Rustic Summer Bridal Shower: Fun Outdoor Event Ideas

Want to host a Rustic Summer Bridal Shower?
Check out our post full of fun outdoor event ideas.
From hay bale seats to a wire canning basket chandy.

Brides and bridal shower hostesses have asked to use our yard to put on their events.

We have a “no-animal” barn for cool nights, and a large lawn with a waterfall/koi pond beside it for those perfect evenings. We’ve never had a daytime shower here, but I think it would be fun.

In this post we’ve collected some of the ideas that they used,

plus a few more we wish they’d tried.

For more Bridal Shower ideas:

Bridal Shower Planning: How to Create a Mood Board

Peony Bridal Shower Planner: Digital Party To Do List

Autumn Bridal Shower Theme Incorporates Natural Elements

17 Bridal Shower Ideas for a Bookworm Bride

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Rustic Summer Bridal Shower Ideas

Here’s our mood board for a rustic summer bridal shower.

The colors we chose for this mood board are grass green, persimmon and champagne. Other colors that can coordinate with these colors are light peach, bluer green and creamy whites.

Mood board, clockwise from left:

Use empty, clean food tins for the floral arrangements. Leave the labels on for a color pop. Or another option is to print free vintage food labels in the colors you need.
If you or someone you know has an old pickup truck, use the tailgate for the beverage or dessert table.
Is there an old fashioned canner in your pantry? You want the racks for this project, which can still be purchased new, but borrow if possible, as this is a temporary chandelier. Once the event is over it can be easily dismantled for its proper use again. Use battery powered fairy lights in the jars. Use the screw top lids if desired for the look, but do not seal off completely with the flat lids. The lights could heat the jars too much. Dry heat can break even canning jars.
My husband is a landscaper, and just before my niece’s bridal shower on our yard, he had trimmed a tree. He’s the best, so he pulled out all the viable branches from the back of his truck and helped me make a very rustic arbor. We left some of the green leaves on so it looked like a growing archway. Then I hung jars with electric tealights inside from the top twigs. It was so pretty in the dark.
Hang twinkle lights from every possible place. Since we don’t have large trees on the lawn (only beside it) my husband built tripod posts to put on each end of the food table, from which we strung patio lights.
Wrap hay bales with old blankets or tablecloths to use for seating. Tie with twine, then add fresh flowers if you have them.

More fun outdoor event ideas

Thin muslin is fairly affordable, and makes wispy, dreamy additions to a bridal shower. You can use panels to outline the bride’s seating area. Drape along the center of the tables, and tie into knots where they hang down on the ends. Or tie with twine.
Unbleached muslin tablecloth with dyed muslin center runner. via amazon.com
Tear the muslin into squares and use for dinner napkins.
Use galvanized tubs for drink tubs. We filled them with ice, then added the raspberry lemonade in lidded mason jars, which the guests drank from. It was beautiful and fun.
via pinteret
If you live in the country, (or have a landscaper husband), you may have tree stumps available. Make Swedish torches to outline the driveway or parking area. However, be sure to keep watch on them, so they don’t burn out and spread.