Summer Wedding Themes: Bold and Bright

July 27, 2011

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Two-Tone Tabletop

Bold accents pop against white table linens, chairs, and plates. The inspiration for this table setting -- a beautiful sheet of wrapping paper -- is showcased at the center.

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Raising the Bar

Scattering several small-scale cocktail stations around the reception space helps reduce long queues and introduces splashes of color. Here, the sign that identifies the bar area in marigold script is adorned with orchids and hung with warm gray ribbon, while the tabletop is embellished with cymbidium, leucadendron buds, tillandsia, and succulents.

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Marigold and Pewter Tabletop

Sunny and steely, dialed up and dulled down, the combination of yellow and gray makes for a contrapuntal dance that's neither too sweet nor too subdued. Add hints of clean white to the mix and you've got it made in the shade -- and in the sunlight.

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A Chic Setting

At a reception, bowls with floating candles, peonies, roses, and ranunculuses dot a boldly striped runner. Neutral linens give the eye a place to rest.

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Bold and Beautiful

Try tempering all of the daring hues with earth-toned vessels. Copper mugs, compotes, and kettles are the perfect containers to subdue the striking, lush arrangements of red and orange poppies, hot-pink sweetpeas, jasmine, and fringed tulips. Carry this theme of graceful, natural accents throughout the reception by setting the table with wood chargers, hammered flatware, and rustic linen for texture and warmth.

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Petal to the Metal

Slender trumpet vases and assorted silver vessels feel of the moment -- and far, far removed from their colonial associations -- when filled with exotic blooms. (Take note: not a single garden rose in sight.) For an unexpected personal touch, incorporate your own silver pieces. Flowers, from front: yellow cattleya orchids; lemon phalaenopsis orchids; mini cattleya orchids; calla lilies with apricot-tinged parrot tulips; lady's slipper orchids; a statuesque vase of butterscotch ranunculus.

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Special Delivery

This bouquet seems as if it has arrived fresh from a country garden, yet it has an air of sophistication. Bright yellow ranunculus, gold roses, perfumed freesia, ilex berries, and clementines form the warm foundation, while dusty-miller leaves, blue-gray succulents, and leucadendron buds add contrast and texture.

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Minimalist Sheath

Credit: Carlton Davis

Long-stemmed tulips and calla lilies in shades of orange and tangerine need no more than a satin ribbon to bind them together.

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Take Your Pick

Credit: Carlton Davis

Available in a wide range of colors, calla lilies and tulips can be paired into brilliant bundles. Here, some variations on a fiery theme -- one for each bridesmaid. Matching satin ribbons add the finishing touch.

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Parrot and Button Tulips

Credit: Victor Schrager

An abundance of ruffled parrot tulips and smooth button tulips appears to flicker with apricot-hued light; pale lime strokes of color add radiance, and a yellow satin ribbon is the perfect accent.

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Garden Fresh

Credit: Sang An

A bouquet that combines roses with seasonal blooms and greenery will have a fresh-from-the-garden feel. Here, these late-summer purple clematis, pale hibiscus, and fuchsia-speckled caladium leaves surround luxurious Dutch and garden roses. One vintage silk ribbon overlays another to form a billowy bow.

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Tulip-Mania Bouquet

This mostly tulip mix interprets the artist's passion for the blooms with orange-and-yellow Dutch, pink Dutch double, French striped parrots, pointy mini-flames, and green-edged peony-flowered tulips. Yellow lupin are sprinkled throughout the asymmetrical cascade tied in royal-blue ribbon, a common painter's touch.

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Hot Pinks

Credit: James Baigrie

In spite of its sweet nature, pink can be chic, even masculine. Roses with fuchsia-tipped petals strike a nice balance between being subtle and standing out.

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Good as Gold

Credit: Stephan Abry

A mix of exuberant gold and yellow flowers appear regal in a bouquet unbound by symmetry. This eclectic array is composed of lady's slipper orchids, four types of cymbidium orchid, and mimosa, and they all mingle effortlessly.

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Darling Delphiniums

Credit: Formula z/s

Jewel-tone viburnum berries accentuate the fluttery lightness of the purple hybrid delphiniums and mirror their dark centers. Slender brodiaea blooms hang upside down at the edges of the bouquet. A vintage green satin ribbon covers the handle and is tied with a two-tone bow.

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Gorgeous Gladioli

Credit: Formula z/s

This bold assembly of flowers in shades of green attains its fanlike silhouette through the use of wired gladioli and santini mums. Evergreen leaves offer a fresh feel, and ruffled lady's mantle provides extra texture. The handle, covered in white satin ribbon and chartreuse velvet, is embellished with a double strand of freshwater pearl beads.

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Exotic Beauty

Credit: Dana Gallagher

Dramatic chartreuse flowers and variegated greenery share the spotlight in this explosion of cymbidium orchids, gloriosa lilies, leucodendron, and hosta leaves.

