Use Your Imagination for Outside Wedding Ideas
Envision your outdoor ceremony under a bright sun-lit sky. Your expectant guests are seated in white chairs on the grass separated by a natural grassy aisle with scattered rose petals. You walk amongst those gathered to the vine covered arch, profuse with honeysuckle and gardenias. Your husband-to-be and celebrant await, as your cellist plays a Brandenburg Concerto. And, your guests just love the custom program fans that you provided to them which inform them of your ceremony schedule and keep them cool.
If you are able to have most of the day allocated for your festivities, why not take even greater advantage of the outdoors? Perhaps there are paths for a leisurely stroll or ducks to feed to relax your guests before and after the ceremony.
I’m going to just touch the surface, giving you a few ideas for planning your fun and unique outdoor wedding.
Simple Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Ideas
- Have your ceremony under an arbor, arch (like the one in the photo above) or gazebo to which you have added some of your flowers to keep your color theme.
- Edge the aisle which has been strewn with flower petals with small decorative parasols.
- Have a water station with cold bottled waters or pitchers of ice tea or lemonade
- Offer a few wedding umbrellas or parasols for shade
- As a decorating idea, hang paper lanterns in your favorite colors on shepherds’ hooks to mark the aisle
- Do a Unity Sand Ceremony for your beach themed or beach wedding
A Few Outdoor Wedding Reception Ideas
- After your outdoor ceremony, consider a full formal reception with a sit down dinner in the garden or under a chandelier or candle lit reception tent. At many outdoor wedding locations, you can plan both your outdoor ceremony and reception, to make full use of the grounds.
- On the other hand, less formal couples may prefer to have a barbecue, with picnic table seating, to the sounds of a bluegrass trio. If you are very informal, you can use hay bales for seating.
- In the time between a simple garden ceremony and reception, pass platters of hors d’oeuvres to guests seated about the garden.
- While guests are enjoying pre-reception drinks and appetizers, all the maids of honor can gather round the bride, who is holding a parasol of white lace, for photos that hearken back to country weddings of England and France.
Use the Changing Colors in Your Fall Outdoor Wedding Ideas
Let nature be your guide when trying to come up with outdoor fall wedding ideas. The golds and reds of trees and foliage can be woven into your wedding color scheme through your bridal and decor flowers, linen choices and in the selection of your wedding favors. See what The Knot Wedding Shop at the right, suggests for fall wedding favor ideas and other decor to complete your fall wedding theme.
You’ll discover that many outdoor wedding ideas for fall events will be similar to what you would do in any season.
Make the Most of Celebrating Your Special Day Outside
A wedding weekend may be for you if you have many guests coming from out of town. A day with such anticipation shouldn’t be over so quickly. Your best man or maid of honor can help set up events for the days before and after the wedding day itself. Maybe a snorkeling outing or sightseeing cruise if the event is taking place at the beach, or perhaps a horseback ride to breakfast, the day after your mountain celebration. Spending additional time enjoying such fun outdoor activities will bring your families and friends together, just as you two have united.
Outdoor Wedding Thoughts to Keep in Mind
Being outside can provide some challenges, such as handling adverse weather conditions. You’ll want to be sure that guests have sun screen and water handy and that you have a few umbrellas or parasols on hand. A backup indoor location is a plus. Also, consult with your caterer and baker about what may be appropriate to serve at your outdoor affair as some foods, like traditional wedding cakes with icing, won’t fare well in the hot sun.
If you are cost conscious and thinking about a backyard wedding at your home or at the house of a relative, consider this. While a backyard wedding may seem like a good idea, the bride and groom should weigh all the costs and inconveniences against reserving a reception venue that is specifically set up to handle events. Such a site will have the necessary furnishings and amenities as well as professional staff coordination to make your special day run smoothly. You may want to read The Pitfalls of Having a Backyard Wedding
