The Perfect Food for a Summer Wedding

1. “I love a cooling prosecco with popsicle infusions -you can even try your own infusion popsicle! Can you say margarita?!” - Michelle’s Catering

2. “Try offering individual frozen “pouch drinks.” They’re easy to make ahead and guests serve themselves from your ice bucket...just grab your straw!” - Michelle’s Catering

3. “Never underestimate the powerof cool hors d’oeuvres! Fruit kebobs are colorful and refreshing, watermelon skewers with feta and mint are always a hit, and we love serving frozen orange juice with breakfast items like waffles and chicken.” - Michelle’s Catering

4. “A summer wedding would not be complete without the chic Boozie Bluebell. Refreshing rosé, bubbly prosecco, and a lavender-vodka lemonade are a perfect addition for the summer!” - Katie Arbogast Stubbs, Boozie Bluebell

5. “Summer weddings and celebrations bring all the best fresh seasonal cuisine. Some of our must-haves for the perfect summer wedding menu definitely start with wild fish like ahi, salmon, or barramundi. Consider tray passing fresh ahi, either poke style or on a mini tostada. We love pairing tropical fruits like mango with our ahi dishes too. Also, tomatoes are incredibly delicious during the summer months, so an heirloom tomato and burrata salad is a great first course that will really wow the guests. Lastly,summertime time means grilling in my book. Grilled flat iron steaks or filet mignon paired with chimichurri... delicious!” -Sarah Kuhlberg, Creative Director, Colette’s Catering

6. “You want your menu to uphold the vibe and aesthetic of the evening first and foremost. Pizza, while delicious, doesn't necessarily make sense for a black tie affair as your main entree. Whatever you decide to serve, ensure that catering is on board to wow your guests with the plating style.” -Ashley Lachney, Owner of Alston Mayger Events

7. “For summer wedding food ideas, be sure to keep the weather in mind for your guests and what people typically crave when it's hot outside! Guests tend to gravitate towards refreshing and lighter foods like fruit, or cheese and crackers versus big sliders or heavy foods. Pick refreshing foods or drinks like summer lemonades or fun summer cocktail. It cools people down and let's be honest, who doesn't love a refreshing bite or drink during the summer time heat!” -Kari Dirksen -CEO + Lead Planner, Feathered Arrow Events

8. “The name of the game at any wedding is to keep guests comfortable and ensure they have a wonderful experience. A summertime wedding gives many opportunities to keep guests comfortable, mostly having to do with keeping them cool. There are many ways to do that, from proving shade to having fans or spray bottles available, to my favorite...cooling them down with food! Think boozy popsicles or ice pops, ice cream carts or even compresses soaked in cucumber water! The options are endless and will certainly make for a memorable event.” -Nora Sheils, Founder Bridal Bliss, Co-Founder Rock Paper Coin

9. “This strawberry mojito was the perfect refresher for this summer wedding day by the sea!” -Jamie & Stephanie, Cape Cod Celebrations

10.“Ice cream! Surprise your guests with an ice cream truck at the end of the night! It will cool them down from all of that dancing and send them home with a sweet treat!” -Jamie & Stephanie, Cape Cod Celebrations

11. “Stone fruit season falls within summertime which is perfect because who doesn’t love a refreshing peach or nectarine on a hot day!?! There are so many ways to implement summertime stone fruits into your drinks, appetizers, entrees, and even your desserts! You can offer a grilled peach and burrata crostini as an appetizer or you can implement stone fruits into your refreshing cocktails with a bourbon peach smash or for dessert make a fruit cobbler utilizing your favorite stone fruits. If you are tray passing hors d'oeuvres, a bite sizes crostini is perfect or you can do a melon prosciutto skewer!” -Sterling Social

12. “The words BBQ and Summer go hand and hand so get creative with your BBQ station and grill set-up. Offering classic BBQ dishes at your wedding is a fun way for guests to really feel the summertime vibe! Other summer-inspired entrees could be a couscous dish with watermelon and feta, farro salad with arugula, radishes, and goat cheese, or a pasta salad! If it's really hot out, offer ice cream or have a frozen dessert truck show up late to help cool off all of your guests!” -Sterling Social