Planning a wedding of any kind is pretty stressful. Aside from the excitement and anticipation, there’s no doubt that you want the day to pan out perfectly. You won’t want to worry about flower arrangement mishaps, catering dilemmas, or a dreaded outfit malfunction. So, planning for even the smallest details is crucial.
If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, you’ll have a unique set of challenges to plan around, like unpredictable weather, comfortable seating, enough shade, and a few others.
So, we’ve listed some expert tips to help you plan the perfect outdoor wedding.
Choose The Right Venue
Outdoor venue options include the beach, lakeside, winery, park, resort, and even your backyard. However, each outdoor venue will offer different pros and cons. For example, your backyard might be more affordable, but it won’t provide as much space as a resort venue.
As a result, it’s essential to consider your guest list when choosing the right venue; it’s vital that the venue can comfortably hold all your guests.
Arrange Enough Shade
Next, you must arrange enough shade to ensure your guests are not overheating in the sun or drenched from drizzle should it rain on the day. Unfortunately, the weather can be unpredictable, so planning for overhead shade, such as wedding tents, is crucial.
If the venue that you choose does not have an entertainment hall or other overhead covering, you can rent wedding tents ahead of time. These large tents can be decorated to complement your wedding theme.
Keeping Guests Hydrated
It’s typically best to plan an outdoor wedding during warmer months. With this, you’ll need to ensure your guests are provided with enough beverages to stay hydrated in the warm weather.
When stocking the bar, it’s essential to provide free beverages even if you want to opt for a cash bar. Free drinks can be bottled water, coffee, tea, and even soda.
Pick The Right Floral Decor
Unfortunately, some of the more delicate flower choices are not suitable for outdoor weddings because they may not tolerate the heat well. So, to avoid the horror of your floral decor wilting on your big day, choosing flowers that will maintain their beauty, even in full sunlight, is best.
Pick durable flowers that are in season, as these will wilt slower. Moreover, set up the floral decor on the day, shortly before guests arrive. This way, the arrangements look fresh throughout the ceremony and the wedding reception.
Tie Everything Down
If you don’t plan for potential wind, it can be disastrous to your wedding decor. So, be sure to have everything held down in place. You can use ribbons or even rocks to secure items like name cards and wedding programs.
Planning an outdoor wedding does come with a few challenges. Even though you can identify and plan around these challenges independently, you can also consider relying on a professional wedding planner. These professionals already know all the expected challenges, so you’ll have more time to focus on other details, like finding the perfect wedding dress.
