summer brides

Ideas for a Summer Wedding

ATTIRE

Weave strings of pearls into your hair
Pearl or Crystal tiara
CAKE
Have your baker create a wave effect with blue curved icing
Have shells decorate your cake (your baker can make realistic ones)
Have a white or ivory frosted cake decorated with colored sugar to simulate sand. Decorate with sugar or chocolate seashells
Use a glass cake top shaped into something that matches your theme (dolphins, mermaid, etc)
Have your baker make the top layer of the cake in the shape of a shell and decorate the entire thing with chocolate in the shape of various shells.
CENTERPIECES
Filling a hurricane or glass globe with sand and shells than insert a candle votive within the center. Tie with coordinating ribbon
Decorate large and small pillar candles with small sea shells (just press the shells into the candles). Pour some sand on a mirrored tile, then place one large pillar candle in the center and surround it with smaller pillars of varying sizes. You can also tie all the candles together with some raffia ribbon. Place some small pieces of driftwood and/or larger seashells, dried starfish, etc. around the candles.
Fill large jars with sand; place shells, etc. inside then close with a cork. Decorate with ribbon.
Fill terra cotta pots filled with sand and push several taper candles in at uneven heights. Decorate the candles with small sea shells
Fill a large clear bowl with water. Place sand on the bottom, and place shells, etc. on the bottom. Add floating candles and/or some flower blossoms to float on the top.
Large conch shells with flowers coming out of them (cornucopia-like)
Place a large piece of driftwood on a mirrored tile; place some sand on the mirror and arrange small candles around the driftwood.
Fishbowls with sand and shells in the bottom with floating gardenias (perfect for a day wedding!)
COLORS
Blues
Greens
Silver
Creams
Apricots
Warm shades of yellow
FAVORS
Decorative soaps (seashells, seahorses, etc.)
Chocolate shapes (shells, etc) wrapped in tulle or small gift boxes
Half coconut shell filled with sand and then place a votive in each one
Fill a half coconut shell with candle wax
Filled a white sea shell with candies and a white and dark chocolate. Wrap with white tulle and a color coordinated ribbon.
Candles made from scallop shell halves
Bubbles tied with raffia ribbon with small shells glued onto them.
FLOWERS
Yellow and cream roses
Flowers in shades of blue; use silver accents
MENU IDEAS
Lobster boil buffet
Seafood buffet (shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.)
Offer a seafood plated dinner
Offer a buffet with at least one or two seafood choices
Crab and lobster stuffed mushroom appetizers
Shrimp cocktail appetizers
Plated surf and turf meal.
RECEPTION DECORATIONS
Make place cards by making cookies into sea shapes (starfish, fish, shells) and write each guests names on them icing (also great favor idea!)
Another placecard idea: cut blue posterboard into sea shapes (starfish, fish, shells). Write on them using a silver pen.
Yet another placecard idea: use large actual seashells that you either found or purchased. Print the guests' name on a clear label and attach to the shell.
Hang swags of blue/green/silver iridescent materials around the walls or pillars, then decorate with small silver sea creatures and shells.
Use sea shells and shiny pebbles in floral decorations
Name the guests tables after sea creatures (or something that relates to your theme)
OTHER IDEAS
Have your guests blow bubbles during your first dance
Name your tables after famous beaches
Book a boat for the ceremony and/or the reception