Summer Wedding Cakes That Speak to the Season

What is it about the summer season that inspires some of the most beautiful—and delicious—dessert creations? We may never know for certain, but we do know we love the results: Unforgettable wedding cakes that we just can't get enough of. Of course, every season has motifs and themes that are virtually guaranteed to enhance the look of a confection, but as far as dynamic combinations go, summer—with its bright, bold color palettes and incredibly lush flora—and a wedding cake are the ultimate match.

Don't just take our word for it. We'll let the following big-day desserts, which were served at couples' seasonal celebrations, do the talking. These incredible desserts prove that there's no single way to pay homage to the warm-weather season, especially when it comes to cake. Whether you top a neutral treat with in-bloom flowers (think: garden roses, ranunculus, and hydrangeas) or opt for fondant versions of your favorite tropical leaves (such as monstera and palm), floral accents are always an option. They'll also help lighten a confection with a moodier color scheme so that you can have the best of both worlds. Not feeling those fresh flower details? Check out the upcoming marbled, citrus-covered, and honeycomb cakes, or else decorate your confection with seasonal colors like pinks, oranges, and yellows. This Růže Cake House dessert used all three hues for a result that epitomizes the hallmarks of summer.

To inspire your future warm-weather treat, we've rounded up a selection of summertime wedding cakes, perfect for any type of seasonal wedding—from a black-tie reception in a ballroom to an al fresco garden party, and everything in between.

Florals

When it comes to a warm-weather event, we're of the mind that the more flowers the better. Buttercup Bakery was responsible for this rose-covered confection that looked as if it were picked straight from a summer garden.

Green Ombré

When it comes to warm-weather colors, you can't forget about green (the verdant hue is everywhere at the height of summer). To pay homage to the hue, T Bakes layered varying shades of green fondant onto this confection and topped it off with realistic sugar greenery.

Citrus

You'll want to feature citrus in every element of your warm-weather wedding—right down to your big-day treat. To make sure this confection was summer-ready, Sweets Illustrated added hand-painted oranges.

Peach

Oranges are just one seasonal fruit you can incorporate into your cake. Another in-season favorite? Peaches. Sugar Realm referenced the food by using its color in both the confection's buttercream frosting and sugar flowers.

Blue and Gray

Although blue and gray are traditionally winter colors, we think they also nod to the ocean. For a warm-weather touch, add gold flecks that will shine in the sun, like Love Cakes did here.

Yellow Drips

An all-white buttercream base means you can make your cake as summery as you please. Maple and Love really went for it when creating this three-tier; the pros accented the treat with plenty of warm-weather motifs, like lemon slices, lush green leaves, orange florals, and a bright yellow drip pattern.

Sunny

To mimic the bright summer sun, have your baker sponge edible yellow coloring onto one corner of your cake. Note how this Sewell Sweets cake's hue also references its yellow-centered florals.

Orange and Blue

If you want to serve a blue cake at your summer wedding, we suggest choosing a pastel option, like this Růže Cake House dessert. As for the floral accents? Opt for roses in an unexpected shade, like orange—blue's complementary hue.

Watercolor

A cake that uses vibrant pinks and oranges, like this splashy Sweet Deer design does, will have your guests thinking of a gorgeous sunset—one of the hallmarks of summer.

Lilac

You don't need a brightly-colored cake to reference your event's seasonality. Instead, ask your baker to use summer blooms—like this rose and greenery mix from Pineapple Petals Studio on La Vie Douce Design's subtle lilac two-tier—to connote the time of year.

Seasonal Topper

Top your cake off with an in-season bloom (Cathy Huber Cakes tapped Jackson Durham Events for this hydrangea topper) for a simple, but unexpected way to honor summer.

Foliage

Draw inspiration from your tropical venue's foliage for your big-day confection's color palette. Earth & Sugar used this location's bright bougainvillea and green palm leaves as the muses for this multi-hued brushstroke-patterned cake.

Blue

Offset a cool blue bottom tier with a pastel top section, orange florals, and figs (the flowers on this Henny B Cakes and Cupcakes confection were provided by Tarrnation Flower Farm). They'll add a warm, seasonal touch to your dessert.

