Outdoor Wedding Ideas

Outdoor Locations

Wedding location makes a world of difference, especially for an outdoor wedding. The location you choose may be sentimental or one that requires few decorations and includes all the extras. Outdoor wedding locations can be:

• Parent or relative’s backyard
• Local nature preserve
• Lake areas
• Parks
• Butterfly gardens
• Country clubs or golf courses
• Gardens at historical homes

Your budget will largely determine the location of your outdoor setting. Even if a location is cheap, you may end up paying double or triple that amount by the time you add in fees or other vendors to provide for “extras” not included in the original price. The following list of items may or may not be included, so be sure to check your contract carefully:

• Place for bridal party to get ready for ceremony.
• Ceremony chair set-up and/or rental fees.
• Aisle runner and ceremony staging.
• Floral services and labor.
• Tent for reception or in case of inclement weather.
• Tables, chairs, and service for reception.
• Wedding coordinator for planning or for the day of the wedding.
• Catering services (may or may not include wedding cake).
• Bar service and fees for alcohol and bartenders.
• Music or DJ services.
• Dance floor set-up.
• Clean-up after the ceremony and reception.

Be sure to find out if your wedding has a time frame in which it must take place. Popular wedding sites often book upwards of three weddings or more in the same day. This can place a tight time constraint on your wedding day activities, including setup and take down time.

You will also want to check on contractual restrictions for certain things. For example, you may not be able to rig certain kinds of electrical devices up, like fog machines on the dance floor, at an outdoor wedding reception.

Outdoor Wedding Ideas: Ceremony Decor

Part of the beauty of an outdoor wedding is that few decorations are necessary. Mother Nature provides most of the decorations herself, so compliment the natural setting as you decorate.

Simple but elegant décor is called for at the ceremony. Enhance the location by using any of the following:

• Flowers, vines, and tulle weaved around gazebo rails
• Candelabras
• Tiered floral displays
• Floral or wooden archways
• Potted flowers or pew decorations at ends of rows
• Chair covers or bows
• Aisle runner

Decorate your ceremony site so that it flows into the reception area. Use similar colors and flowers to harmonize the two areas.

Reception Decor

Your reception décor is just as important as your ceremony’s decorations. Guests will be spending a large part of the wedding at the reception, so you want to create a space where they are comfortable eating, mingling, and dancing.

Tented Reception Decorations

One of the best things to do is to rent a tent for your reception. Even if the weather report is for clear and sunny weather, you cannot be sure until just days (or even hours) before your wedding. Choose a tent where sides can be tied back to create an open space, but let down if you need to enclose your reception area.

Decorate the inside of the tent by covering chairs and tables in wedding colors. Make wedding reception centerpieces for tables. If you are having a themed outdoor wedding, this is the time to make it come alive—for example, use checkered tablecloths and hay bales for western weddings, or butterfly ceiling hangings for a garden wedding.

Place columns and pillars near supports. Have larger versions of centerpieces on top, or use potted plants and floral displays.

Hang a chandelier above the dance floor and head table. Use candles and string lights along seams of the tent to light the area.

Open-Air Décor

Open-Air Reception

If you live in an area that sees little rain and do not need to have a tent as backup, you can still make the reception area stunning in an open-air setting. Ways to create a reception haven include:

• Use natural centerpieces, like floral bouquets and potted plants.
• Cover bushes in net lights.
• Use tiki torches to surround your reception area.
• Place gazing globes throughout your cocktail area.

The main thing to remember when decorating the reception area is to keep things tied, tacked, or glued down so that wind does not blow them away. Have a well-lit path to restrooms during evening receptions.

Fair Weather Outdoor Weddings

Of course, no outdoor wedding ideas can be implemented unless you choose the right wedding date. After all, an outdoor wedding in Iowa during November can be wintery cold, but in southern Texas, it will be temperate and sunny.

Season

Although summer months are popular for weddings, many brides are choosing to move their weddings into early fall to avoid the spring rains and summer humidity. Check out The Weather Channel for extensive weather coverage for your geographic location.

Hour of Day

In addition to planning your wedding around the time of year, you want to plan the right time of day. Early morning weddings can be cool, but dewy grass can make guests and bridal party members uncomfortable. It also leaves less time for day-of preparations.

Afternoon weddings are festive and sunny. Unfortunately, this is also the time for daytime temperature highs.

Sunset or late afternoon/early evening weddings are stunning to behold. Although the heat has worn off, be sure to arrange seating so that guests do not have the sun in their eyes.

No matter what season or hour you schedule your wedding for, you can be sure that it will be a gorgeous ceremony to behold. Choose your location carefully and decorate your ceremony and reception using the natural décor as a guide to stunning outdoor wedding ideas that will make memories to last a lifetime..