While wedding day trends come and go, one aspect has been holding steady for years: Summer remains one of the most popular times of the year to get married.
That trend applies to Houston, too, despite the warm weather during our summer months.
A Long-Time Tradition
The popularity of summer weddings, and June weddings, in particular, is a tradition that dates back centuries. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this was based to some degree on the goddess Juno (the month’s namesake), who was considered the protector of women, especially in marriage and childbirth.
Summer Weddings Today
These days, the appeal of a summer wedding is more practical.
For one thing, the days are longer in the summer, giving couples more time to celebrate and opening the door to more unique ways to get married. The warmer weather we enjoy during the summer also is ideal for summer wedding styles, including popular sleeveless and strapless wedding gowns.
Not only that but, generally, guests find it easier to attend weddings in the summer (especially if they have to travel with children); you have a broader selection of flowers this time of year; you can incorporate bright, summer colors; and more honeymoon options are available to you.
it’s also easy to come up with a nice wedding motif in the summer. (That’s not to say you can’t be creative with seasonal weddings during other times of the year.)
If you’ve been thinking about having a wedding after-party, you have more options during the summer as well.
Summer Wedding Inspiration
If you need some summer wedding inspo, we have a wealth of suggestions and some of the coolest wedding ideas for flowers, food, drinks, wedding favors, wedding cake, themes, and entertainment, along with summer wedding decoration ideas. Put them together, and you'll be on your way to creating the summer wedding of your dreams.
What's the best month for a summer wedding?
Summer weddings could really be called summer-autumn weddings. They are typically held between June and October. If your marriage takes place on the east coast, remember that Atlantic storm season runs from June 1 to Dec. 30, although most hurricanes occur between late August and September.
You also should remember that because summer weddings are popular, lining up a wedding venue as early as possible will be important.
Summer Wedding Invitations
When selecting your summer wedding invitations, aim for designs that capture the essence of the season, whether it's through vibrant florals evoking the blooming warmth of summer or serene beach vistas that resonate with the tranquility of the season.
You can choose designs with flowers, starlit evenings, beach scenes, citrus fruits, or even pink flamingos.
Look for summer colors and textures to convey the idea of a romantic summer-season wedding.
Not only should your selection reflect the fact you’re having a summer wedding, but also whether it will be a formal or more relaxed event.
Summer Wedding Timeline
Planning a summer wedding comes with its own unique timeline. Here are some key deadlines to keep in mind:
12-14 Months Before
-Set your wedding date and book your venue. Popular venues book up fast for summer!
-Hire a wedding planner if you’ll be using one.
-Start researching vendors, and book the key ones.
10-12 Months Before
-Order your wedding dress.
-Plan your honeymoon. Popular destinations book up for summer so reserve flights and hotels.
8-10 Months Before
-Select and order bridesmaid dresses.
-Start planning décor for your ceremony and reception. Summer weddings lend themselves to bright, floral designs.
6-8 Months Before
-Finalize guest list and send save-the-date cards.
-Book hair and makeup artists.
-Arrange accommodations for out-of-town guests.
4-5 Months Before
-Order invitations and mail them out.
-Schedule food and beverage tastings and finalize menus with your caterer.
2-3 Months Before
-Final dress fitting.
-Schedule wedding day hair and makeup trial runs.
-Finalize music playlist and band/DJ for reception.
1 Month Before
-Obtain a marriage license.
-Send final guest count to the caterer.
-Confirm details with all vendors for your wedding day.
Consider a Humidity-Proof Hairstyle
To combat heat and humidity, try pulling your hair away from your face and head. This will help keep you cool and beautiful. A braided hairstyle is one lovely choice (and great for a boho theme).
Summer Makeup
Warmer weather doesn’t always play nicely with a bride’s makeup, but there are steps you can take to give your makeup staying power.
A magnifying primer, when it's applied before your foundation, can help you minimize shine and keep makeup in place longer.
Also, it sounds logical to wear foundation with sunscreen, but makeup artists warn that it isn’t a good idea for brides. The chemicals it contains can have a negative impact on photos.
Makeup artists also suggest applying a bit of bronzer where the sun would hit your face including your cheekbones, chin, nose, and forehead.
Your Summer Wedding Dress
As a general rule, aim for light, breathable fabrics for your wedding gown. Even if you plan to spend your wedding day in an air-conditioned venue, chances are good that you’ll spend some time outdoors.
Fabrics like chiffon, silk, and even finely woven cotton, will help you stay cool.
One option is a dress with an adjustable hem so you can go long and formal during your wedding ceremony and short, chic, and comfortable during your reception.
This Is Your Chance to Dazzle
If you’ve been hoping for a gown with a glamorous element, like an open-back wedding dress, summer is the perfect season for it. Just give yourself time to try on plenty of options so you can find a gown that's comfortable, gorgeous, and a good fit for your body type.
