Picture this – a warm summer evening, a gentle breeze tugs tenderly at your hair.
You stand sedately waiting as the wedding march softly begins to play. You take the arm proffered to you as you commence your slow, measured walk down the aisle of carefully placed chairs toward a magnificent floral trimmed archway. Heads turn and gasp in awe at the beautiful picture you present, gently gliding over the grass towards your beloved.
There is nothing to compare to the serene elegance of an outdoor wedding.
Planned and coordinated correctly, it can evoke an atmosphere of magic which just cannot be captured by a stuffy, interior wedding.
Weather or not – taking precautions
Inclement weather is the outdoor weddings worst enemy.
It goes without saying that selecting a month which has temperate weather conditions is ideal when planning an outdoor function of any kind.
Fortunately, taking a few precautions ahead of time, can circumvent any unforeseen weather disasters.
Wedding marquee hire is the best way to seamlessly have your guests move from the ceremony through to the reception, while protecting them from the elements. To cover all eventualities takes just takes a little bit of planning.
Consider gift bags containing:
- Insect repellant
- Sun block
- Parasols – for rain or shine
- Heel covers (to prevent heels from sinking in muddy conditions)
- Water bottles
- Sunglasses
Dressing the part
Many people are eschewing formal weddings these days, in favour of a more casual approach. Outdoor weddings are the perfect opportunity to give guests the choice of going barefoot or wearing more comfortable clothing. Chances are guests will have a more enjoyable day and will thank you for the relief!
A shorter wedding dress may be advisable when holding an outdoor ceremony. Grass stains and mud can be avoided by using a long hall runner or similar for your walk to the altar.
Seating
As with any wedding, allow for the elderly and disabled, to be seated first.
Wedding invitations which don’t contain a start time for the ceremony but instead ask guests to be seated by a time at least 15 minutes prior to commencement, will hopefully account for any late stragglers.
Offer guests plastic glasses of champagne or juice upon arrival along with their gift bags (see above).
Alter…cations – decorating the set
The beauty of an outdoor wedding is all in the decoration. Consider chair covers, flowers and flowing fabrics.
An arch can begin with a basic garden arch frame and be decorated in a thousand and one different ways including:
- Garlands of flowers interwoven
- Draped fabric
- Fairy lights
- Chrystals
- A combination of all of the above
Check out some amazing ideas here.
Location
Find the perfect location for your dream outdoor wedding can leave you stuck for choice. For convenience sake however, selecting a location which can incorporate the ceremony and reception is always the best option.
Finding someone with a suitably grand home with impressive gardens would be the ideal but there are also numerous sites where, subject to council approval and permits, outdoor weddings can be performed. Many of these are set within magnificent heritage gardens which provide the perfect setting for photos.
Breaking free of the traditional wedding venues can provide you with the opportunity to create the wedding of your dreams. An outdoor ceremony, among nature, with birds twittering in the background, can be the most memorable and romantic way to celebrate your love for each other.
Enjoy!
