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One of the things I love about this time of year is weddings. I love a good wedding. I love the food, the dancing, the celebrations, but mostly I love celebrating people that we love and the commitment that is marriage.
We have four weddings this year (five if you count the one we couldn’t get to). Two weddings in May and two weddings in September. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to help celebrate one of my best friends from college as she tied the knot.
It was a beautiful outdoor wedding on a little farm in North Carolina. Everything was just perfect, but it took lots of planning and hard work by the bride, her family, and a host of great vendors to make it happen. Today I’m sharing some of my thoughts on the things that she did really well to have such a wonderful wedding.
How to Plan an Awesome Outdoor Wedding
Decide on the Wedding’s Theme and Vibe
Will the wedding be formal or casual? Somewhere in between? Are you going for more of a garden party or a cookout? Is this a southern chic wedding or more city glam? Outdoor weddings can take on so many forms, so it is important to choose how you want your wedding to feel. This should set the tone for everything else you decide.
Choose a Great Venue
Keeping in mind the theme of your wedding, you’ll want to choose a great venue. Of course by “great venue” I don’t mean a place that simply looks great. You’ll want to consider several factors when choosing your venue. Is there enough parking for all guests? What about accessibility for any guests that might have a hard time walking, or need wheelchair access?
You’ll want to consider the balance between green space and shelter – especially if it’s going to be a particularly sunny and hot day.
Does the Venue have electricity? For backyard weddings, you may need to look into renting a generator to provide ample electricity not only for lights, but for the DJ and/or caterers. You’ll also want to confirm that there are restrooms for guests to use. Many commercial venues will have this taken care of, but if you are getting married at someone’s home, they may not have the capacity for all your guests to use their home restrooms on the big day. If you need to rent a portable restroom, find an good discreet spot on site where it can be located.
Prepare Well Ahead of Time
This is one of my biggest tips for any wedding or event. Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. (Just want to emphasize that.) This includes thinking through the whole day from start to finish and writing down all the things you want to happen. Yes, I said write them down. You will have so many things going on the day of the wedding and you need to be sure that you don’t forget the things that are important. Some important lists I recommend making:
- Itinerary for the full day – Who should be where when, what time vendors will arrive, what time photos start, what time the reception is to begin and end, when you want to cut the cake, etc. I know this sounds like a lot of tedious details and it is, but it will help your big day run so much more smoothly.
- Photo list for the photographer – with names where applicable – be sure the send the photographer a list of all the different groups of photos you want. Whole family, immediate family, sibling photos, wedding party photos, groomsmen, bridesmaids, college friends, etc. Scan Pinterest for ideas and feel free to send example photos to the photographer. This will help give the photographer a better sense of your style and help ensure you get all the pictures you want. Be sure to include names for group pictures, especially of family. This allows the photographer to call specific people up for photos and will help keep the photo sessions efficient.
- Must play / do not play list for the DJ – You might not want to come up with the full playlist for the DJ. After all, that’s why you hired a DJ in the first place, right? But, you might want to give the DJ a list of songs you definitely want and do not want played.
Wear the Right Shoes
High heels can be tough outside, especially if there is a lot of grass that you’ll be walking in. Because nobody wants to fall on their wedding day, I recommend flats or wedges to be safe. I mean, I guess you could buy these high heel protectors
, but let’s be real. is it worth the risk? I don’t know. You could even go barefoot if you’ve got a long dress.
Keep it Simple
Sometimes less is more. This is especially true with outdoor weddings. One of the great things about getting married outdoors is that you are already surrounded by so much natural beauty. Think of things that will work with the natural décor, not hide it. Think string lights, lanterns, candles, natural elements like wood blocks, flowers, even succulents.
Reuse Ceremony Décor for the Reception
In the same thought as keeping it simple, why not have your décor be multi-functional? These beautiful flowers hung from shepherd hooks during the ceremony and were moved to be used as centerpieces for the reception. Not only is this a great way to help with your budget, but it lets you and guests enjoy those beautiful decorations again!
Keep Your Guests Comfortable
Your wedding day is all about you, right? Well, mostly if you ask me. You’ve also got guests that have made an effort to celebrate with you and I really think it’s important to make sure that you show some appreciation for that. Little things can go a long way here. Make sure to have plenty of water available for guests. You could even provide fans if it will be really hot.
You’ll also want to think about keeping guests entertained between the ceremony and reception. Lawn games are a PERFECT way to do this at outdoor weddings. Guests of all ages loved the corn hole boards at my friends’ wedding and as a mom, I was so glad that there were some fun activities that Little could participate in. Your guests will notice and appreciate all the special touches.
