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Outdoor Wedding Tips

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Outdoor Wedding Tips

Ah, the great outdoors! So you’re having an outdoor wedding! What a great venue choice! Before you solidify your wedding plans, there are some aspects you need to keep in mind. Here are some outdoor wedding tips so you can have the best outdoor wedding.

Hot Weather

No one will be comfortable on a summer wedding day with no water or fans. Pro tip: make fan programs. If it’s a breezy day, your guests can simply read the program. On the other hand, if it is hot, your guests will be thankful you thought ahead. If that’s not your thing, you can also provide paper fans that coordinate to your wedding colors. Another important item you need is a water or beverage station or two. It’s important to stay hydrated on such an emotional day for you and your guests. You could arrange for a big box store run before the wedding to have individual water bottles ready on an iced cooler. You could also have a beverage cooler and individual cups. Either way, water is a must.

Another important factor is where you will be outside. Plan for the worst and expect the best. If you are looking at wedding venue options, it may be a good idea to choose one with a shaded area. Then any guests who feel overheated won’t have to miss the wedding. Similarly, if you easily get overheated it’s important you arrange your ceremony in a cool, shaded area. No one wants the newlyweds passing out on their wedding day!

Bathrooms

It’s not the most glamorous item on your checklist, but it is necessary nonetheless. If you are choosing to have your wedding in a nature preserve, beach, or park it is imperative you sort out the bathroom situation in advance. There are companies who rent out really nice temporary bathrooms. If there are not bathrooms nearby your ceremony location, time to research options for you and your guests when nature calls.

Electricity

Though you are over the moon in love on your wedding day, we’re not referring to that sort of electricity. We mean the electricity needed to power lights, wedding music, and microphones. Keep in mind, when you’re having an outdoor wedding, the options for power. Sometimes there are outdoor outlets nearby, but other times it is impossible. In those cases it’s important to ask about your options. There are generators you can rent. Other times, vendors have battery operated options or their own generators. The last thing you want is no music, lights, or sound on your wedding day.

Cool Weather

Sometimes you pick the one fall or summer day that is surprisingly cold. While we can’t predict the weather, we can plan in advance. A great wedding favor is scarves or pashminas. Especially if you are having a fall wedding it is a good idea to plan for this scenario. Another great way to keep your guests warm is space heaters. Often venues have portable space heaters ready to go. If not, it’s important to research into heating options so you and your guests don’t freeze.

Rain

Tent, Tent, Tent! If you are having an outdoor wedding one of the smartest things you can do is get a tent if there is no pavilion. Rain happens. It’s the proverbial good luck of outdoor weddings. If your venue does not have an indoor option come rain, it’s important that a tent large enough for your wedding is in your plans. There are so many beautiful ways to decorate tents. If you do get lucky and have a sunny day, many tents have roll up walls so you can bring the outdoors in. Better to be safe than sorry so your wedding day goes off without a hitch.

Are you having an outdoor wedding? Did you have an outdoor wedding? What was your favorite part of having it outdoors? What were some logistical struggles? Tell us in the comments below!

How To Tell If Your Wedding Budget is Too Strict

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Everyone knows weddings can be expensive, and unless you happen to have parents (or in-laws) who are millionaires, wedding planning typically involves compromise. However, that doesn’t mean that every decision should be based on price. It is okay to plan a budget-savvy wedding, but be careful not to become too strict; you might later wish you had planned a wedding more suited to your dreams. Here are two ways to tell if you might regret your cost-cutting ways.

You’re Settling

If you are settling on a place because it is the cheapest or choosing a wedding dress because it is on the clearance rack, you may want to reconsider what is important to you. Could you make coffee at home for the next few months instead of visiting the local coffee shop to help you pay for the dress you really want? Could you have the wedding on a Sunday or Friday to save money on the venue you really love? Compromise doesn’t have to mean settling for the cheapest option.

You’ve Become Obsessed

For some people, saving money can become an obsession. You get so excited about saving money that you focus all your attention on how much more you can save instead of focusing on the wedding plans . You are no longer choosing invitations or favors or flowers because they fit your wedding theme but because they are a good price. There is a line between budget-savvy and cheapskate. Try to stay on the right side.

There are plenty of ways to save money on a wedding. You don’t have to sacrifice the wedding of your dreams to make it happen. Instead, figure out which details are important to you and look for ways to cut spending in other areas of your life. Also, get creative with your wedding details. Just because you are on a budget doesn’t mean you have to wear a discounted dress in an unflattering style and host the reception at a venue with broken toilets. Find some balance and you can have a beautiful wedding and a healthy bank account.