Dresses for Your Bridal Party
Not only will you need a breathable dress for the warm weather of your summer wedding, but so will your bridesmaids.
Consider mixed dresses in light colors or florals made of airy fabrics.
Again, look for summer-friendly fabrics like chiffon or soft crepe gowns.
Attire for the Groom and Groomsmen
Ideal choices include light suites, breathable fabrics, and a boutonniere with a summer flower.
The groom and groomsmen also can support your theme. If you’re having a pastel wedding, for example, have them wear a pastel tie or shirt.
Suit Fabrics
Fabric options include chambray, a cotton fabric that is lightweight, but best for daytime or more casual weddings.
Linen is another excellent option for keeping cool during summer weddings, but you should know that it wrinkles easily.
You also can go with blended materials such as wool with silk, linen, or cotton. These options are attractive but not quite as lightweight as, say, a 100% linen suit.
Selecting a Summer Wedding Theme
You have endless creative ideas available to you if you want to find a wedding theme. In addition to articles with suggestions, you can read about real weddings to see how certain themes played out.
You can watch YouTube videos, review Instagram photos, and talk with friends about what they tried.
Have You Considered a Boho Theme?
Bohemian wedding themes celebrate freedom of expression. They tend to have a hippie, artsy, adventurous vibe.
You can create a bohemian atmosphere at your wedding by bringing a bit of nature into your decor. Earthy wedding ideas include displaying wildflowers or dried flowers and creating backdrops of natural materials like linens, wood, and burlap. Aim for a color palette with natural tones including beige, brown, and burgundy. Set up retro wicker chairs—or invite guests to sit on floor pillows.
On your tables, try macrame or wicker placemats, heavy glass goblets, and ceramic plates.
How About a Beach Theme?
You can't go wrong with the beach for your summer wedding theme, especially if you're interested in an outdoor summer wedding.
This is your opportunity to begin your day in a stunning wedding dress and switch to flip-flops when it's time for your reception--and you won't be sacrificing style.
Aim for a light color palette, neutral accents, and breathable fabrics for you and your wedding party.
Embracing the Beachy Vibe
To create your beachy vibe, feel free to incorporate items you’d find at the beach—sunglasses, sand, starfish, or seashells—into your decor. Just remember, less is more when it comes to these items.
Welcome guests with your beach-themed sign made of driftwood.
You also can arrange wicker chairs and couches topped with white and pastel cushions.
For flowers, we recommend vivid, tropical blooms and greenery, possibly hibiscus, lilies, orchids, palm leaves, and proteas. Or, for more of a Hawaiian beach feel, go with white and pastel flowers like roses, peonies, and hydrangeas arranged with baby's breath.
Create the feel of a beach picnic by offering burgers, grilled meats, veggie kabobs, and ice cream. You can even set up a lemonade stand.
A Pastel Wedding Theme
Another summer wedding idea is a pastel theme.
Pastels may be associated with the spring, but they work for any season, including summer.
Create a romantic world with soft shades of pink, purple, blue, yellows, peach, and more.
You can add pastel touches to your save-the-dates and invitations, signage, food, decor, flowers, bridesmaid dresses, favors—the list goes on.
Create romantic pastel centerpieces, and offer a decadent, pastel signature cocktail possibly a Hibiscus Gin Sour, which is pink, or peach cocktails adorned with edible flowers.
Pastel weddings lend themselves perfectly to creative touches. You can work pastels into sandwiches, the dessert table, even your groomsmen’s suspenders.
Have a July 4th Wedding
You don’t have to get married on Independence Day to use these ideas for Fourth of July weddings. These are fun options for any summer wedding.
Create a red, white, and blue color combo with your reception area chairs, tablecloths, and table runners or napkins.
Choose a red signature cocktail, and top it with blueberries. You also can use berries to add patriotic coloring to your wedding cake, desserts, and other dishes.
Additional July 4th wedding ideas include working red roses into your floral arrangements and serving barbecue, hot dogs, s’mores, and other summery favorites.
Outdoor Wedding Themes
An outdoor wedding offers beautiful possibilities to integrate creative themes that enhance your venue's natural surroundings. Here are some popular outdoor wedding themes perfect for summer:
-Campground Chic: Get playful with a sleepaway camp-inspired theme using gingham, garlands, twinkling lights and lawn games. DIY s'mores favors add sweetness.
Sunflower Field: For bright summer cheer, say "I do" surrounded by sunflowers and decorate with burlap, mason jars, and yellow and green accents.
Fire and Ice: Cool blue and silver with candlelight and fire pits creates an elegant outdoor theme.
Celebrate Summer Movies
Movies always lead to creative wedding ideas, and if you’re having a summer wedding, you could always get a little more specific and focus on summer blockbusters.
Display photos and elements from some of your favorite summer blockbuster movies, from Star Wars to Grease.
