Let The Sun Shine On Your Summer Wedding
Summer is the favourite time to get married, and when you walk among sweet-scented formal gardens or across sun-warmed parkland, it’s easy to see why so many couples choose a summer wedding.
Ceremonies, celebrations, and champagne receptions spill out into lawns and terraces, where features such as walled gardens and traditional bandstands create refined romantic settings for your wedding day.
Warm days and evenings offer the opportunity for extra details, such as croquet, firework displays and al fresco music.
Planning Your
Country House Wedding
Wedding venues with outdoor spaces are perfect for summer celebrations.
The Advantages of a Summer Wedding
Why do we love a summer wedding filled with vibrant florals and joyful nuptials? Here are just some of the reasons why our couples choose June, July or August for their celebrations.
- You can hold the ceremony and/or the reception and party outside in a chic garden setting. As well as providing a romantic backdrop for your wedding, there’s more space when you can bring the outside into the celebrations
- The evening do can also be held outdoors, giving you lots of fun options from barbecues to firework displays
- Your wedding photographs will be absolutely perfect
- The summer wedding aesthetic is lovely and naturally romantic. Think floaty fabrics, flower crowns, and floral colour schemes to enhance your wedding season aesthetic.
- Have fun with games outside. Try croquet, chess, jenga or mini golf. If you have young children among your guests, they’ll love this access to the great outdoors
- Speaking of children, it’s easier for guests with children to attend during the summer holidays
- If you want to honeymoon in this country or Northern Europe the weather will be much better in the summer!
How Does the Season Influence Summer Wedding Themes?
Bring the summertime flowers and lovely light into your theme. Summer weddings are associated with flowers from blossom arches to dramatic tropical displays. You can use your favourite summer blooms as the starting point of your theme, whether you love classic roses or happy sunflowers.
Tropical themes are popular in the summer (a cocktail bar and live music add to this vibe) as are boho festival weddings. If your wedding is near the coast (like our own St Audries Park in Somerset), a marine or maritime theme works well in the summer.
What Unique Opportunities Does Summer Offer for Outdoor Weddings?
The main attraction of a summer wedding is the opportunity to use your venue’s gardens or grounds as a beautiful backdrop for your nuptials. This can be for anything from champagne on the terrace to the actual marriage ceremony. There are other benefits to a warm-weather wedding. Here are just a few summer wedding ideas…
- Warm summer evenings are perfect if you fancy a festival-style wedding with live music, food and drinks stalls, and fire pits in the evening. Create a relaxed and happy atmosphere with guests strolling among the stalls
- The summer is an excellent time for larger weddings because as well as being able to adapt the seating for the service, you’ll have all that extra break-out space for mingling and different activities
- You can go to town with your theme and decor without the constraints of the building
- Catering can be more relaxed, and if you’re not the sit-down meal type of couple, you can come up with something far more personal. Think barbecue, picnic, food stalls, outdoor bars, ice cream carts, hog roasts…
- If children and/or dogs are to be involved with the celebrations, outdoors is undoubtedly better!
What Types of Venues Are Ideal for Summer Weddings?
- Country houses with large outdoor areas, which can accommodate the service and all the celebrations
- All-inclusive venues mean there’s no hot and hurried journey between locations
- Rural and coastal locations are lovely in the summertime and tend to be fresher than hot towns and cities
- Think airy and shaded as well as light and sunny – you want to be comfortable
- Easy to get to: nobody wants to spend hours stuck in summer traffic or on country lanes
How Do Weather Conditions Affect Venue Choice?
This is Britain, so when we’re planning a summer wedding, we always have one eye on the weather forecast! Never choose a venue that doesn’t have both outdoor and indoor options. Summer rain storms or too-hot days mean you might have to have an eleventh-hour change of plans: can your chosen venue accommodate this?
It’s also worth checking that your rural idyll won’t become a soggy quagmire after a day’s heavy rainfall. Always check what the carpark and driveway surfaces are made from.
What Should You Look For in Terms of Amenities and Accommodation?
- A choice of indoor and outdoor spaces that are the right size for your guest list
- A good selection of catering options with opportunities for extras
- All-inclusive wedding packages for seamless celebrations
- Related to this, always ask if you’ll have a dedicated wedding manager or planner to act as your key contact
- What vendors (cake bakers, florists, DJs, photographers, etc.) are available in the area, and does the venue have a recommended list?
- On-site (or nearby) accommodation for everyone who needs it, ideally with a choice of room types (such as family suites) and budgets
What Precautions Should You Take Regarding Heat and Hydration?
Provide plenty of water and other soft drinks, and make sure there are plenty of cool and shady spaces. Work with the sun, so don’t have the ceremony on an exposed lawn at midday. Have a station with summer essentials for guests, such as sunblock, bug spray, and pocket squares. Providing fans is another thoughtful way of keeping your guests cool.
How Can You Prepare for Unexpected Weather Changes?
Always speak with the venue about their wet-weather options. A sudden summer storm could scupper your outdoor ceremony, so find out whether the venue offers a Plan B, and ask how quickly this can be put into action.
What Are Some Tips for Keeping Guests Comfortable During the Ceremony?
