Seasonal Weddings
Sometimes planning is so much easier if you just work with what you've got. If you are having a summer wedding then work your wedding theme and colors around that central motif to tie everything together. The same goes for fall, winter, and spring. This guide will demystify the how-to's of planning a seasonal affair.
Spring
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Flowers and Decorations
Spring flowers include tulips,  daffodils, irises, and daisies. Pair pretty pastel or brightly colored flowers with delicate lace, chiffon, or tulle. And, don't forget the votives.
Give tables a kick with decorative runners or sassy placemats and napkins. Florals, gingham, stripes, and polka dots are all fun and flirty for spring.
Garden motifs, complete with topiaries and tea are perfect fits. |
Food and Drink
The weather is just starting to warm up, offering the ideal time to serve up your favorite dishes from filet mignon to fresh fish and shell fish, chicken and spring lamb.
Vegetables perfect for spring are asparagus, endives, peas, salad greens, and spring artichokes. Corn is especially good for late spring and early summer.
Fruits are plentiful in spring time, such as rhubarb, pineapple, strawberries, mango, and apricots. |
The Cake
Fluffy, light, sweet cakes are perfect for spring. They can be decorated with pale pastels, or with bright floral touches.
Use fruits and berries to embellish the cake as well as any flowers you wish to use.
Avoid heavy cakes that use ganache or chocolate and opt for toppings like whipped cream or fondant. |
Favors and Welcome Baskets
Fun garden motifs and floral favors are perfect gifts to grace your guests with at a spring wedding. |
- Inspiration
- The buds and sprouts that are breaking out of the cold ground.
- The first flowers and splashes of color.
- Singing birds and the gentle warmth from the sun.
- Lighthearted whimsy, romance, and youth.
- Colors
- White or Cream
- Rose, Light Pink
- Pale Yellow
- Mint
- Lavender, Periwinkle, Sky Blue
Summer
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Wedding Flowers and Wedding Reception Decorations
Summer weddings have one big advantage, and that is that there are hundreds of flowers in season to choose from. Simply check with your florist about what is available in your area.
Keep the decorations light and breezy, using materials such as wicker or glass. Use plenty of candles for the evening, possibly even paper lanterns, tiki torches, or floating candles.
Fresh citrus fruits and decorative grass makes for great centerpieces as do items borrowed from the sea. |
Food and Drink
Since it's usually quite hot throughout the summer, cool guests off with thirst quenching drinks like lemonade, iced tea, mojitos, chilled white wine, and light summer ales.
The food should also reflect the season, remaining light and easy to digest. Avoid heavy creams or meat dishes and go for white meats or seafood.
Veggies to integrate into the menu include tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, snap peas, peppers, squash, and Swiss chard. Also use fresh fruit to your advantage. |
The Cake
Beware of creating a cake that can melt or go bad in the heat! Things to avoid are ganache, chocolate, buttercream, and whipped cream -- unless the cake is kept cool until serving. But then, what's the fun in that if you can't have it displayed for everyone to see?
Choose flavors for your cake that are light, tart, fresh, and fruity instead of those that will be either too rich or too sweet. Make use of berries and cream and refreshing gelato or sorbet as secondary desserts. |
Wedding Favors and Welcome Baskets
Give your guests something personalized and seasonal, and your gifts will be a hit. |
- Inspiration
- Fun in the sun at the beach or on the water.
- Long and lazy days.
- Warm summer nights.
- Lush greenery, golden sunshine, and bright tropical colors.
- Colors
- Bright White or Sand
- Fuschia, Magenta, Violet
- Daffodil
- Royal Blue
- Tiffany Blue with Mocha Accents
Autumn
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Wedding Flowers and Wedding Reception Decorations
Cornucopias, gourds, pumpkins, ornamental corn, or country-themed items will play out nicely with an autumn wedding theme. Consider using these items to create tasteful centerpieces paired with wild flowers, dried flowers, wheat, berries, and even feathers. Grape clusters, vines, and leaves are other good decorations.
Flowers suitable for fall are mums, roses, daisies, calla lilies, Asiatic lilies, and yarrow.
Bales of hay make great benches, but drape them with a table cloth so people don't get covered in pieces of grass! |
Food and Drink
Think hearty foods that will warm the belly. Some seasonal veggies to consider are: winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, leeks, artichokes, kale, garlic, and broccoli rabe.
Certainly don't forget about roast turkey and ham.
As for drinks, mulled wine or apple cider (with spiced rum, if you like) are excellent fall choices. However, don't forget about the large assortment of young wines and hearty ales that can be paired so well with fall foods. |
The Cake
There are no specifically "fall-style" wedding cakes. However, if you want to add a touch of autumn to the main dessert, think spiced carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Also consider maple, ginger, or cranberry as potential flavors. Ask your baker if yoyu can have colorful autumn leaves as a motif on your cake.
Or, go for chocolate -- something that can be too heavy for spring or summer.
Besides a beautiful cake, other desserts include pumpkin pie, pecan or walnut pie, and apple pie. |
Wedding Favors and Welcome Baskets
Here are some items that you could use as favors or for creating welcome baskets. |
- Inspiration
- Changing leaves in rich oranges, yellows, and browns, with bright blue October skies above.
- The crisp, fresh air and the earthy smell that comes with the light rains and winds.
- Acorns, harvest time, and cornucopias.
- It's a perfect time to visit wine country for a destination wedding, preferably during September and October. Staying close to home? Simply use wine and vineyards as a theme.
- Colors -- Rich Jewel Tones
- Ivory, Beige, Taupe
- Burnt Orange, Bronze, Marigold, Rust, Brown
- Mauve, Crimson, Violet
- Evergreen, Sage
- Gem-inspired tones such as garnet, amythest, and sapphire.
Winter
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Wedding Flowers and Wedding Reception Decorations
Poinsettias are a winter classic if you are marrying around the holidays, but you can mix it up with white instead of red if you prefer. Traditional wedding flowers, such as amaryllis, and lilies with a twist of berries, holly, pine cones, and sprigs of evergreens are also recommended for creating centerpieces. Don't forget about wreaths.
Instead of plain linens, spruce them up with rich materials such as velvet. |
Food and Drink
The food and drink should be rich, hearty, and hot. Red meat with leafy greens, tubers, chestnuts, and artichokes are some options.
You might even consider integrating some exotic winter fruits into the menu, such as pomegranate, kumquats, kiwis, persimmons, and passion fruit.
As for the drinks, hot cocoa, egg nog, full-bodied wines, and rich beers. Don't forget the champagne for a New Year's Eve wedding bash! |
The Cake
White is perfect if you want to create an icy theme. Blue and gray also work. Decorate the cake with icicles, snowflakes, silver dragees, or sugar creations. A pair of your favorite Christmas tree ornaments could make a great cake topper
However, if warm and cozy is more your style, think deep jewel tones for the icing and chocolate or other rich flavors for the center. Raspberry, mint, mocha, and coffee are some that might suit you. |
Wedding Favors and Welcome Baskets
There are typical themes associated with winter weddings. Here are just a few ideas to get you started: |
- Inspiration
- Crackling fire places juxtaposed with the icy winds outdoors.
- Soft snow falling quietly and peacefully.
- Skiing, sledding, and building snowmen.
- Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve revelry, peace on earth.
- Colors
- Ivory, Silver, Gold, Champagne, Black
- Hunter Green, Deep Forest Green
- Burgundy, Wine, Berry Colors, Mauve
- Cobalt Blue
- Chocolate
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