Or…you can go with movies that make us think of summertime. Think Some Like It Hot or Dirty Dancing.
Celebrate Your Inner Child With a Carnival Theme
Carnivals are another beloved summer tradition that can inspire creative wedding ideas.
Set up booths with carnival games. Put up colorful displays of string lights. Offer popcorn and candy stations.
You also can create carnival centerpieces for your reception area with pinwheels, old-fashioned lollypops, and stuffed animals.
You can even rent carnival rides like a carousel or Ferris wheel.
Have an Outdoor Ceremony
If you want a wedding theme that ties in with the season, possibly a summer picnic, beach wedding, or rustic wedding, an outdoor setting will be ideal for your summer wedding.
Outdoor wedding ceremonies also will give you more space for guests, will be child-friendly, and, depending on the setting, can dramatically enhance the beauty of your event. That means you won't need to invest in as much wedding decor.
A Few Considerations for Outdoor Summer Weddings
And, depending on your wedding venue, you can always have the ceremony outdoors and then move everyone inside for the cocktail hour and your wedding reception.
Talk with the wedding venue you're considering about outdoor options, and tour their indoor and outdoor areas.
If you're looking at outdoor venues, ask them if they offer tents or shelters in case of inclement weather.
Make Your Rehearsal Dinner a Pool Party
Our best summer wedding ideas aren't limited to themes. There are plenty of ways to incorporate the fun and magic of summertime into your wedding—including wedding-related events.
For example, why not bring your rehearsal dinner poolside?
Aim to have your rehearsal in the afternoon, and begin the rehearsal dinner in the late afternoon so there’s still light for your gathering.
Pool Party Food and Drinks
Serve Texas favorites like barbecue, Tex-Mex, or fresh seafood, along with light finger foods.
Offer mojitos or pool party punch along with non-alcoholic drinks.
We do recommend having kid-friendly foods and activities if children will be attending and making sure a certified lifeguard is on duty.
Keep Your Guests Comfortable
Getting married in the middle of a hot summer day isn't necessarily ideal, especially in Houston. Try to develop your wedding timeline carefully, possibly in the late morning (wedding breakfast, anyone?) or early evening, to shield guests from the hottest party of the day.
Combine your strategic timing with strategies to keep your guests cool: Offer water, and non-alcoholic drinks frequently to keep people hydrated; provide cushioned seating so people don’t burn their legs or bottom on hot surfaces; and put mini-water misters in each guest’s chair.
Guests will appreciate sunscreen and bug spray, too.
Plan Games
If you are having an outdoor summer wedding, use the space for games.
They’ll help your wedding guests get to know each other and inject more fun into your celebration.
You can rent Twister, giant Jenga sets, lawn croquet, and more.
Keep the Children Safe and Happy
If children are attending your wedding, consider offering juices, Gatorade, water, popsicles, and other drinks that they’re likely to enjoy so they don’t get overheated or dehydrated.
If you’ve planned to offer outdoor games, add a few options that children might enjoy, or set up a kids’ tent with coloring books, Lego sets, hula hoops, and other fun options. You can add bean bags, rugs or cushions where they can sit down.
Create a Romantic Walkway
Create an enchanting pathway for wedding guests to follow to your venue—or maybe from the ceremony to cocktail hour or reception.
You can line your walkway with candles, lanterns, flowers, balloons, shells, stones, signs with sweet messages, hanging lights, strings of lights—anything you can imagine.
Stunning Summer Wedding Flowers
The flower choices are practically endless for a summer wedding. You can opt for classics like roses and carnations, something more dramatic like sunflowers, or even wildflowers.
And, because so many flowers are in season during the summer, you’ll be able to avoid the expense of importing out-of-season options.
In-season summer flowers include carnations, cosmos, chrysanthemums, dahlias, delphiniums, freesias, gardenias, irises, and hydrangeas, among others.
Embrace Summery Color Schemes
You can, of course, choose any color scheme for your wedding, but we encourage you to have fun with your choices. Summer is a season of vibrant colors: fuchsia, yellows, oranges, and light blues. Use them to inject a sense of joy and excitement into your summer wedding décor.
Even if you’re aiming for a more elegant, formal atmosphere, you have lovely color options including pale pink, lilac, and pale yellow.
Try Creative Centerpieces
Flowers are always a gorgeous option for summer wedding decorations, but if you’re not sure how they’ll handle the summer heat—especially if you’re holding an outdoor wedding—consider other creative options like candles, fresh produce, or elements that tie in with your theme.
Cool and Creative Touches
Try incorporating elements that add to the visual appeal of your reception area and can help guests beat the heat.
One option would be topping each place setting with an attractive paper fan.
Cake Alternatives
You absolutely can enjoy a traditional summer wedding cake, but that is one of many options available to you.