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Purple Reign

Credit: Carlton Davis

This tightly packed oval bouquet incorporates five varieties of roses, Blue Curiosa, Rustique, Sahara, Esther, and Magic Silver -- plus the odd surprise of one perfect saffron Oriental Curiosa rose.

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Climbing Clematis

Credit: Stephan Abry

This sweeping creation is a twist on the pageant (or presentation) bouquet, named for the long-stemmed arrangement a beauty queen carries in the crook of her arm. It is 18 inches long and consists of hellebores, clematis, gladiolus, forget-me-nots, and sweet peas. Its grand dimensions are ideal for a formal occasion; for a more casual event, try paring down the size.

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Ultra Violet

The contrast of bright yellow and deep purple gives this daring, exotic bouquet -- composed of miltonia and phalaenopsis orchids -- a modern yet playful feel. The stems are bound with velvet ribbon and thin metallic trim.

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Sunny Yellow

What's more hopeful than a radiant yellow flower? Dainty details and robust color add up to a bouquet that, with its cheery mound of narcissus, ranunculus, and chrysanthemum buds, speaks of a bright future together. It also gives a sweet nod to your groom. Finished with scalloped fabric secured with yellow pearl-head pins and a simple bow, the handle is reminiscent of a dapper tuxedo shirt.

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Tropical Punch

Audacious, hot colors just beg for a festive, outdoor summer wedding that's anything but traditional. This boisterous bouquet -- so big you'll need both hands! -- of sweetpeas, tulips, and orchids in flashy magentas, corals, and golds (tied with a wide raspberry satin sash) is the floral equivalent of a blast of sexy salsa music on a Miami Beach dance floor.

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Cake for One

Credit: Stephen Lewis

These monogrammed groom's cakes were given to all at the wedding of Francesca Andrews and Ross Goodwin in New York City. Made by caterer Glorious Food, the cakes were tucked into boxes and bound with bows, which tied them to Andrews's wedding theme: purple.

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Pink and Poppy

Credit: Johnny Miller

Bright sugar poppies are planted atop a cake iced in blush-colored buttercream by Sylvia Weinstock.

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Marble Masterpiece

White-chocolate fondant encases a grand cake wrapped in dramatic silk moire ribbons. The marbling was fashioned with plastic transfer sheets, as were the candy favors.

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Tropical Wedding Cake

Credit: Kirsten Strecker

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A creation that is tropical through and through. The yellow-cake layers are brushed with rum syrup and filled with passion-fruit curd and rum-and-vanilla-bean buttercream. The top of each tier is spread with more passion-fruit curd. Hibiscus flowers, lychees, coconut, mini pineapple and bananas, and tamarillo boldly crown the cake.

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Devil's Food Cake

Credit: Dana Gallagher

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The classic American layer cake is dressed up with geraniums for an informal wedding. Use your favorite devil's food cake recipe combined with our favorite old-fashioned chocolate frosting for this delicious cake.

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Baskets of Berries

Credit: Charles Maraia

Early summer is the best time to choose a cake like this one -- brimming with a fresh and varied assortment of the season's best berries. Red currants, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries, and strawberries look beautiful jumbled together on basket-weave tiers.

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Ocean-Inspired French Charlotte

This one-of-a-kind cake is ideal for a beach wedding. The lemon-flavored cookielike tea cakes are tied around buttercream tiers with gold ribbon -- every other one finished with a bow.

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Fruits Confits

Credit: Gentl & Hyers

Making fruits confits, or candied fruit, is a slow process in which the water in fruit is gradually replaced by sugar syrup. A cascade of the sweet gems shines against a pure white cake; the fruit calls for a tart counterpart, which comes in a lemon-zest sponge cake with vanilla mousse and pineapple confit. The green stalks are angelica, an edible plant.

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Boites Roses

Credit: Gentl & Hyers

Fauchon's monogrammed pink pastry boxes, or boites roses, are interpreted in tinted white chocolate; the cake itself is vanilla sponge with strawberry syrup and mousse. Almond macaroons in raspberry, chocolate, pistachio, and passion fruit are piled on and around the tiers.

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More

Summer Wedding Themes: Bold and Bright

1 of 42

Two-Tone Tabletop

1 of 42

2 of 42

Raising the Bar

2 of 42

3 of 42

Marigold and Pewter Tabletop

3 of 42

4 of 42

A Chic Setting

4 of 42

5 of 42

Bold and Beautiful

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6 of 42

Petal to the Metal

6 of 42

7 of 42

Special Delivery

7 of 42

8 of 42

Minimalist Sheath

8 of 42

9 of 42

Take Your Pick

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10 of 42

Parrot and Button Tulips

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11 of 42

Garden Fresh

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12 of 42

Tulip-Mania Bouquet

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Hot Pinks

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14 of 42

Good as Gold

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15 of 42

Darling Delphiniums

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Gorgeous Gladioli

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Exotic Beauty

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Purple Reign

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Climbing Clematis

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Ultra Violet

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Sunny Yellow

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Tropical Punch

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23 of 42

Cake for One

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Pink and Poppy

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Marble Masterpiece

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Tropical Wedding Cake