Morning, Cakies! When Lauren of The Lion House sent this summery bridal brunch our way with photos by Emma Anderson, we knew we had to share in honor of summer solstice. Of course, you could pull elements from this gorgeous scene *all* summer long, in our opinions… Just follow our tips below to see how to host a summer solstice bridal brunch of your own, and be sure to try your hand at the DIY tutorials Lauren shared:
Greenery floral crowns and a DIY fresh honeysuckle vine maypole are your first step to celebrating summer while showering the bride to be. Scroll down for the full tutorial!
You’ll also want to top your table with lush florals, like Wildly Cultivated Florals did for the occasion. Make sure they go along with your paper products. For this shoot, Ten Acre Paper Co created beautiful menus and custom calligraphy to go with the linens and tableware by Cottage Luxe.
Make sure your menu is as summery as the decor. Belle’s Catering whipped up tasty, vibrant bites like grapefruit + beet salad, tomato pie, and ahi tuna bites.
You could also include a flower mandala, solstice prayer, and DIY sage smudge sticks as favors.
DIY Smudge Sticks
You’ll need: Fresh herbs and flowers (sage, rosemary, basil, flowers, etc–we recommend starting with fresh herbs and then drying them out after bundled.) and 100% cotton twine.
1. Bundle sage on flat surface with stems all in the same direction. Top with herbs + flowers.
2. Tie a knot around the bottom of the sage bundle.
3. Wrap twine tightly around bundle, keeping sage exposed on the outside and other herbs on the inside.
4. Once you reach the top, spiral the twine back down to the end of the bundle.
5. Tie off the end of the twine tightly at the base.
6. Hang sage stuck upside down for approximately 3-4 weeks to allow herbs to dry out.
7. Light ends, and burn to promote positive energy!
And this pretty cocktail? Mix it up yourself with your fave rosé, fresh lemon + grapefruit juice, elderflower liquor, fizz, and fresh raspberries as a garnish.
The bride’s Truvelle gown from Gilded Bridal added a little extra magic to the scene.
DIY Maypole
You’ll need: One 8ft x 2″ dowel rod, 1″ cup hooks (qty depends on number of vines/ribbons), floral wire + tape, and fresh foraged vines or ribbon
1. To create the maypole, spray paint the dowel rod your theme party color, like mossy green.
2. Once dry, twist 1″ cup hooks into the top of the pole evenly spaced depending on how many vines/ribbons you want to attach.
3. Use an umbrella base or other umbrella anchor to place pole upright.
4. To create the vines, cut floral wire or ribbon 10ft long.
5. Using floral tape, add foraged vines to the wire to create desired look and thickness. Fresh flowers would be fun to attach too.
6. Create a loop at the end of the ribbon or wire, and attach to hooks at top of maypole.
Enjoy dancing and singing around the maypole in the light of summer!
Thanks to Lauren + the team below for sharing today…
Photography: Emma Anderson Photography / Venue: The Oaks at Salem / Planning & Styling: The Lion House / Florals: Wildly Cultivated Florals / Hair & Makeup: Joanne Maye & Natural Beauties by Vee / Calligraphy & Paper Goods: Ten Acre Paper Co / Catering: Belle’s Catering / Tabletop, Linens & Rentals: Cottage Luxe / Wedding Dress: Truvelle from Gilded Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses : Anthropologie