Statement Tier

Tie your cake's summer color palette together with a multi-hued statement tier. The brushstroke design on the second layer of this Hey There, Cupcake! treat used pink, orange, and green to reference the confection's sugar flowers and jade accent tier.

Yellow

If your cake's bright yellow hue isn't enough of a nod to the season, make like Le Petit Sweet and add a healthy dose of dried citrus fruits (like the blood orange slices seen here!) and flowers to really drive the theme home.

Tropical Leaves

This Cakes by Krishanthi confection proves there's no such thing as too many summer-inspired motifs. The pros used fondant and painted tropical foliage throughout, along with sugar kumquats, to pay homage to this destination event's location.

Honeycomb

Honey will obviously taste great in your seasonal confection, but it also makes for a pretty décor moment, as well. That's why Coley Kuyper, A Bakeshop, and Hoot and Holler worked together to create this honeycomb-inspired cake (a nod to the season's buzzing bees!), complete with a sweet drizzle and muted yellow florals.

Bas Relief

Looking for a unique way to add blooms to your summer wedding cake? Make like Jonathan Caleb Cake and layer vibrant colors over a floral bas relief moment.

Ocean-Inspired

For your oceanside event, ask your cake baker to recreate undulating ocean waves on your confection. Sainte G. Cake Company incorporated that effect here by using various shades of edible blue watercolor paint and silver flecks.

White and Blue

Alternating blue-and-white tiers makes for a classic, nautical summer cake color palette. To brighten up your confection, take notes from Nine Cakes and add coral-hued sugar peonies and plenty of gold foil.

Flamingos

You don't have to limit your summer cake décor to florals and vibrant hues. The only seasonal touch this all-white Earth & Sugar confection needed was a cute flamingo topper.

Mediterranean

A dessert (this one's by Wild Flour Bakery!) with a Mediterranean-inspired tile motif? Serve it up!

Al Fresco

You'll want to follow up your al fresco reception with a slice of this soft, sugar wildflower-adorned Lilac Cake Boutique creation.

Oceanic

We're not sure what we love more about these beachy masterpieces by Alexandra's Custom Made Cakes: the unique "brushstroke" technique or the oceanic color palette.

Wreath

Who says wreaths are synonymous with winter, and winter only? This Sugarlips Cakes creation, accented with a bright sugar wreath, suggests otherwise.

On-Trend(s)

Looking for a wedding dessert that does the most with ease? You've found it. Dessert First by Veronica's three-tier blends a myriad of our favorite cake trends: metallic, ombré, watercolor, and fresh floral.

Slices

When it comes to wedding cake, slices are obviously part of the deal. Citrus slices, on the other hand, are definitely new (and so summery!). We love how Batter Up Cakery used skinny slivers of grapefruit, lemons, limes, and oranges to dress up an otherwise all-white confection. A mid-sized air plant grounded the look.

Marbled

Colorful tangerines bring a summer-ready touch to this all-seasons marbled confection (with the prettiest metallic accents!) by Paper Heart Patisserie.

Wine

Darker cake accents, like burgundy and merlot blooms, can feel right at home at a summer fête. Just be sure to take Crisp Bakeshop's lead and pair them with softer shades, like blush, or a neutral cream tier.

Sugar Buds

A sugar rose vine (ABCD Cakes designed this one!) is a dainty and minimal summer cake add-on that makes a major impact.

Laurel

Just imagine how pretty these bronze-leaf wreaths—these were crafted by The Cake & The Giraffe—will look glinting under the warm sun.

Palm Springs

This Hey There, Cupcake! confection, adorned with sugared fondant and wafer paper flowers, sums up a Palm Springs theme. Not tying the knot in sunny California? These punchy hues work for any summertime celebration.

Lemons

Citrus fruits, in all their forms, are ever-popular at summer weddings. This IntriCakes confection's lemon and kumquat accents are proof of this. It's lush bed of greenery and citrus accents, however, completely kicks it up a notch. Just looking at this dessert makes you feel like you're in a lemon grove.