Angela Tucker Photography, Willow Floral Boutique, Whitehead Manor
Summertime is home to many of our favorite things: beach days, colorful sunsets, family vacations, and dinner parties enjoyed around a beautiful table. As if summer couldn’t possibly make us any happier, there are warm weather weddings!
Summer nights around the dinner table are full of memories - sharing stories, laughs, and even reconnecting with old friends. Next to your ceremony design, we believe most of the decor/floral budget should go into creating a memorable table design for your day, because of the impact it has on your overall reception.
Here are our suggestions for infusing some summertime warmth into your table scapes:
The Effortless Look
To achieve the effortless look, picture how you would set your table at home for a nice dinner. A few candles, a nice runner, and a personal touch go a long way. The key here is not to overthink it - quality over quantity is what we always say. We suggest choosing a few pieces you really love and care about to let your design speak for itself.
Florals From The Garden
Morgan Amanda Photography, Weddings with Barbara
Nothing says summertime like a fresh floral arrangement picked straight from the backyard. While flowers are usually a tabletop necessity, the specific design appearance is up to the couple. With a simple tabletop, there’s more room to let your imagination (and your flowers) run wild. Overgrown floral runners, colorful bud vases, and tall spilling arrangements all create a garden-like atmosphere perfect for summer dining.
Colored Glasses
It might just be me, but I’m convinced fun, colorful glasses make everything taste better. If you’re dying to include a fun pop of color on your table, colored glasses are the way to go. Choose between textured tumblers, vintage stemware, or a variation of colors and sizes. Much like stained glass, colored glasses reflect the sunlight beautifully, casting soft shadows on your table for a rainbow effect.
Textures
Designing the ultimate summer table is almost like a balancing act. When one element stands out, the layer underneath it should let it shine (and so on and so forth). Consider layering different textures pulled from your design elements for added interest. The table linen, napkins, chargers, plates, menus, place cards, and glasses are all opportunities for a little texture. Whether your design features linen, lace, or satin touches, these should tie into your table for a cohesive look.
Comfy Seating
Morgan Amanda Photography, Weddings with Barbara, Party Reflections
If you’re getting married in the thick of summer, chances are you’ve considered cool-down options for your guests - but what about preventative solutions? When dining outdoors, comfy seating is essential. While metal chairs might not be the best option for guests, cushioned fabric seats will keep your guests comfy and cool. When possible, we’d recommend choosing light colors over dark to help reflect the sunlight off of your guests’ seats.
Something Fresh
A popular table trend has couples choosing fresh fruits, nuts, and herbs to create an authentic dining experience. Fresh fruit not only looks beautiful, but allows guests an extra treat to snack on throughout the evening. The various shades of fruit ensure there’s an arrangement for every design.
Rustic & Understated - pears, figs, blueberries, and blackberries
Colorful & Bright - watermelon, grapefruit, cherries, and oranges
Elegant & Moody - grapes, peaches, and pomegranates
Color Palette
Besides using lighter fabrics for your tables, another way to beat the summer heat is to use lighter colors. Lighter and brighter shades give the illusion of a cooler temperature to the eye, perfect for a warm summer night. Cool tones of blue, white, green, pink, peach, yellow and lavender have a soothing effect and are best incorporated in summer linens. This provides the opportunity to layer darker colors in smaller doses to balance out the warmth of your table.
A Personal Touch
Kristen Privette Photography, Olive Paper, Ribald Events
A personally curated table would not be complete without a custom touch from its creator. Before scrolling through the endless ideas out there, start your decision process by thinking about a sentiment that speaks to your love story. If there’s a specific memory or item that speaks to your relationship, consider incorporating that into your table design. Maybe that means marking every table with a travel location you’ve visited together, instead of traditional numbers, or including framed photos of your shared puppy as part of your centerpieces. These personal touches will stand out on your table, furthering the ideal that quality is better than quantity.