Intro:

Are you a bride planning on some summer lovin’? You’re not alone! Summer is the busiest wedding season and has its pros and cons for hot weather brides. Your celebration isn’t restricted by weather but venues are busier, so securing a date is more difficult. And finding a theme that’s both sustainable and original is its own challenge. Let us help with both! As a newer establishment, The Venue at the Ranches has more summer openings than other places. And we’re abuzz with tantalizing themes–but start with these 6!

#1: Charming Citrus

Fun! VIbrant! A delight for the senses! That’s a citrus-themed wedding. This theme squeezes inspiration from the citrus family in color, smell, and taste. With a palette ranging from juicy corals and oranges to buttery yellow and vivid marigold, the colors are lively and so darn playful. Choose a bright pairing or embrace the full spectrum of hues from lemon to grapefruit for eye-catching visuals. Bold colors are having a serious wedding moment and these are the boldest of the bunch. The scents aren’t too shabby either, and are certain to be invigorating for the entire event. The decor options are quirky and charming: lemons, sliced or whole, in jars to brighten the base of floral arrangements or masterfully arrayed alongside the wedding cake. Oranges paired with coral and peach blooms in centerpieces. Vivid, yet feminine and subtle, grapefruit-infused sodas. Elevate the eats with lemon-salmon hors d’oeuvres and a blushing rosé or go rustic–buckets of individual iced lemonade bottles on each table to wash down grilled prosciutto and mandarin kabobs. Whether basic or bougie, a citrus celebration will be refreshing for all.

#2: Beach Bride

Can’t consider a summer wedding without daydreaming about a barefoot beach ceremony. Even in coastal locations, an accommodating beach is rarely affordable or available. But that doesn’t mean you can’t capture a sophisticated seaside atmosphere. Apply a color scheme of sandy ivory and taupe with blues from sparkling cerulean to sapphire. Spotlight seashells in everything from the boutonniere and bouquet to scattered along tables with driftwood and misty sea glass. Or forget the bouquets altogether and arrange flowers in over-sized conch shells with twine handles. Forgo a formal sit-down affair for a communal crab roast. Don’t forget to include wooden elements with a distressed finish in grays and turquoise that could’ve come from the walls of a seaside cottage. And a wedding cake topped with gleaming oyster shells and pearls is an absolute must.

#3: Barbecue Bash

There was a time when a backyard wedding was avoided, even disdained. But whether you host the wedding in your own yard or at a more upscale venue, the theme of a laid-back barbecue bash is a vibe truly coming into its own. Why? Because it’s confidently casual and centered on comfort. First, of course, is comfort food. It wouldn’t be a barbecue bash without a menu of grilled goodies! Don’t know any grill masters? No problem! Caterers can do absolutely sublime things with sliders, salads, and sodas. The key is to lean hard into all things rustic and relaxed. Wrap entrees in newspaper and provide a range of barbecue sauces from mild to caliente. Fill massive buckets or even wheelbarrows with ice for chilling drinks. Bring in an actual ice cream truck or serve up your own frozen treats. Display photos of the couple from a clothesline and light the whole place with strings and strings of bistro lights. Sport matching denim jackets for bride and groom or a pair of bridal sneakers with adorable lace ankle socks. Most importantly, ditch individual guest seating for big ol’ banquet tables to promote the point of this wedding shindig: celebrating your wedding with the community of people you love most.

#4: Sage and Sunshine

No list of summer wedding ideas is complete without a boho offering. Certain destination wedding spots have promoted a more pretentious–as well as expensive–bohemian hoopla. But you don’t have to wed in Tulum to be a boho bride. At its heart, bohemian fashion is free-spirited, eclectic, and organic–all elements that can be enchanting while remaining economic. In fact, some of the most stunning boho style is beautifully simple. It focuses on the organic components and lets the splendor of nature speak for itself. It doesn’t take much to astound with this design: neutral colors anchoring wistful shades of sage, jade, and olive. Raw wood, woven textures, and a myriad of greenery. Elevating common objects like tin cans or mason jars by using them in your decor with luxurious florals. Peppering your cake, centerpieces, and menu with fragrant herbs–perhaps providing dried herbs for guests to scatter in your wake. Mint scents, mint accessories, maybe even mint mojitos. Eclectically elegant, you will be a boho bride to remember.

#5: Italy Inspired

Who doesn’t want to escape to Italy for a wine and dine elopement?! Italian summers are a daydream of picnics in olive groves, gondola rides, the ancient romance of cathedrals and sun-warmed fountains. Even if you can’t jaunt off to Tuscany for your nuptials, you can channel a little Italy. Start with the comfort and charisma of eggshell linen suits for the groom and groomsmen. Supply wicker fans and shading fadoras for guests to enjoy an outdoor ceremony or cocktail hour. And don’t stop with cocktails–any self-respecting Italian inspired wedding must have an abundance of bubbly. Planning a kid-friendly event or want a non-alcoholic option? No problem! Non-alcoholic wine and even hiring a non-alcoholic bartender are becoming more and more common and still provide the chance to lounge and sip. Bring on big barrels for your gift, cake, and entry tables, but be sure to go banquet-table for dining to promote maximum mingling and laughter. For that easy energy, stock the place with baskets of bread or trend it up with a full bruschetta or charcuterie buffet. And your Italian style wedding wouldn’t be complete without a delectable gelato cart. Bride and groom get first scoop, of course!

#6: Carnival Love

Wanna have a fun-filled wedding and eat your funnel cake too? Send in the clowns! Summer is the ideal time for a crazy carnival themed wedding. You needn’t traverse Coney Island for circus thrills. Bring the greatest show on earth to you with all the guilty pleasures your palette could want: cute cones of popcorn and cotton candy clouds, a wedding cake that’s confetti-tastic, A psychedelic candy bar for the kiddies so they can load up on sugar before running off to play lawn games. If you’re going to go carnival, it needs to be a full blown party. Don’t shy away from the iconic visuals but kick it up a notch by draping alternating red and white chiffon from the ceiling for an upscale circus tent feel. Bring in jugglers, acrobats, and sky dancers to dazzle and fire off a confetti canon for your grand entrance. And we beg you, please shoot your engagements with a DIY kissing booth or on a carousel–they are unmatched for adorable.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a summer wedding theme, there’s something for everyone here; from laid back and full of laughter to a serene seaside affair. But like summer itself, your warm-weather wedding is full of endless, endless possibilities. Imagine your absolute, ultimate summer party, and craft your big day around that.

Oh, and book the Venue at the Ranches while you’re at it. 😉