Every experienced wedding planner understands the importance of emphasizing the seasonal vibe when planning a couple’s wedding at any given time of year. From color scheme decisions and appropriate linen fabrics to venue options and catering picks, almost every detail of a well-planned wedding should correspond to the season to some degree.
If you’re an aspiring wedding planner seeking the legitimate education needed to develop a comprehensive background in planning all these details, check out our online wedding planning course. It’s certified by the Association of Bridal Consultants, which is the largest professional wedding planning organization in the world. To get started with some simpler summertime inspiration, we came up with a list of the 2017 summer wedding must-haves on our list:
The Best Flowers
When it comes to planning a festive summertime event, floral design choices are critical. There are tons of lovely recommendations circulating this year but our favorites for 2017 are definitely hydrangeas, peonies and dahlias.
Hydrangeas come in a wide variety of colors. From white and purple to pink and green, this bloom is a super versatile recommendation for wedding planners to keep handy because they’re likely to match a number of clients’ color schemes. Peonies make this list because they’re known for being especially fragrant which adds a romantic touch to the special day. Dahlias are great for summer weddings because they’re extremely vibrant and colorful- plus, the Dahlia signifies a big transition or change- perfect symbolism for a wedding.
Wedding Favor Ideas
We browsed Pinterest to come up with a list of the cutest and most practical wedding favors worth gifting your guests this summer. Our favorites include s’mores boxes, sunglasses and flip flops.
Flip flops are a really thoughtful choice for beach weddings. If your reception is taking place in the sand, offering guests a festive pair of wedding-day-personalized sandals as they make their way onto the beach is a practical favor that they’ll be sure to use. Sunglasses are another great choice for beach receptions or any event that will be taking place outdoors, especially midday. And finally, make-your-own s’mores kits are a simple summery DIY that your guests will be happy to take home. Plus, if your clients are working with a strict budget, you can save money with this option by putting these favors together on your own.
Awesome Summer Cocktails:
Funky cocktail updates have been all the rage for the past few months, providing wedding planners with tons of uniquely festive drink options to pair with a special summertime event. This year, boozy popsicles are our favorite. For the more DIY-savvy couples, there are tons of cool recipes worth trying in which the finished product is actually a Popsicle boozy enough to double as its own cocktail. For those interested in the summertime charm of a Popsicle drink minus the hassle of experimenting in the kitchen, simply have bartenders overturn colorful, fruity pops inside your guests’ glasses of wine to add some fun flavor and flair.
Décor Options:
For 2017, our festive summertime décor favorites are rustic, romantic and outdoorsy. The best items on that list include mason jars, natural wooden decorative pieces, metal buckets, twinkle light accents and cozy throw blankets.
Some of our favorite pieces of wooden wedding décor include folding chairs (positioned outdoors for a rustic, natural-looking ceremony), or wooden boxes in lieu of ceramic or glass vases to hold your floral choices. We loved the idea of large metal tins being used to hold bottled drinks on ice with some added summertime barbeque aesthetic charm. For outdoor lighting options in the summer, twinkle lights are our favorite pick. Because they look gentler and less industrial, they distract less from the awesome, natural scenery desired by couples who want that outdoorsy feel.
