11 Summer Wedding Trends Your Clients Will Love

The beautiful thing about unplanned circumstances is our ability to adapt and create new solutions. The pandemic has changed the landscape for weddings and has steered wedding expectations, so naturally, new wedding trends have risen that we actually love! Given the need for smaller guest counts, micro and mini weddings are having their moment in the spotlight. Couples and planners are embracing this and making weddings the most intimate, personal, and highly detailed experience. Read on for 11 summer wedding trends that are here to stay.

1. Unique Venues

With an intimate guest list, couples can now host their wedding essentially anywhere they want. With a small guest list, there’s no worrying about large venues that can comfortably hold everyone. Couples can have ceremonies at the foot of a mountain, in a cozy nook in the woods by a stream, on a campsite, the coffee shop they met at, out at sea, etc. Help your clients take advantage of the situation by getting married in unexpected and non-traditional scenic locales. It will make for the most unforgettable experience! Read 11 Things to Consider When Planning a Wedding at an Unconventional Venue.

2. Outdoor Tents & String Lights

With the increase in outdoor venues, tented receptions are back. They give us the perfect outdoor indoor ambiance. Paired with twinkling lights, of course! Bring the stars in and set the ultimate mood with lights. Fairy lights or bulbs work well depending on what your client’s aesthetic is. Help your clients find elegant and elaborate tents and even hang drapery for an extra whimsical touch. 

3. Mismatched Seats & Tables

Since all bets are off and unconventional receptions are in, there’s so much room to have fun! Gone are the days of matching tables and chairs. Read 20 Unique Reception Seating Ideas That Will Surprise and Delight Your Guests. Mix table shapes and chair types and colors. It works for intimate weddings because it reminds us of home, while still being eclectic. Make sure to have some unifying elements like arrangements and plate settings to provide some cohesion.

4. Assigned Seating

We'd moved away from assigned seating but with social distancing and the need for safety, plan to assign seats in advance so guests are strategically placed with people they already interact with–families, friends, roommates. Reduce table sizes as well. Instead of 8-10 per table, do 4-6 people per table. 

5. Summer Colors

We’re all in search of happiness, especially after the challenges of the pandemic, so it’s no surprise that couples are seeking both light and bright color palettes this summer that radiate with peace and energy. Think sunset hues, pastels, greenery, and vibrant colors. Below are the trending color palettes this summer:

6. Personalized Details 

The time to personalize is now! The quality of weddings is increasing due to reduced guest count, so incorporate components of the couple’s personality. Special memories they have together. Quotes, pictures, motifs, that are important to the couple can now be given the opportunity to shine. These touches are what make these intimate weddings so unique.  

7. Styled Shoot 

Since micro weddings are so detailed and more money is being spent on the experience of each guest, weddings are looking more and more like styled shoots. There’s more room to play with the layout design and make it feel like a personal dinner affair. Wedding pros are actively making the wedding day look like an editorial shoot, focusing on having a great photographer, fantastic fashion, and stunning florals to brighten the day.

8. Guest Welcome & Send-Off Boxes

Although it's become common to give guests hand sanitizer, customized masks, and wedding wristbands, you can also add favors and programs in the mix, all housed by a beautiful box. Guests will feel all of the love with their personalized gifts. 

9. Cafe-Style Performances 

A cafe performance is exactly what you’re thinking. The intimacy of hearing live entertainment in a room full of people you know. It’s like when you go to your local coffee spot during open mic nights, and artists from all over the city come and do what they love. Couples are loving this acoustic and instrumental ambiance. Look for some local performers to really add authenticity. Add some coffee and cocktails and you’re all set!

10. Individualized Desserts & D’Oeuvres

Grab and go bites are the safest and cutest way to keep your guests from being exposed to germs. Think: 

11. Mini Toasts 

In most traditional weddings, there are only a few toasts made by the guests of honor. In a micro wedding, there’s more time and intimacy for family and friends to have a moment to say something heartfelt to the couple.

Hero photo courtesy of Elis Llinares Photography