Tips for Planning an Outdoor Wedding

We all have a unique vision of how we want our wedding day to look and feel. While there are some things that seem to top most lists – a beautiful dress, spending quality time with friends and family, the party to end all parties – there are other things that can be a bit more challenging.

Namely, do you dare to throw an outdoor wedding?

Here’s the thing: an outdoor wedding is a dream for a lot of people. Whether that’s a forest or lake, it does require a little more preparation, or at least some different thinking, compared to an indoor wedding. If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry. Read on to find our top tips for planning the outdoor wedding of your dreams.

Embrace nature

Whilst the most obvious time to hold an outdoor wedding in the UK is the summertime, that doesn’t suit every couple. That’s fine – not everyone wants the hottest day of the year when they say their vows, nor do they want to pay peak prices. So, if you are looking at a date at another point in the year, don’t be put off – you can still make an outdoor wedding work for you.

Embrace the season you’re in when it comes to decor and let nature do its fabulous thing. For example, you can decorate in pastel shades to complement bright and breezy spring weather, or go earthy for autumn. There are so many ways to decorate for the season that are fun, exciting, and totally unique!

Alternatively, look at a destination wedding if you’ve got a date in mind but the weather doesn’t suit in the UK. There are plenty of locations only a short flight away that will allow you to have the warm wedding of your dreams. To keep things simple, you may want to complete the legalities before or after you go, and have a symbolic ceremony abroad.

Don’t be without a Plan B

For an outdoor wedding, we would love to imagine blue skies and bright sun, but sometimes nature has other plans. Speak to your venue about whether there is a backup option in case of inclement weather. There may be an indoor space they use in this case, or ask if you can have a marquee – your venue will be able to advise where best to place this. Even if you never get to use it, it really is better to have it if a rainstorm strikes.

Speak up

Are you something of a quiet speaker? Indoor settings have natural acoustics which allows your voice to travel. However, when you are outside, you tend to get a lot more ambient noise and your voice does not carry as well.

Bear this in mind, as well as the number of guests who will be attending – including considering any who have hearing impairments. A small group will hear you just fine, but if you are saying “I do” in front of a larger group, maybe consider a microphone so you aren’t drowned out at the crucial moment.

Your perfect day

Your wedding day should be about celebrating your love with the people closest to you, in a beautiful venue. With a little planning, an outdoor ceremony can be the perfect backdrop for your celebrations, providing dramatic scenery for your nuptials.