Probably the most popular time to have a wedding is during the summer time. They say that more brides get married in June than during any other time of year.

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 evening black-tie wedding is perfect for summertime dancing on the water. So is an old-fashioned barbecue or picnic reception with everyone playing games in 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! What could be more romantic than beautiful fireworks to mark the event! 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?

The only challenge with a summertime wedding is that often this is a very popular time of year to get married, so it may be hard to get the exact date that you would like for the location you would like. Try to be a bit flexible with the dates in order to get the location and your vendors. Summer is a time when many couples decide to say "I do" and you'll have a better chance of getting everything you want if you can be flexible about your dates. Some couples find that with a summer wedding they need to plan at least two years in advance, not just one.

Every wedding is beautiful, but those that get married in the summer agree: summertime is the best time!