What is even life, if not constant anticipation of summer? After spring, summer arrives and there is a nostalgic “school’s out” feel-good vibe to summer which we can really shake off, no matter how old we get. Most of our dearest memories find their roots in summer, be it backyard barbeques, evenings by the beach, or the adventurous feeling of the summer camp trips. There is something about camping that is thrilling, nostalgic, and never quite loses its appeal. Maybe it's the fact that you are away from civilization and into the woods, or maybe it's the thrilling feeling of an “escapade,” but people who loved camping as kids never quite grow out of it. It is surely one of the things that people either love or hate. So when you and your sweetheart say yes to a lifetime of adventures together, and when you decide on a summertime wedding, what better way to celebrate the best day of your life by making it a grand summer camp-style wedding? This is of course one of those wedding ideas for which you and your partner both have to have a liking towards summer camps. And this idea is for you if you are an outdoorsy couple in general and want to make your wedding truly unique and a nostalgic experience for yourself as well as your guests. This is especially perfect if your wedding venue is more of a rustic and woodsy destination and there are tons of opportunities for you to pull together a camping-themed wedding complete with the setting and the wedding details to match! Are you excited? Let's look into some of the fun ideas for a summer-camp wedding that will leave a lasting impression!

Camping Wedding Invitations:
As you might already know, the wedding invitation sets the tone for a wedding to come, so the invite for your fun wedding with summer camp as the theme should be designed to impress and get your guests excited for what is to come! You can go for an outdoorsy print on your invite with a hiking-trail-inspired map or a map for a treasure hunt, filled with hints to find your location! Take a bit of time to ensure the invitation has a natural vibe to it, with lots of browns and greens depicting a natural ambiance and an earthy backdrop. Brownie points for a wooden invite etched with your initials, but no pressure!

Picture-Perfect Setting:
This is one of those weddings where the wedding venue holds a lot of weight in how the wedding ends up looking like, so choose your wedding venue wisely! Of course, an outdoor wedding venue is what you will be looking for, however, go for a mountain-top location, a woodland paradise spot with a lot of greenery and tall trees, or something that has a lake in the background, as it will be just the perfect touch for your campsite wedding! A wooden dock not only acts as the perfect backdrop for striking wedding photography but also the serene atmosphere and the outdoorsy feeling of the venue feel like a recluse from the city noise. 

Wooden Signage:
If your wedding location is at a specific location in the woods, wooden signage sprinkled through the trail might be a great idea! Not only is it a nice authentic rustic touch, but it also serves the practical purpose of guiding the guests to the right spot. However, it can also be used for sheer decorative purposes, because why not! Another fun way of lining the trail can be adding photos of the couple (even the family members) to the trees lining the trail, or even just etching the trees with the couple's initials in a nostalgic and romantic way! The options are truly endless here!

S'mores Station:
Is it even a summer-camp themed wedding if there are no s’mores? Set up a cute s’mores station by your sweets table, as a part of your dessert option so that your guests can help themselves to their own ooey, gooey, marshmallowy creations. Go all out with a variety of different chocolates, crackers, and marshmallows, and watch your near and dear ones step back in time over the simple pleasure of having a s'more! You are sure to hit the right chord with this set-up and your guests will always remember your special day with fond memories!

Hot Chocolate Bar:
Just like s’mores, hot chocolates have a close space in the hearts of the camp-lovers, so you can't possibly do without them! One way to go about it is to set up a non-alcoholic bar that is just for hot cocoa, and go all out with the details- the whipped cream, the marshmallows, the sprinkles-the whole deal! This can be especially fitting for the weddings which are hosted in a cozier setting and chiller temperature. To be in line with the sentiment, you can let the guests sip their drinks from the camp mugs, the stout steel mugs that everyone loves. If a whole hot cocoa bar is not quite your vibe, you can also consider gifting hot cocoa sets as a sweet wedding favor!

Firepit:
Speaking of s'mores and hot cocoa, how about a fire pit? For a cozy and casual camping feeling, you can consider setting up a fire accompanied by chill floor seating or comfy armchairs around the fire, where your near and dear guests can relax after the reception party, exchange stories, and end the perfect day with an intimate note. Nothing like a crackling fire to take one back to the nostalgic and carefree days of a summer camp, and this can be a memorable moment on your special day too!

Chill Seating:
Let your wedding reception mimic the campground feel with wooden picnic tables and let your guests sit down for a cutesy picnic-like meal in the outdoors. With some picnic checkered details and rustic touches and wicker baskets for a beautiful touch, you can also arrange for a low wooden table with floor seating, adorned with cozy cushions and magical candles and lanterns, creating a memorable moment for your guests!

