Well who could blame them? In most areas -- summertime is simply beautiful! You have sunny skies and lush, sweet smelling flowers. There are more daylight hours. What bride and groom wouldn't want that type of environment for their wedding? A summer wedding is ideal for your wedding reception and ceremony.

Summer weddings also make for beautiful wedding photographs. We all know that your wedding photographs are going to last not only for your lifetime, but for generations that live even beyond you. You will want the very best photographs you can have for your wedding.

Getting married on the beach or near the lake is always popular. Whether you live near the ocean, a river or even a lake -- getting married near water during the summertime is ideal. A water view is so pretty. Being near the water also makes you a little cooler on an unusually hot summer day.

A summertime wedding can be as elegant or as casual as you want it to be. The elegant evening wedding is perfect for dinner and dancing near the water. So is a budget friendly backyard barbecue or huge reception at the park.

Another great idea for your summertime wedding is to go with the holidays to help plan your reception. Hold a Mother's Day themed wedding that honors all of the mothers that day. Hold an Americana style wedding on Memorial Day weekend. Celebrate your wedding with a festive Fourth of July theme! There is nothing more romantic than starting your own fireworks with actual fireworks! Or end the summer on Labor Day weekend with your wedding. A great benefit to selecting a holiday for your wedding time is this means you'll have your wedding anniversary as a day off - you know you can always take it as special time to celebrate. In addition, that absent-minded husband routine isn't going to work.....how many husbands can "forget" the Fourth of July is their wedding anniversary?

Because summer weddings are so popular it is sometimes hard to get the date and location that you want. Try to be a bit flexible with the dates in order to get the location and your vendors. Summer weddings are the first choice for many couples so you may need to be flexible about the exact date. Some couples find that with a summer wedding they need to plan at least two years in advance, not just one.

All weddings are special but those who wed in the summer agree: summertime is the best time!