Beach & Outdoors Wedding Theme Ideas for The Dream Summer Celebration
It’s finally Summer! And that can only mean one thing… we’re in peak Wedding season. Don’t get me wrong, Weddings are absolutely gorgeous all year around, from the Wintery traditional white wedding to the Autumnal foliage wedding. But, there is something so magical about a Summer wedding.
June, July and August are very popular wedding months, and these sunny and warm summer months are a great choice for outdoor and beach weddings. Summer brings with it sunshine (hopefully!), longer days, warm temperatures, bright colors, nature, flora and fauna, and wildlife. What better way to embrace all of this on your wedding day than being outdoors?
Especially if you’ve got a beach wedding in mind. There is something so romantic about the beach! Sand on your bare feet, waves softly rolling in, and the sun setting on the horizon. What a dreamy way to celebrate love with all of your friends and family.
"Everything is possible on the beach. The sky's the limit, There is nothing like dancing barefoot under the stars with sand between your toes and the rhythmic sound of the waves in the background. What better way to celebrate your love?" Gwen Grosset, destination wedding planner
A beach or an outdoor wedding also gives you so much choice when it comes to picking your aesthetic for the day, as you have the opportunity to style the space however suits your style. In comparison to holding your wedding at a more traditional venue, an outdoor wedding can be styled pretty much any way you’d like. From boho to elegant, tropical to minimal, and casual to rustic! An outdoor wedding allows you to get creative with your decor, provides endless romantic photo backdrops and guarantees that you’ll be partying under the stars on your wedding night.
Whether you live near the beach, are planning a destination wedding, or are dreaming of an open-air ceremony in the countryside, I’m here to share all of the outdoor wedding inspiration for your dream summer celebration!
Beachy Wedding Stationery
Let your guests know from the get-go that you’re having an outdoor wedding! Tie the outdoor theme into your wedding invites and create matching stationery that showcases the style of your celebration. If you're picking a nautical theme beach wedding, for example, design stationery including those coastal touches such as seashells or sandy colors. Or if you’re having a tropical style affair, create wonderfully tropical designed stationery that matches this.
Summer Color Theme
Your wedding color palette should draw inspiration from the summer’s sunshine-filled days, the abundance of nature and the boom of wildlife. Vibrant colors tend to be the most popular hues for summer weddings, but you can also look at using more romantic pastels and modern neutrals to incorporate the sunshine feel. Some sunny and vibrant colors that emanate summer are bright fuchsia pink, cheerful yellow, bold orange, and calming light blue. If bright colors just aren’t for you, you can also look to more traditional hues such as navy blue, blush pink, lilac, and pale butter yellow for a divine summer wedding color palette. Find out more about picking your perfect wedding color theme reading this blog post!
Wedding Arch
Wedding arches and outdoors weddings are a match made in heaven. You could create a traditional floral wedding arch using matching flowers to your wedding bouquets, or using local seasonal flowers. Or, get creative and make something a bit more boho with palm leaves, or a bit more tropical with brighter flowers. For a more minimal arch, you could look at driftwood and lush greenery. You could even create a seaside style arch, to really embrace the beach theme, with coral, seashells, and other coastal inspired decorations.
Flora & Fauna
A summer wedding is the best time of year to incorporate flora and fauna into your special day, and especially so if you’re holding the ceremony outdoors. From palm trees to pampas grass, wildflowers to traditional roses, using flowers and natural elements throughout your wedding decor will really set the theme for your outdoor wedding. Bring the beach to your wedding styling and decorate with palms, they look great tied to the backs of chairs or as tablesetting decorations. Place jars of wildflowers around the venue space, down the aisle and on tables. If you’re not into flowers, greenery is a great option for the couple who isn't excited by loads of bold florals and wants to achieve a natural feel.
What to Wear
When it comes to beach and outdoor weddings, casual but elegant is the ideal wedding attire. For women, light-weight and flowing is always the way to go. It’s best to avoid wedding dresses that are too heavy, as although they will look great in photo shoots, they’re not all that practical. Off-the-shoulder and strapless look beautiful at beach and outdoor weddings. And for men, think linin and light-color suits. You are likely going to be warm and out in the elements for most of the day, so you want to choose fabrics that are light-colored, breathable and summery. When it comes to shoes, heels are probably out of the question! Who wants to wear heels in the sand when you can go barefoot?
Lastly, it’s important to remember that an outdoor wedding holds with it a lot more logistics than a traditional indoor wedding. So here are some important factors to consider when planning your day.
Be prepared for everything, and think about your guests! It’s always helpful to have things to hand such as sunscreen, a water station, insect repellant and hand fans
Time the event and think about the weather throughout the day, the hottest part of the day is usually around 2pm so consider this in your time planning. You won’t want people to be standing in the sun with no shade for a long time if it’s going to be very hot
Consider the wind and possible wind direction, especially when putting up your decorations or using candles or open flames - you won’t want things blowing away! A good tip is to opt for lanterns or hurricane candleholders rather than candlesticks or other uncovered candles
Schedule touch-ups for hair and make up throughout the event
Ensure guests stay hydrated and have options for shade, the last thing you want is for guests to be getting sunburnt or suffering from sunstroke
Have a contingency plan for rain. We hope that summer will bring sunshine, but weather is never guaranteed so make sure there is an option in place for bad weather
Check the rules and requirements of the beach or outdoor venue. Some locations require a beach permit to have a wedding, some are private property and some don't allow any actual chairs or furniture
I hope that you will use this guide as your go-to for wedding inspiration and ideas on how to create your dream beach or outdoor wedding. I am sure that you will create a wonderful experience for both yourselves and your guests!
If you want to discuss creating custom wedding stationery or table setting favors for your outdoor wedding, I would love to help. You can find out more here or get in touch with me at hello@thepatterneddesk.com