedding staple for a reason: They're just so much fun! Make yours summer-wedding-appropriate by outfitting it in plenty of florals and summer hues.

Light up the night with sparklers! They'll create some super stunning wedding exit photos.

One of the biggest decor trends for summer whether your ceremony or reception is indoors or outdoors is having custom neon signs at your wedding. Whether these signs say you and your fiancé’s names, a special slogan, or even your wedding hashtag, putting these signs around your venue gives your party an electric vibe. Plus, it’s the kind of decoration you can take from your wedding and display in your home afterward.

Take in the breeze on this open-air cart. It's perfect for photo opps!