Many couples dream of sunshine and blue skies on their wedding day, which makes a summer wedding in Orlando an ideal choice! A summer wedding here in Florida can be a dream come true with the warm sunshine, endless outdoor venue options (like our sister venue, Celebration Gardens!), and an overall relaxed vibe. However, the soaring temperatures and rising humidity levels can also pose challenges for keeping your guests comfortable and happy throughout your summer wedding or event.
Luckily, our team at John Michael Events is well-equipped to help keep guests cool with a summer wedding and event menu! From thirst-quenching cocktails to seasonal entrees to frozen dessert options, in this post, we will detail the coolest ways to beat the heat at your summer wedding or event with the right menu choices.
This means that you don’t need to shy away from having your dream summer wedding for fear of guest discomfort! With our team in your corner and these handy tips, you’ll be able to keep guests cool from beginning to end with a delightful summer menu.
Summer Wedding Cocktails
Nobody can pass up a cold drink on a hot summer day! When creating your summer wedding or event beverage menu, consider adding seasonal cocktails, like a paloma or mojito. You can even ask your John Michael’s Catering Manager for custom drink recommendations based on your own unique tastes. Not only are summer cocktails refreshing, but they are also typically vibrant and colorful, perfect for a summer wedding!
Although cocktail hour typically follows the conclusion of the wedding ceremony, you might consider having a pre-ceremony cocktail hour as well. This is a chance for your guests to mix and mingle prior to the ceremony and they’ll love the surprise-and-delight aspect of these welcome drinks.
We also can’t stress enough the importance of hydration! Temperatures in Orlando in the summer are known to get well into the 90s, so setting out additional water stations is key. We can even put sliced citrus in the water to add an extra burst of flavor and refreshment.
Summer Wedding Menu Starters
Kick off your summer wedding or event menu with light and refreshing starters! Whether it’s the butler-passed appetizers at your wedding cocktail hour or a seated first course at the reception, starting the menu on a cool note will help set the tone for the rest of the meal. Plus, they pair perfectly with your summer cocktail choices!
Treat your guests to our John Michael balsamic watermelon bites: juicy watermelon cubes topped with a feta, mint and shallot blend and drizzled with a balsamic glaze.
They can then indulge in a fresh guacamole and salsa bar! With this menu option, our chef will prepare and serve to your guests fresh hand ground guacamole, tomato salsa and mango salsa served with fresh-fried warm tortilla chips. These are two surefire crowd pleasers, especially when temperatures start to heat up!
No matter if you’re having a buffet or plated meal at your summer wedding or event, we have the perfect salad options to go with it! Starting the meal with any one of the following salads will be a hit because they’re light in nature and incorporate fabulous seasonal flavors.
Garden Salad Bar
Our garden salad bar includes romaine lettuce and spring mix with your choice of 5 of the following toppings: Broccoli, corn, black olives, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers, carrots, and croutons. We serve ranch and balsamic dressings on the side and can even add upgraded toppings, like marinated shrimp, to pack some protein into this starter.
Roquefort Pear Salad
One of our signature salads, the Roquefort pear salad includes mixed greens, crumbled blue cheese, chopped sweet pears tossed together with caramelized walnuts and a raspberry vinaigrette.
Watermelon Salad
A classic for a summer wedding or event, our fresh watermelon salad consists of cubed watermelon, feta cheese, chopped red onion, cucumber and arugula, all tossed with an olive oil, garlic and lemon dressing.
Summer Wedding Menu Entrees
When it comes to the main entrée at your summer wedding or event, we recommend selecting a dish that is light but is still substantial enough so your guests don’t leave hungry. We know that this is a precise balance to achieve, and that’s why we’re highlighting a few of our favorites from our John Michael menu. Our team always strives to make event planning as simple as possible for you, so you might consider choosing these for your summer wedding entrees:
- Chicken Marsala: Seasoned grilled chicken breast laced with a light marsala mushroom sauce
- Rosemary Lemon Chicken: Pan seared dijon mustard marinated chicken breast topped with rosemary lemon cream sauce
- Sweet Chili Grilled Shrimp Skewer: A jumbo shrimp skewer seasoned, grilled and glazed with a sweet chili sauce
Summer Wedding Desserts
We’ve saved the best for last! A summer wedding or event wouldn’t be complete without a frozen dessert option! Our ice cream bar is one of our most popular desserts, whether it’s summer or fall, and it’s no wonder why.
Our ice cream bar dessert option includes a choice of 3 ice cream flavors and 7 toppings! Choose from flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint choc chip, butter pecan and cookies n cream. Then, go to town with toppings like, caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, chocolate sauce, chopped strawberry sauce, whipped cream, crushed peanuts, crushed oreos, crushed peppermint, shredded coconut, crushed graham crackers, maraschino cherries, mini chocolate chips, chocolate or rainbow sprinkles.
We should warn you: having this ice cream bar at your summer wedding or event might just be the hit of the night!
Of course, if you want to indulge your guests in more variety, we have more dessert options that will both satisfy even the sweetest of teeth while keeping your guests cool. Take our key lime pie for instance. It’s light, cool, and delicious, perfect for adults and kids alike!
You also have the option of our cake shooters and Bavarian cream berry tarts! Choose from chocolate, banana or carrot cake with assorted toppings for the shooters, or end the night on a sweet note with flakey tart shells filled with Bavarian cream and topped with fresh berries, lemon zest and a sweet orange glaze.
If you really want to go all out, we can combine all of these desserts in a striking Sweet Treats Display. Cookies, tarts, cake… oh my! This display is the mother of all gourmet desserts, and is available either as a food station or butler passed.
Keep Guests Cool with Your Summer Wedding Menu
From start to finish, your summer wedding menu can help keep your guests cool! By selecting the right food and beverage options, you can relax knowing that your guests will enjoy themselves and be comfortable in spite of the heat.
John Michael Events is an experienced Orlando wedding and event caterer, specializing in serving all types of events, from weddings to social events to corporate events. We offer all-inclusive wedding packages that not only include event catering, but also the additional vendors you’ll need to throw the perfect wedding or event! Twice a quarter, we are proud to host “A Taste of John Michael,” a one-of-a-kind group tasting experience, where clients are invited to sample a variety of our delicacies.
Ready to book the best catering in Orlando? Contact our team by hitting the button below. We would love to chat with you!
