Over the last few years, intimate summer weddings have become a growing trend in the UK.

Keeping the guest list to closest friends and family has so many advantages: it makes it a truly personal day, it means those sharing your celebrations are the people who are most special to you, and of course it helps to keep the event affordable while still ensuring you can celebrate in the way you want.

Just because your wedding is intimate doesn’t mean it’s simple to organise, though. There are still lots of choices to be made about where and how you celebrate, and how you make the event truly memorable and enjoyable for everyone.

Here’s our guide to making your intimate summer wedding everything you’ve dreamed of and more.

1. Choosing a venue: The idea of an intimate summer wedding in the UK is appealing, but anyone familiar with UK summers will know the risks involved with planning this! If you are hoping for your wedding to be outside, it’s a good idea to find a venue with an option for under cover ceremonies just in case the weather isn’t on your side on the day.
2. Setting your style: Whether you prefer simple elegance or full-on glam, choosing a wedding style will help you to make other decisions for your special day. Décor is key here, and if you’re after that outdoor, summer feel, but uncertain about the weather, you can always bring the outside in with clever use of natural decorations.
3. Selecting a menu: From a relaxed buffet or barbecue to a formal sit-down banquet, you’ll know the style of wedding that’s right for you. Your venue or caterer will help you to select just the right dishes to fit with the theme – and of course, you’ll want your favourite seasonal ingredients and flavours included in there too, to share with your guests.
4. Keeping everyone happy: Whether vegetarian, vegan, coeliac or dairy-free, chances are that some of your guests will have dietary requirements you’ll need to accommodate. Ask them to confirm with you at an early stage what their preferences are and pass these to your caterer, so you can ensure they’ll be joining in the party without worrying about what they’ll be able to eat.
5. Making it memorable: These days, there are so many choices available to make your day truly personal and memorable, and ensure your guests love it just as much as you do. Incorporate anything from childhood photos to surprise entertainment, or interactive elements like photo booths or pick-and-mix sweet tables to keep everyone smiling all day.
6. Finding the right cake: Whether you want a traditional tiered cake, a light vanilla sponge or an indulgent chocolate layer cake, the options can feel overwhelming when you first begin to look. It can help to select the place you want to buy your cake first, then narrow down the design and flavours from there. If you choose a reputable, established cake-maker, whose cakes you’ve been able to try beforehand, you can’t go wrong.
7. Keep it on trend: Like everything else in wedding planning, fashions come and go in cakes too. You’ll find the latest designs, along with some classic styles, on the wedding cake section of our website. What never goes out of style, of course, is combining a show-stopping look with delicious flavour.
8. Tying it all together: Once you sit down to eat, the wedding cake often becomes the centrepiece of the celebrations, and forms part of the elements that build a sense of style on the day. Colours, icing designs and decorations all contribute to that look. Ensure your cake ties in with your wedding theme – and, of course, is a delicious finale to the meal – to keep people talking about it for years to come.

If you’re planning an intimate summer wedding, check out the wedding cakes page of our website to find the perfect showstopper for your style and add the finishing touch to your perfect day.