3 Expert Tips for a Stylish Summer Wedding from a West Coast Luxury Planner
At Mandy Marie Events, we believe that a wedding should feel elevated, intentional, and experiential—no matter the season. Whether you’re planning along the Southern California coast, Napa wine country, the cliffs of Big Sur, or the Redwoods Forest in northern California, summer invites golden light and soaring temperatures.
For couples planning a celebration in the height of summer temperatures, we prioritize thoughtful design choices that ensure your guests’ comfort without compromising aesthetics.
Here are our top three summer wedding design strategies that hold up under the heat:
Photo By: Kurt Boomer
Create Stylish Shade with Modern Tent Alternatives
The typical white tent can make a space feel boxed in and claustrophobic; instead, today’s luxury celebrations are embracing open-air architectural structures. Custom pergolas, floating canopies, and other bespoke shaded areas complement the landscape instead of covering it up.
These structural elements also provide design opportunities for dramatic draping, floral installations, and even custom lighting like chandeliers and candelabras.
Most importantly, these clear-top designs allow the picturesque scenery of your wedding venue to remain the highlight while providing shade and airflow in the summer heat.Prioritize Guest Comfort with Summer-Friendly Details
Guests may forget the small details of your celebration, but they’ll remember how they felt. That’s where luxury becomes personal. At summer weddings, comfort is part of the design, and anticipating your guests’ needs before they arise is a signature of exceptional hospitality.
When it’s warm outside, no one should be waiting in line for a drink or searching for shade. We recommend designing your floor plan so guests have easy access to bars, restrooms, and light bites throughout the space. (Truly, we’d suggest you do this regardless of the weather.)In the summer, you have the opportunity to make seasonal design choices that add function. Residential-style umbrellas and parasols—curated in soft neutrals or seasonal prints—add charm to lounge areas, ceremony seating, or dinner tables while also ensuring your guests have some relief from the direct sun.
You might also consider a small hospitality moment, like handheld fans for ceremony programs or chilled hand towels passed before appetizers. These thoughtful touches offer more than relief—they become part of the experience.
Plan Sunset Ceremonies with Signature Seasonal Touches
One of the most elegant ways to avoid the summer heat? Start later. We often plan summer ceremonies for early evening, when the sun dips, the breeze picks up, and everything feels a little more romantic.
Pair that timing with a signature welcome cocktail—something seasonal and light, like a spritz or chilled champagne—and you create an arrival experience that sets the tone for the entire event.
Looking ahead, we’re seeing couples elevate this idea with personalized mixology moments: think cocktail hour stations where guests watch their drinks crafted to order. It’s a small interactive touch that makes a big impression.
Photo By: Kurt Boomer
Explore our portfolio of luxury West Coast weddings!
Curating a Luxury Summer Wedding is About Embracing the Season
Curating a luxury wedding in the summer doesn’t mean compromising on experience or comfort—it means anticipating and embracing the beauty the season has to offer.
At Mandy Marie Events, our destination luxury wedding planning and design services are built to help couples host celebrations that are immersive, intentional, and elevated.
Luxury weddings today aren’t just about hitting the high notes—ceremony, dinner, dancing—they’re about storytelling. At the heart of it all, your wedding should reflect who you are as a couple and how you love to entertain. It’s not just that the tent was gorgeous or the food was divine—it’s that the entire experience felt personal, thoughtful, and deeply you. That’s what guests take home. That’s what couples remember forever.
Photo By: Mashaida Co.
Planning a Luxury Wedding on the West Coast? Let’s Talk.
Ready to plan your dream summer wedding? If you’re interested in working with Mandy Marie Events to plan your wedding, we suggest reaching out to our team 9-18 months in advance of your desired wedding date. Of course, we can work on tighter timelines, but when possible, we like to make sure we can reserve your date at least a year ahead. Click here to inquire about our services →
Written by Mandy Marie, founder and creative director of Mandy Marie Events. With over a decade of experience designing elevated, experiential weddings across California, Arizona, and luxury destinations worldwide, Mandy is known for curating high-touch, immersive events that reflect the clients they’re designed for.