The temps might be high, but that doesn’t mean you can’t turn up the heat on your summer wedding with these trendy wedding ideas. Whether you’re a beach babe, Boho princess, tropical darling, or boating Betty we have the perfect wedding themes for summer!
Beach Bliss
What better wedding venue than the beach? There’s nothing new about this popular wedding theme, but add some unique decor, menu items, and entertainment to really make it your own.
🐚 Decor: Go green! Rather than leaning into the blues of the sky and ocean, use a deep green color palette to decorate and contrast those beautiful pure colors for this outdoor wedding. And, of course, keep it natural. Use what mother nature gave you, like seashells, coral, sand, and tropical greenery to create a stunning beach wedding.
🍊 Menu: You probably know what we’re going to say here. Citrus and seafood is the perfect menu for a beach wedding! Oysters, seafood bars, shrimp cocktails, and sushi are all incredible options. Keep it stunning but simple with a glass and silver display, citrus salad, and signature citrusy cocktail.
🧜♀️ Entertainment: There are a ton of fun options for beach-themed weddings. Hire live mermaids to greet your guests, book a steel drum band to play at your reception, or have fire dancers heat up your reception once the sun goes down. No matter what type of beach entertainment you choose, the added touch will have your guests talking about your wedding for the rest of the year!
Surfs Up
Take a deep dive into summer with this idea! If you love retro everything, art deco vibes, and beach hangs, this is the vintage wedding theme for you. Hang loose and invite all your dudes and dudettes to your retro surf-themed wedding!
🏄♀️ Decor: We’re thinking Beach Blanket Bingo (Google it) vibes with high-waisted swimsuits, platform sandals, cat eye sunglasses, and bright and bold everything. Retro glass and dinnerware, bright colors, and geometric designs are the way to go. Keep the same thoughts in mind for seating and table decorations.
Surfboards — particularly vintage surfboards — should definitely be involved in the decor. Whether you use one as a guest book, dessert table, or even to create an altar for your vows, it will add the perfect retro touch to your wedding day.
🍭 Menu: Have fun and play around with your retro surf-themed menu. Brown cow milkshakes, Coke in glass bottles, and a bright candy buffet are perfect vintage snacks. You might even consider hiring an ice cream or food truck for some extra nostalgia.
✨ Entertainment: Have your guests be bopping by hiring a doo-wop group or Beatles tribute band to play some on-theme tunes. Looking to add to the retro aesthetic? Hire 1960s era entertainment like a dance troupe or an Elvis impersonator!
Tropical Twist
Bring the destination wedding to you with a tropical theme! Picture lots of greenery, bright exotic flowers, and a touch of animal print for the perfect exotic nuptials.
🌺 Decor: There is no such thing as too much greenery or flowers for this theme. Take the opportunity to go overboard with floral arrangements. Giant floral centerpieces, over-the-top photo backdrops, and wicker everything will take a tropical-themed wedding to the next level, and throw in some animal print if you’re feeling wild!
🥝 Menu: Tropical fruit and tacos are ideal for this themed menu. Use real coconuts to create bowls for tropical fruit, and serve mini taco appetizers to accentuate your aesthetic. A tropical wedding is also an excellent opportunity to get playful with your wedding cake! Consider unique flavors like piña colada, caramelized banana with passionfruit, or carrot with orange blossom.
💃 Entertainment: Add some spice to this modern wedding theme by hiring hula or belly dancers to perform and entertain the guests at the reception. Or truly embrace those island vibes by hiring a Caribbean band to ensure your guests feel like they’re in a tropical paradise.
Nautical Nuptials
Do you or your first mate have a love for boating? If so, this classic wedding theme may be perfect for your summer wedding. Use plenty of tying-the-knot puns, sailboat and anchor decor, and a little bit of Southern charm to create a seriously stunning nautical soiree!
⚓ Decor: Navy blue, unique knots, lighthouses, lanterns, and anchors are great for nautical wedding decorations. Not only do they fit the theme perfectly, but they make for great marriage metaphors.
We love the idea of combining dark navy, gold, and rich wood. It doesn’t get much more classic than that. Don’t forget to add extra nautical touches with small details like ship wheel napkin rings, rope place card holders, or both!
🍤 Menu: Oysters, lobster, and shrimp, oh my! A classic version of fresh seafood is the ideal menu for a theme that revolves around boats. Creative displays will add a unique twist to a timeless menu. And, of course, a custom cocktail to top the night off. Hire waitstaff and bartenders to ensure meal time runs smoothly and drinks stay full.
⛵ Entertainment: Entertain the guests to your ceremony and reception with the beautiful melodies of a harp or string trio. Then send them home with the favor they can treasure with artwork by a caricaturist or silhouette artist. Ask the artists to draw everyone as sailors to further accent your theme!
Boho Blast
Summer is the season of freedom and feeling carefree, so it’s perfect for a Bohemian-themed wedding. If you’re someone with an artsy flair who loves to dance to the beat of your own drum, this might be the alternative wedding theme for you.
🎨 Decor: Lace, bold colors, and mismatched everything is the vibe for this theme. If there was ever a time to flex your thrifting muscles, this is it. Create an aisle out of different candles and plants, find mismatched vases and flower pots for hanging installations and table centerpieces, and use unique area rugs as a dance floor for the perfect Boho aesthetic.
🍥 Menu: Make your wedding menu as unique as you by stepping out of the box with your food options. Instead of a sit-down dinner reception, have a pizza buffet or soft pretzel station. And try hanging sweets baskets for a quirky alternative to the traditional dessert table.
🧙♂️ Entertainment: Hire performers that go with your carefree personality! A folk or country band would provide the perfect ambiance for your big day. Or if you want to add a little mystery to your wedding reception, consider booking a strolling magician or an aerialist to entrance your guests.
Summer is such a fun time to have a wedding and celebrate your commitment to your bestie. We hope these wedding theme ideas help inspire and excite you when it comes to planning the best day of your life! 💙
Book something awesome for your summer wedding! Find the best musicians, performers, and event services on GigSalad.
Sonia is a Customer Happiness Agent at GigSalad and uses the knowledge she’s gained from helping both the vendor and client through the booking process to give her best event planning advice. When she’s not at work she enjoys the outdoors, a good book, trying new recipes, and spending quality time with her husband and their furbabies.