Camp Trailer Bar:
Trailer bars are making a huge statement in weddings, and it's easy to see why! There is something about a cutesy trailer parked by your wedding which also acts as a bar- as it perfectly complements the theme and is functional while being decorative in an interactive way! While trailer bars can work with several different themes like boho, vintage, and such, it also works beautifully with a summer-camp theme. While this can work for serving as a bar area, it can also be great as an ice-cream bar!

Escort Cards and memory box:
To take escort cards up a notch, by tieing the tags with camping-friendly mugs which can double as a wedding favor, handing out small flags to guide them to the table. Also, small details like creating a wooden memory box with the couple's initials etched to it can be a sweet and nostalgic way to create a time capsule of the day in an old-fashioned way. Ask your guests to drop in notes or advice in the memory box or Polaroid pictures from the day, and you can have this treasure of memory with you forever!

Decor:
For a wedding with a theme, it is mostly the little details that play a huge role in couples’ lives. It's the little things that make the most memorable of moments. So go heavy with the details, and you can see the details immediately. Add rustic elements like wooden coasters and pine cone name tag holders, buntings in your wedding colors, campsite flags, and customized camp logos with your and your partner's names in them! Choose wildflowers as your preferred choice of florals and add rustic elements like burlap. Don't shy away from galvanized metals as they will tie the whole picture together perfectly! 

Lemonade:
What is a summer camp without lemonade, they say, and we definitely agree. There is something about the free summer feeling, seeking adventures in the summer camp throughout the day, and the sunshiny allure of a cold drink of lemonade that cannot be quite explained. So of course your summer-camp wedding day shall feature the campsite stable drink, but you can make it more classy by showcasing it in a pretty dispenser or offering a spiked version instead! This can also be a great drink for your younger guests and quite refreshing for an outdoor wedding in summer!

Tent for Arbor:
What is a summer camp without tents? Embrace the full summer camp feeling by having a cute tent as your arch or arbor. Not only does it make a fitting backdrop, but it is also unique, uncommon, and makes quite an impact! You can go a variety of different roads in this as you can either have a real tent for a more authentic feel, or a teepee or a triangular arch for more of an indication rather than full commitment. The great thing about a summer-camp wedding theme is that you can merge it with other themes like boho, and it comes out looking just as perfect!

Lighting:
As the sun goes down, it is the lighting that sets the ambiance for the reception party ahead, and having the right lighting truly makes a huge difference. For a true summer-camp feeling, make sure the wedding venue is scattered with ample lanterns and candles and is adorned with fairy lights that illuminate the place in a beautiful way. The idea is to have a lot of layered lighting to ensure the outdoors come alive beautifully!

Cake:
The star of the sweets table is the wedding cake, and it is also the perfect opportunity to showcase your wedding theme and colors perfectly. Let your wedding cake speak the summer-camp language with beautiful outdoorsy details like wooden log details and flowers and such, and top it up with the most amazing cake topper to match the vibe. There are several wedding cake toppers that will fit the summer camp theme, so go ahead and search for the one which fits your vibe perfectly!

Cabin for Guests:
Another amazing way to make the most of the summer camp feel is to arrange for wooden cabins for your guests to be used as accommodations. There is something about wooden cabins and living the camp life, even if it is for one day, that makes one feel like they are out on a long and lazy recluse, and everybody can use that! So go for a wedding venue which is not only perfect for your summer-wedding vision as a couple but also perfect for the guests, especially the guests who have traveled in from out-of-town and would have had to book a hotel room anyway! You can finish your wedding day off with an authentic campsite flair this way and finish off with a huge camp-style breakfast before heading out to your separate ways!

Natural Decor:
Lastly, but certainly not the least, is the abundance of wooden accents that this wedding theme calls for! While you will most likely be surrounded by actual woods, you can also add the rustic wooden accents throughout the wedding, lacing together a wedding theme that is not only close to nature but also aesthetic to look at. Natural elements as decor like foliage, wooden accents, pine cones, and flowers are inspired by nature and make your wedding truly memorable and special.

The nip in the air, hot cocoa for company, nights by the campfire listening to ghost stories, and having s’mores, some things about a summer camp are forever etched in our minds to be a part of our memories forever. However, creating new memories around your favorite ones doesn't hurt and in fact, claims it as “your thing.” If camping is something that undeniably is “your thing” or if you and your partner love to go camping together or met at a summer camp as kids, hosting a summer camp wedding is a fitting way to acknowledge your love for camping. Also, it is bound to take you and your guests on a wild ride to your childhood, and everyone will appreciate that!