Throwing a summer wedding is super fun for brides, since there are so many different ways to enjoy the season and your big day.
Most people would think that a summer wedding would have to be inside with the air conditioning on full blast, but that's not the case. They can happen anywhere, which makes their decor so flexible.
Check out these inspired ideas that are sure to be eye-catching and memorable.
Work With Your Florals
Weddings and florals go hand in hand. Even if you don't prefer traditional bouquets, you probably have flowers as some part of your decor.
If you want to make those flower arrangements stand out even more, check out what other brides are doing with them. One of the most recent trends is to hang florals upside down over the dance floor or buffet table. As long as you have a hanging structure, you can tie any floral arrangement over where people will congregate at your wedding. Play around with how much fauna is worked in with the florals for an even brighter and fuller arrangement.
Drape From the Ceiling
Brides want their venue space to be warm and welcoming, but some areas are so big that it's hard to create that warmth. Drapes can help with that. Brides have started draping fabric from the ceiling, and it can work with any venue space. Tents, rooms and even chic barn spaces look more inviting with drapery romantically hanging over the area.
Choose drapes that correspond with your wedding colors, or go with a classic white that will add elegance to any room.
Hang Edison Bulbs
Rustic chic is coming back around, and it's even entering the world of wedding decor. If you want a touch of this design element, think about hanging Edison bulbs for your lighting. These are exposed bulbs that show the lighted filament inside. They're dreamy to hang around a wedding venue, especially if most of your event will be happening outside.
Be sure to check the bulbs you buy. Some get more heated than others and may not be safe to hang against reception tents for long periods of time.
Create Interactive Installations
Your wedding guests will be there to celebrate your big day, but they can also easily get bored. This is especially true if they are bringing kids, so create interactive installations to keep everyone entertained.
These can look like an array of things, depending on your theme and location. You can make photo booths with props for guests to play around with or hang a simple backdrop for pictures.
Make Flower Ice Buckets
Since you're having your wedding in the summer, your guests will want to stay cool. It's smart to provide buckets of ice with drinks in them, but you can dress them up so they make even more of a statement.
All you need is a cooler ice cube mold and fresh flowers in your wedding colors. Cut the stems off and place the flowers in the mold in whatever pattern or direction you'd like. The key to making a flower ice bucket work is to pour hot water over the blooms and freeze for 24 hours. It will be the perfect size to hold wine bottles, beer bottles or even soda cans.
Be sure to set it on top of something to catch the water as it melts, and consider having someone on hand to remove it when it's halfway gone.
Float Flowery Monograms
Another way to get creative with flowers is to use them as floating monograms. Invest in the letters of your combined initials or ones that spell out your last name. Make sure they float by placing them in some water beforehand and letting them dry out afterward.
Once you're satisfied, tie the letters together with fishing wire or thin rope and stick fresh flowers all over them with a hot glue gun. They'll stay fresh for a couple of days, so this craft is best done just before your wedding.
Roll In the Desserts
After your reception meal is over, everyone will be looking forward to dessert. Why not make your final round of food something that will catch everyone's eye?
Look around at local thrift stores to see if you can find a rolling tray. These will come in many different designs, depending on which era they're from. It's modern yet retro, which is a super popular trend.
Make Everything by Hand
Brides are becoming savvier every day, so more people are taking pride in the parts of the wedding that they made for themselves.
Consider if you could make most of your decor by hand. It'll add a personal touch to your wedding that you won't be able to get anywhere else, and you'll be extra proud to show off those photos after everything is done.
Stick With Your Gut
Stay passionate about how you're decorating your wedding, but don't feel pressured to conform to any trends. You know better than anyone what you want on your wedding day and how you want the venue to look. Think outside the box about how you can use your decor, and you'll be sure to come up with designs that make a statement.
By Kacey Bradley