Maybe you’ll want to try an ice cream cake to help your guests keep cool or to create a display of cake pops, which are more likely to endure the heat during your outdoor summer wedding.
Cool Cocktail Hour Treats
In addition to your favorite liquid cocktails, add something cool and fun like alcohol-infused popsicles.
In addition to offering drinks, consider offering snacks that will help keep guests comfortable and cool like watermelon slices on a stick or coconut water.
Get Creative With Your Escort Cards
Replace escort cards with flags on cocktail sticks and present them in an arrangement of cold mocktails (so everyone can enjoy them).
Or, take a similar approach, but have the escort flags placed in summer fruits like plums or nectarines.
Acrylic Seating Chart
A popular trend for weddings that’s perfect for summer weddings is the acrylic seating chart.
There’s something about their clear, clean appearance that works with most summer wedding themes, along with couples’ overall summer wedding decor.
Oversized Balloons
Colorful or elegant white, balloons can add an element of fun to your reception space.
Another fun option is to use balloons for your signage or to share whimsical messages with your guests.
Offer Light Menu Options
Avoid heavy options on your wedding menu, and offer guess grilled fish or chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables, and other light dishes at your summer wedding.
This will be especially appreciated if you're planning an outdoor summer wedding.
It’s also wise to offer vegetarian or plant-based menu items for your guests.
Have Fun With Your Wedding Favors
Pack beach bags with creative favors, including sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, and flip-flops.
Or, give guests items that will help them keep cool in hot temperatures, from hand-held fans to elegant straw hats that will help block the sun.
Another option could be beach towels—especially if you’re having a beach-themed wedding.
Minimal Aisle Decor
One appealing approach to a summer wedding is simple elegance.
That means avoiding a fussy, crowded approach to your wedding decor and allowing certain key elements to shine.
This approach also helps keep the focus on you and your partner, where it should be.
One example is the aisle for your wedding ceremony space. You can achieve a clean elegant look by lining the ceremony aisle with greenery, candles, or baskets of flowers.
Make the Bar a Focal Point
Generally, the bar is one of the most popular spots in a wedding reception area. We recommend adding special decorative touches that tie in with your summer wedding or your wedding theme to add to its visual appeal.
Have a Photo Booth
Photo booths encourage guests to mingle, laugh, and chat, and they add to the overall fun of your event.
You also can provide props, like giant sunglasses and beach balls, to tie in with your summer wedding or your wedding theme and create fun summer wedding pictures.
Summer Table Linens
Unless you want specific wedding decor to tie in with your summer wedding theme, we suggest having fun with your table linens.
You can take a bold approach with floral, patterned, stripes, or polka dots.
Or, maybe you’d like to experiment with textured linens—or table runners—for an element of whimsy.
Summer Wedding Drink Stations
Add to the fun and atmosphere of your wedding with drink stations.
One option is to offer a spot to find non-alcoholic options like iced tea, juice, coffee, lemonade, and soda.
You also can offer themed stations like a margarita station or a mimosa bar. Or, set up a creative display with glasses of wine, a Champagne tower, or an arrangement comprising glasses of your signature cocktail.
Get Creative With Ice Cubes
Add a pop of color and flavor to the summer drinks you offer by including pleasant surprises in the ice cubes.
A few of the many additions you can add include vanilla beans, berries, edible flowers, and herbs.
You also can make cubes with fruit juices or alcohol that would complement your guests’ beverages.
Use Colorful Candles
Candles add to the charm of your reception area. Maybe you’ll want to go with a classic combination of blush and gold candles for a romantic effect.
You also can select colors that complement your floral arrangements or creative centerpieces or go with bold summery colors like pinks, greens, and yellows.
Set the Ambiance With Lights
Lighting is a highly effective way to enhance the atmosphere of your wedding and create a romantic, picture-perfect effect.
Try adding strings of lights to trees for a summer festival effect, or arrange clusters of lights to dangle from tree branches.
Another lighting option for your outdoor summer wedding is to set up chairs and sofas around tables topped with lanterns.
Dance All Night Long to Summer Tunes
If you're looking forward to getting out on the dance floor during your wedding reception, you might want to incorporate some feel-good summer music into your band or DJ’s playlist.
A few of the many possibilities available to you include “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Toploader, “California Girls,” by The Beach Boys, "Señorita" by Justin Timberlake, “The Boys of Summer,” by Don Henley, “Red Red Wine” by UB40, "Mine" by Bazzi, and “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina & The Waves.
Pick What Speaks to You
We know we've included more summer wedding ideas than you can possibly use, but we hope that some of them are a good fit for what you have in mind. We hope they make your wedding planning easier, inspire you, and help you create the unforgettable wedding you've been dreaming of.
The Bell Tower on 34th, a wedding venue in Houston, TX, is committed to helping recently engaged couples realize their wedding vision.
Learn more about holding a wedding here.
