Every girl wants their wedding day to be special. So we’ve come up with 25 creative summer wedding ideas you can add to your day to make it more memorable.
Ride bicycles
What better way for guests to get to the reception venue than via tandem bikes or vintage bicycles, particularly if your venue is in a large garden or parklands? Organise for the bikes to be decorated with streamers, balloons and signs with “just married” written on them. Imagine the great photo opportunities.
Host a picnic
Close your eyes and imagine, if you will, a garden where guests are provided with picnic rugs, brightly-coloured cushions to sit on and gourmet hampers loaded with goodies. Hire a Mr. Whippy ice cream van to provide dessert.
Serve old-fashioned lemonade
Hot weather mixed with alcohol is a sure-fire way to end up dehydrated, so a lemonade stand where guests can help themselves to old-fashioned lemonade or iced water is a great way to keep heat stroke at bay.
Provide your guest with thongs as wedding favours
Having a beach wedding on a secluded part of the beach? You’ll be surprised how many people don’t wear appropriate footwear. Provide a pair of thongs for every wedding guest which they are able to take home as a keepsake.
Provide fans as wedding favours
Keeping cool when you’re having an outdoor wedding can be difficult, especially if it’s one of those days where it’s so hot, your eyeballs feel like they will be sucked from your head. You could even turn your wedding programs into a handheld fan.
Go fruity
Load your wedding menu with oodles of fruit. Chocolate-dipped strawberries, slices of fresh watermelon and platters of pineapple, mango and cherries will be a refreshing summer treat. Incorporate the fruity theme into the bridal party colours and centrepieces.
Do it yourself dessert bar
Letting guests design their own dessert is a growing trend. Think the Sizzler or Pizza Hut dessert bar with an ice cream machine, sprinkles, chocolate, lashings of cream, coloured frosting, hot fudge sauce and fruity coulis.
Bedazzle ordinary thongs
Get a hot glue glue and get busy. You can use glass beads, crystals, lace, sequins and ribbons to create your own unique summer wedding footwear.
Wear fun sunglasses
Make sure the entire bridal party has sunglasses, but don’t be boring, go outrageous. It will make for hilarious photo moments.
Design a signature cocktail for your wedding
Become a mixologist and create a designer cocktail for you special day. Give it a memorable name and provide the recipe for the guests — every time they make one, they won’t be able to help but think of you.
Get inspiration for designing your own summer cocktails >>
Have an old-fashioned garden wedding
Summer wedding receptions don’t have to be traditional. Organise for your wedding guests to play croquet, garden chess or lawn bowls.
Spend the day at a summer fair
No fair is complete without an amusement ride, fairy floss, churros and games like ring tosses and bobbing for apples.
Have a pool party
Swim during the heat of the day and at night and fill the pool with floating candles for romantic ambience. Who needs swimmers? Just dive on in.
Hire golf carts
Who wants to walk anywhere on a hot summer’s day and especially in heels? Golf carts are a great way for your bridal party to travel in style.
Go underground
What better way to beat the heat than to head underground. Jenolan Caves, just 3 hours from Sydney Airport, or Capricorn Caves in Rockhampton are picturesque places to exchange “I dos”.
Married with sharks
Whether it’s under the water at an aquarium, in a swimming pool or the ocean, underwater photography can look spectacular. You could have mermaid bridesmaids and have a seafood buffet.
Take the plunge on a roller-coaster
You’ll be screaming with delight as you exchange vows on some of the scariest roller-coasters in the Southern Hemisphere. Enjoy the thrills and spills of one of the many Gold Coast theme parks and cool off at either White Water World or Wet ‘n’ Wild.
Hire a luxury yacht
Love the water? Then you can’t beat gliding through tranquil waters aboard a chartered yacht with immediate friends and family as the sun sinks low on the horizon.
Did someone say lollies?
Fill glassware with Jaffas, lollipops, M&Ms divided into colours, toffee apples and boiled sweets. Provide tongs and paper bags so guests can take their fill home. Be sure to consider guests with special dietary requirements
Gallop in on a horse
Imagine riding up the beach on a horse, galloping along the sand, the waves crashing on the beach, and you’re looking like a princess. What better way to make a stunning entrance?
Romantic waterfalls
Get up close and personal with nature by tying the knot under a waterfall. It doesn’t matter if you get a bit wet, it will be summer. You’ll dry off quickly and have beautiful photos and memories as mementos.
Beachy bouquets
Australia is renowned for long, hot summers and fresh flowers tend to wilt. Opt for a beach-themed wedding bouquet made from shells.
Planning a beach wedding? Discover Australia’s top 5 beaches >>
Surf and turf
Keen surfers? Why not paddle out and make a commitment just beyond the break. Afterwards, ride the waves back into the shore for a barbecue on the sand.
Rock bright colours
Go bold and choose bright, vibrant colours for your bridesmaids and bouquets. The more flamboyant, the better. It will balance out against the whiteness of your dress and make your photographs pop.
Go nude
Think of the money you’ll save on buying a dress, not to mention how much cooler it will be with the summer heat. You wouldn’t be the first bride to get married in the buff.
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