- A bespoke (filled) water bottle on each seat (another nice gift idea)
- Ditto with a traditional fan
- Access to iced water on tables or carts around the room or seating area
- Shade outdoors and airflow indoors
- Cool chairs – a dark-coloured outdoor seat will soak up the heat
If you have real concerns about the heat, opt for a twilight wedding instead. With both the ceremony and celebrations taking place in the evening, you’ll miss the heat of the day while making the most of the pleasantly warm summer night.
How Can You Incorporate Live Music or DJs to Enhance the Summer Vibe?
- Giant outdoor games, like chess, Jenga or four in a row
- Croquet on the lawn (with a Pimm’s, naturally)
- Crazy or mini golf
- Garden treasure hunts for kids
- Firework displays or an outdoor show (music, magic or dance)
How Can You Incorporate Live Music or DJs to Enhance the Summer Vibe?
- Outdoor sunset disco or music set, just like at a festival
- Silent disco
- Sundown acoustic music or open mic session, with a campfire or barbecue
- Add food and drink stalls for a relaxed vibe
- Finish with a music and fireworks display
What Are Some Creative Ideas for Summer-Themed Wedding Favours?
- Mini succulents in little pots
- Chocolate can melt, so try traditional sugared treats instead
- Luxury soaps, beautifully wrapped
- Bespoke drinks bottles, mugs or glasses
- Dried lavender posies or sachets
- Summer-scented candles
- A locally produced food or drink, such as honey, preserves, biscuits or cider/apple juice
Find your summer venue
There are so many reasons to get married in the summer, not least the sunnier skies, lush green landscape and beautiful blooms. The ability to spill out into the garden or grounds gives you room for many more guests, or you can choose a smaller outside space for an intimate wedding.
St Audries Park
A Quintessential Country Estate
This 19th-century coastal manor house & orangery makes for the perfect destination venue, set in its own deer park among the beautiful Quantock Hills.
Clearwell Castle
A Fairytale Castle in Gloucestershire.
Complete with grand reception rooms & 75ft aisle, this fortified Manor House is one of the most romantic wedding venues in England.
Leez Priory
A magical Tudor Manor & Barn
This stunningly historic venue has a wealth of options for your ceremony & reception, including the original Great Tower and the rustic Coach House Barn.
Gosfield Hall
A grand Stately Home fit for Royalty
This graceful Georgian manor was once a Royal Palace. Choose from a series of grand and ornately decorated ceremony & reception spaces, including the Marquis of Buckingham’s former ballroom.
Holmewood Hall
A delightful Tudor-style Country Manor
Set in lush, green gardens, Holmewood Hall is an idyllic location. Couples can tie the knot in the opulent Gold Room or have a charming al fresco ceremony in the traditional Bandstand.
Bourton Hall
A striking Italianate Manor House & Chapel
Italianate architecture and lovely country views combine to create a memorable wedding venue. Couples can choose to marry in a former Catholic Chapel, a truly special setting.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Why choose a summer wedding?
Summer is a beautiful time of year to get married, and thanks to the warmer weather, you have more outdoor options for both the ceremony and the celebrations. It’s often easier for guests to take the time off during the summer, and with more space at the venue, you can invite more people.
What are the benefits of an outdoor summer wedding?
There is something wonderfully romantic about getting married in a garden or woodland setting. As well as providing a lovely backdrop, the outdoor option gives you more room for guests and a lot more break-out space for mingling. You can have anything from champagne on the terrace to a festival-style party, and your wedding album will certainly be stunning.
How can I keep the bridal party comfortable during a summer wedding?
Make sure plenty of cold drinks are available, and avoid long periods of standing outdoors without shade. Cold water spritzers, fans, sunblock and insect repellent can also help, and choose lightweight and breathable fabrics.
What should be considered when choosing a summer wedding venue?
Choose somewhere that makes the most of the summer wedding with plenty of outdoor space. Look out for outdoor ceremony and catering options, but always ask what the wet-weather alternatives would be.
What are some ideas for a summer wedding menu?
Keep it light with salads, charcuterie, cold meats and fish. Sushi is fun, as are Mediterranean tapas-style dishes. Barbecues are a great way to bring the catering outdoors – and if you have the option, lay on ice cream, prosecco and chilled cocktail carts.
What are suitable entertainment options for a summer wedding?
Outdoor music, silent discos on the lawn, giant board games, firework displays, festival stalls, bouncy castles for the kids… the options are endless, given good weather and ample outdoor space.
What precautions should be taken for heat and unexpected weather?
Always have shaded and sheltered areas to protect you from the heat or rain. Ensure there’s a workable (and equally lovely) indoor alternative if the weather suddenly changes. Keep guests hydrated on a hot day with plenty of cool drinks (of the non-alcoholic variety) and supply things like sunblock in case people haven’t brought their own.
How can I keep guests comfortable during a summer wedding ceremony?
Regency-style fans on the chairs and bespoke bottles of chilled water are elegant ways to keep everyone cool during the service. If it’s indoors, ensure the space is ventilated and airy, and provide shade if you’re outdoors.
Other
Wedding Seasons
From the blossoming blooms of spring to the golden glow of summer evenings, the season you marry in will enhance your wedding memories and photography.
Our venues offer an idyllic backdrop throughout the year, with indoor and outdoor ceremony options, so you can have your dream wedding during any season.
