When you get started on the wedding planning journey, it’s safe to say that you’ll have quite a few tasks to knock out along the way. However, keep in mind you also have plenty of time to plan all of these individual details. After you’ve enjoyed a fun engagement party and posted a few ring selfies to Instagram, you’re now officially ready to hit the ground running and start the planning process. So…the question now becomes, where do you start? Well, first things first, your immediate actions should include finalizing a date/season, discussing an overall budget and deciding which venue will serve as the backdrop for your special day. And on today’s blog, we’ll largely be focusing on the season in which you’ll tie the knot. As you can likely guess, weddings are a year-round thing and each individual season offers its own unique benefits. Furthermore, given that we’re currently in the heart of summer, we’re going to talk about ideas for hosting an awesome summer wedding celebration and why it might make sense for your own wedding.
Before we chat all about summer weddings though, we would first like to give a quick hello to any first-time visitors to our blog. Madera Estates is a luxury event space in Conroe, TX that specializes in hosting wedding celebrations. For those of you who are engaged and searching for your dream wedding venue near the Houston area, we would be happy to show you around our venue. To check out our online booking calendar, click the link HERE.
Photos on the thumbnail courtesy of Victoria Alaniz Photos.
Plan Accordingly
Considering our venue is located in Conroe, we’re well aware of the fact that Texas summers can get a little warm. However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid the summer months altogether either when planning your wedding! As you’ll likely see many times throughout our prior blog posts, we always emphasize the importance of wedding “planning.” Whether that be in regards to making sure you hire all of the needed vendors or having a timeline for the actual wedding day, it’s always worth it to have a well thought out plan!
Even with the potential for sweltering heat, there are ways to plan around it. First off, consider what time you’ll have the ceremony. As you can probably guess, an early afternoon outdoor wedding ceremony will likely feel a little different than an early evening one. If you time it right, you may be able to get the ceremony to align with the sun setting, which will undoubtedly make for some amazing photos! Secondly, when browsing potential venues, make sure to inquire about your options for each part of the wedding day. If you have an outdoor ceremony, can you hold the reception in an indoor space? This could be a logical set-up if you’re worried about guests being in the summer heat for too long.
Greater Attendance Numbers
There are so many important components to keep in mind when planning your wedding day, right? And wouldn’t you agree that your guests are a critical part of it as well? After all, these are your loved ones that’ll be joining you in celebrating this special day! As such, many engaged couples take into consideration whether or not a particular date or time of the year might prevent certain guests from attending. Luckily, one theme we’ve seen amongst summer weddings is the fact that there’s generally greater attendance numbers. Especially if you have guests from out of town, it’s usually a tad bit easier to get time off work in the summer months, as well as the kids already being out of school for summer break. Long story short, it’s always a plus to receive an RSVP “yes” from the majority of the people on your invitation list, so if the season impacts that happening, it’s worth taking into consideration!
Decor That Pops
No matter what the season may be for a wedding, it’s safe to say decor will be a topic that finds its way onto your to-do list at one time or another. Flowers and floral arrangements, aisle decorations, wedding favors, table numbers, the list goes on. To be honest, we could probably fill an entire blog post with a comprehensive wedding decor checklist! However, for the sake of this blog post, we can confidently say that summer wedding decor is always a hit. For starters, bright color palettes never miss on a summer wedding. Pink, orange, yellow and so on are all popular possibilities! Another trendy decor idea for outdoor summer weddings is to have custom hand fans on the seats for your guests to cool down before the ceremony begins. The final one we’ll touch on are the beautiful floral arrangements available during the summer months. With so many flowers in bloom, your talented florist will have no trouble coming up with something amazing! Hydrangeas, lilies and peonies are a few worth considering.
Get Creative
While there are definitely plenty of traditional elements in the wedding industry that’ve been passed down for decades, it’s also true that more and more couples are adding their own modern twist to the special event. Think of items like first looks or having a dessert other than wedding cake as possible ones that have grown in popularity. Since we’ve been talking about summer weddings though, I wanted to feature a few different examples of ways in which couples can get even more creative for their summer nuptials.
Let’s talk about the dress attire first for your bridal party. While black tuxedos were once the status quo, they’re by no means a requirement. For a summer soiree, consider going with a lighter colored suit. Another possibility would be to incorporate some type of lawn games (like cornhole). Particularly if you’re planning on having a cocktail hour in-between the ceremony and reception, this can be the perfect way to keep guests entertained while you’re off snapping photos! Before we wrap this last section up, a final way in which you can let your creative juices flow is tied to the realization that you’ll have plenty of time to work with. Even if your reception will be held inside, once the sun goes down, you can easily head back outdoors and literally dance the night away. With the sun down, you won’t have to worry about it being scorching hot and you can even have a final surprise for everyone. Maybe a late-night snack (any Whataburger fans out there?), the always-popular sparkler send-off or even a full firework display?!
Still Need a Venue?
What do you think? Are you considering possibly having a summer wedding for your big day? If so, as evidenced throughout this blog, there are certainly plenty of benefits to doing so! Not long after you have a date (or at least the season) locked in for your wedding, it’ll be time to start touring local wedding venues and ultimately decide which one makes the most sense for you and your fiance. As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, our venue is located in Conroe, TX, which is just north of Houston and The Woodlands. Our team of wedding professionals are here to learn more about what you have envisioned for your wedding day and ultimately ready to help turn that vision into a reality. If you’re interested in taking a free tour of the venue, don’t hesitate to click HERE to check out our online booking calendar. In addition, if you’re on the lookout for some wedding day inspiration, take a peek at our Instagram or Facebook pages for photos and videos from past weddings at Madera.