Summer Weddings 101: Planning Guide

Planning your Summer Wedding with Confidence

Photographer: Kyra Jean

You're getting married in the Summer! Congrats! You should feel like this couple getting swooped up in the air for one of the biggest moments of your lives! 

If you're thinking this carefree feeling is very idealistic, trust me, I have been there. We planned an outdoor wedding in July and basically did everything ourselves including booking the venue, catering, renting a tent, tables, chairs, and decorating. My flowers didn't last past the ceremony either :( Much was learned.

​While it can be nerve racking to plan, some careful thought around your location and flowers can make a world of a difference for a stress-free, truly enjoyable experience! 

Location, Location, Location

Photographer: Kyra Jean

​Selecting the right location is probably the single most important thing to plan. Once you have this covered, everything comes in place very smoothly. Here are some things to consider when picking the right location:

Consider Hiring a Wedding Planner
If you and your partner are not the type of people that love details, coordinating with multiple vendors, and decorating, then you might want to consider hiring a wedding planner. It's important that you and your partner create a vision for your wedding. However, it's just as important to determine whether you both want to execute all parts of that vision, or if you want to get some help with some (or all) of it! 

This styled shoot was planned and designed by M+E Forever Events and Samantha Lombardo who did a stellar job organizing every detail in Providence, RI. Planners are awesome because they are flexible to work with you at any stage of the planning process and already have a trustworthy list of vendors they've worked with.​

Photographer: Kyra Jean

Plan and Book Early
Remember how I talked about you and your partner creating a vision? When you're picturing where you and your partner want to get married, think about what is meaningful to you, what do you enjoy doing, how many people do you want there to be? Once that is figured out, start the search for your perfect venue and book as early as possible! Summer is a busy wedding season! Try to pick a location that offers indoor and outdoor options so you are prepared for any kind of weather. 

Photographer: Megan Fallon

Incorporate Local Elements
Providence, RI offers charm, history and culture. We took Caylee and Spencer along Westminster Street and hit up some timeless spots like The Arcade (see above), Symposium Books (see right), NicoBella's Providence (see below) for ice cream, and The Dean Hotel (see below). 

If the city you're getting married in is meaningful to you, why not incorporate some local vendors at your wedding? It doesn't have to be expensive either. Maybe you get some donuts catered from your favorite shop. Maybe you get an ice cream truck. I've even been to a wedding where they had a bubble tea bar! 

Usually, there isn't time to hop around the city and take pictures of some of your favorite spots on your wedding day. However, if you're doing a city elopement or an intimate wedding, you could ask your photographer to carve out time so you can get unique pictures from local spots that are important to you and your partner. 

Photographer: Megan Fallon

Photographer: Kyra Jean

Photographer: Kyra Jean

Essential Tips for Summer Flowers

Photographer: Kyra Jean

Summer Flowers that will Last
For my wedding bouquet, I got hydrangeas and no one ever told me about that being a terrible decision for an outdoor wedding! Some great early Summer flowers are peonies, ranunculus, roses, snapdragon and delphinium.  The beloved peony is a popular early Summer wedding flower for good reason - just look at them! They come in blush, coral (see above), hot pink, red and purple and open up beautifully. They're also the cheapest in June so might as well maximize on their short season! They are very heat sensitive to make sure they're stored in a cool place for as long as possible before your wedding. I really regretted my florist never mentioning these things so don't be afraid to bring these things up if she doesn't first. 

Cool and Hydrated
Keep your flowers in the shade, indoors (if possible), and in water for as long as possible. This will help them stay fresh and last longer. When your photographer isn't taking pictures of you and your flowers, ask one of your bridesmaid to hold them in a vase of water or to keep it in the shade. 

Photographer: Kyra Jean

Summer Color Palette 
You can really choose whatever colors you want but some top Summer trends I've seen are: 

• Vibrant Citrus: coral, orange, yellow, peach - one of my faves!  
• Blush and Sage: light pink/blush, light blue, light green (major beach vibes)
• Pink: light pink, dark pink, coral and a touch of apricot 
• Bold and Bright: purple, magenta, yellow, pink, blue 
• Classic Neutral: champagne, taupe, warm creamy hues that match beautifully with white décor

Photographer: Kyra Jean

Flower Crown 
I really think Summer is the perfect time to rock a flower crown. It's fun, has a garden vibe and looks beautiful with a braid or an up do (talk about staying cool!). If you're having an outdoor wedding this just adds to the overall aesthetic and looks amazing.

Ranunculus, spray roses, wax flower, lavender, rosemary, berries, billy balls, eucalyptus, and Italian ruscus are great options.   

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Florist: Grace Flora Studio
Planner: M+E Forever Events
Photographers: Kyra Jean Wilk, Megan Fallon 
Lead Photography and Design Concept: Samantha Lombardo 
Makeup Artist: Erica Coelho 
Hair Stylist: Sky Beaulieu
Stationary: Mad for Mod 
Models: Caylee Terpening and Spencer Ordonez