Ladies and gentlemen, the summer weddings are in full swing! Did you know that more than a quarter of all 2023 weddings took place between June and August last year? With fewer commitments, warmer nights and gorgeous sunshine, it’s no wonder these months are the most popular—especially in colorful, scenic Colorado! Whether your 2024 summer wedding is fast approaching or you’re a 2025 bride-to-be, here are my 5 top tips to make the most of the season, and beat the heat for a perfect summer wedding.

1. Provide Some Shade

If you’re planning a backyard or park wedding, make sure you have some shady or indoor spaces available to keep your guests comfortable and safe from the elements. Try mixing elegance and shade with ceiling drapes, or go with clear-top tents or canopies instead. If you’re saying “I do” at an outdoor venue, ask about alternative spaces for rain as well as heat relief. If you’re not thrilled with the options, check in with your vendors. They might have some stylish solutions, too, like having themed umbrellas on hand to block sun in a pinch. 

2. Keep Things Light

When it comes to summer weddings, keep it light—in every sense of the word. Dark colors attract heat, so make sure your linens and floral palette create a cool and comfortable setting. Opt for lighter foods over warm, heavy plates, and make sure your menu is stocked with icy drinks and cool desserts. Stick with lemonades and flavored water until the reception has started since alcoholic beverages can lead to dehydration, and accent drinks and hors d’oeuvres with cooling flavors like cucumber and mint. 

3. For Summer Weddings: Relax the Dress Code

If you’ve always envisioned a black tie-affair, summer weddings might not be ideal. Even if your ceremony and reception are indoors, your guests still need to travel to and from the festivities in the summer heat—and that isn’t a great time to slip into a long black gown or full, formal tuxedo. If you have a gorgeous outdoor wedding in mind, I suggest relaxing your dress code to include seasonally appropriate, loose-fitting clothing. Bottom line: Your guests know what they need to spend a considerable amount of time in the summer sun, and that might look different for everyone in attendance on your big day.

4. Style for the Season

Speaking of dress code, be sure to keep the summer temps in mind when you style yourself and your bridal party. Choose elegant updos over (potentially sweaty) trailing tresses for the girls, and go with fewer layers in lighter colors for the guys. Save the smokey eyes for another day, and choose a natural makeup look that compliments some naturally rosy cheeks. And always have some spare powder, antiperspirant/deodorant and blotting sheets on hand to touch up any sweaty spots throughout the day.

5. Be Prepared

Whatever Mother Nature has planned for summer weddings, make sure you have what it takes to keep you and your guests cool, calm and comfortable. Keep plenty of icy coolers full of bottled water and baskets of sunscreen nearby, and have some ice packs chilling on standby in case of any overheating. Equip the tables at your reception with small, battery-powered fans or misters, and plan any physical activities like dancing after the sun goes down. Have some light hand towels or moist towelettes available for your guests, as well as paper/program fans or welcome kits designed to help everyone stay sun smart. 

Concerned about the sun? Don’t worry! Summer is the most popular wedding season for a reason, be it for the gorgeous weather (which means gorgeous photos!), all the fresh flowers and produce, or simply the optimal travel time. With a little bit of consideration, it’s still the perfect time to celebrate your love. However you choose to beat the heat at your summer wedding, above all, make sure you’re staying true to your wedding and its theme. After all, the focus of the day’s events should be the bride and groom—not the weather.

Wedding invitations can be a tricky piece of the wedding planning puzzle, especially if paper and prose aren’t really your thing. But when done well, wedding invitations can do so much more than communicate the important details! They give your guests a sneak peek at your personal style, and provide visual cues for what they can expect on your big day. Your unique design and verbiage set the tone for the celebrations ahead—not to mention a sentimental souvenir you can keep forever. Ready to get started? Let’s talk all about wedding invitations!

When should I send my wedding invitations? 

As a general rule, you should plan to have wedding invitations in your guests hands between six and eight weeks before your wedding with an RSVP deadline of three weeks before the big day. If you’re planning a destination wedding, shoot for 12 weeks so your guests have a bit more time to plan their trips. Count on around 5-7 business days from drop-off to mailbox arrivals, depending on how far your guestlist reaches. 

This timeline gives your guests time to check their schedules, hear back on any pending calendar holds, and still give you a final headcount before crunch time. If you’re sending Save the Date cards (which I highly recommend), those should be sent around six months prior to your wedding day.

Is there etiquette I need to follow?

Simply put, less is more. You want to include all the necessary information without the key details getting lost or misinterpreted. Whether you’re going traditional letterpress or unique and trendy, it’s best to stick to classic wedding invitation etiquette:

• Bride and groom’s names 
• Wedding date and time
• Ceremony and reception location(s)
• RSVP instructions
• Any additional details like attire requests, registry information and website details

Choose a traditional template (like including the bride’s parents’ names as hosts), or take a modern approach (like a wedding website QR code), but always keep it simple. Any other fun plans and information can be included online or communicated upon arrival.

Are there traditions I can trade for trends?

In this digital age we’re all navigating, sometimes paper wedding invitations can feel a bit dated. But there are ways to dodge that stuffy feeling while still delivering on this timeless wedding tradition! The most important thing is to stick to your wedding theme, and to let your personality shine. Are you planning a traditional, elegant celebration? Stick with the classics in color and font. Are you adding some quirky personal touches to a tried and true wedding theme? Bring fun to florals with a more whimsical design. If flowers don’t fit your style, opt for some squiggles or sketched-quality line work. Whether you choose classic card stock or funky formats, just be sure to honor your guests with clear and concise information.

Can I use my engagement photos on my wedding invitations?

Can’t get enough of your engagement photos? There can definitely be a place for them on your wedding invitations. Just remember, less is more! The details of the day should shine the brightest, and be the easiest for your guests to find and reference. Look for a template that limits your design to one or two photos, and make sure the ones you choose have clean colors and plenty of negative space. 

Want to utilize those photos but stay with a more traditional invite? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Check out my top 10 ways to use your engagement photos (six of which incorporate those images right into your wedding day!).