Outdoor weddings can be absolutely gorgeous and fun to do. However, they aren’t necessarily easy to do. There’s a few snags to expect when planning your outdoor wedding, but never fear- I’ll be providing you with a few tips to make sure your perfect day runs smoothly.
Mosquitoes
To avoid those pesky mosquitoes and horrific bug bites, make sure to put out bug zappers or even citronella candles so that way you or your guests aren’t swatting during the entire ceremony. If you’re going for a beachy theme, you may even be interested in throwing in a few tiki torches!
Keep Your Guests Hydrated
We don’t need anyone passing out at the wedding due to dehydration. Make sure to provide your guests with cold, refreshing beverages to ensure that friends and family don’t become too thirsty. If you think plain ice water is boring, try adding fruit such as strawberries or oranges straight into the water pitcher to create a nice fruit-infused beverage.
Have A Backup Plan
No matter where you are located…. have a backup plan. Weather can change unexpectedly, leaving you in quite the pickle, but having a plan B can help relieve the stress of last minute changes. If you are looking to do your ceremony outside and the reception indoors, an option is pushing the tables to the back of the room and having the ceremony in your reception space. But, if everything is outdoors, a roomy tent is a great option, mainly for moderate rain storms. Make sure your tent is sturdy and to avoid the Muddy Feet Look™️inside your tents.
Can Everyone Hear?
When having an outdoor wedding, especially at a beach or public park, it may be hard for guests to hear you over the noise of the waves or park visitors. Look into getting a good sound system that has clip mics for the officiant, bride, and groom.
Nature As Decoration
One of the benefits of having an outdoor ceremony is the natural beauty around you. Save some time and effort by using minimal decorations and enhancing the Mother Nature by incorporating it into your ceremony. Using neutral colors can help compliment the natural colors on scene instead of bright shades. Also, a week before your wedding day, visit the site of your ceremony and make sure the grass is cut, the lawn is raked, and the flowers have fully bloomed. In the case of a public park, have someone in your bridal party check the site the morning of the ceremony to make sure that everything is in order.
Some great decorations to incorporate in your outdoor ceremony include a trellis or arch so that everyone is focusing on the bride and groom. Lanterns or string lights are also fun options to provide lighting for evening ceremonies and can look beautiful if put into the surrounding foliage.
Permits
If your ceremony will be in a public park, contact your city’s park department or local government to get a required permit for an outdoor wedding. Make sure to ask about the guidelines concerning candles and lighting, removing trash, and any photography before the wedding. You don’t want your first wedding gift to be a fine!
Do you have any more tips you’d like to share? Post them in the comment section below and help a fellow nearlywed out!