DIY Where You Can & Hire Where You Need
Are you good at arts & crafts? There are so many fun DIY projects you can take on for the wedding. Not only does this add a sweet personal touch, it can be a real money saver! For example, look at these sweet wood block table numbers my friend made herself. They look professional. DIY definitely takes time and patience, but it can really be worth it on some projects.
That said, I don’t recommend doing everything yourself. There are somethings it’s just best to skip right over the DIY route and do what I call, BIY – aka buy it yourself. If it’s going to cause you immense stress, just don’t worry about it, or hire someone else to do it for you.
Speaking of hiring someone, I strongly recommend a day-off coordinator for your wedding. Of course you can have a full on wedding planner for the whole process if you wish, but in my case, and in the case of my friend, a day of coordinator was enough. This person will meet with you ahead of time, read over all your lists (see above), and be there on the day of the wedding to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch. This was such a huge stress relief for me and my mom on my wedding day. You can hire a professional, or just have a good friend who has lots of event experience be in charge on your wedding day.
Have a [Good] Rain Plan
This is the point that no one planning an outdoor wedding wants to talk about. No one even wants to mention the possibility of rain. But, if you’re planning an outdoor wedding anymore than about 5 days in advance, you’ll want to think through and have a good rain plan. I know you want to have a beautiful, sunny day. But in the event it rains, you will be thankful to have had a plan in place ahead of time.
Enjoy Your Wedding
Finally, just enjoy your day. No matter how good your plans are, you can’t control everything. Take a deep breath and just enjoy your day. You’ll end the day married. And that is the whole point, after all.
Have you been to outdoor weddings? What did you think? What tips do you have for planning an outdoor wedding or event?
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Outdoor wedding are great! Great tips too. Thanks for linking up to #MummyMondays.
Thanks so much!
Great tips! You seem to really know what you’re talking about! I will be having an outdoor backyard wedding next summer, which I am super excited for. Although, I will admit, we don’t have a backup plan for if it rains… Got to get on that D:
Kim
Simply Lovebirds
Thanks! We got married 5 years ago and have been to a lot of weddings, so these are all tips I’ve picked up along the way plus, specific things that my friend did really well at her recent wedding.
Lots of great ideas and these rustic type weddings are so beautiful.
Thanks! I also thought it was beautiful!
great tips I hope to be able to apply when my sons are ready to marry (if they ask for help!). Found you via the link party and would love to have you visit my blog and post here: http://www.hellolovelystudio.com/2017/06/come-enjoy-cupcakes-and-cocktails-in-my.html. PEACE TO YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.
Thanks so much!
These are great tips, last year we went to a outdoor wedding and it was the most special one we’ve ever been.
Thanks! We love weddings around here!
Great tips! My daughter is getting married in Sept! 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Dishing It & Digging It!
Thank you and congratulations to your daughter! What a fun time!
Your tips are great for most weddings, not just the outdoor ones, though I do love outdoor weddings! Thank you for joining The Really Crafty Link Party this week. Pinned!
Thanks so much! I appreciate it!
I love outside weddings! And your tips are really helpful!
Thanks! I really enjoyed the wedding a lot!
lovely post -so happy! I love weddings. I love outdoor wedding too but in the UK you also have to remember your large, golfing umbrella! #MummyMondays
Thanks so much! The wedding was a lot of fun! A good umbrella is always a good thing to have on hand at outdoor events like this for sure!
Yes! DIY-ing it was what saved us so much money for our wedding- and it’s a lot of fun to do the DIY stuff with loved one’s anyway!
I think DIY can be really useful especially if you are crafty or have friends/family that are. You must have to start pretty early though to keep it manageable and not so stressful so close to the big day!
Love this! My favorite tip: Wear the right shoes!! Cannot tell you how many times I’ve been to an outdoor wedding where my heels sunk into the ground lol. Lesson learned. Love this post, and what a beautiful wedding! 🙂
It really makes such a difference! I actually took multiple shoes to test out since I was in the wedding! I didn’t want to ruin heels, nor did I want to fall while walking around outside!
Beautiful wedding and great tips even if the wedding is indoors. My kids are getting closer to the wedding age (gulp….), so pinning on my “Here Comes the Bride” board.
I agree! We had an indoor wedding and some of these same tips applied! I really appreciate you stopping by and sharing!
Those flowers are so pretty and cheerful. I love the itinerary board. It’s nice for the guests to know exactly what to expect and when!
Aren’t they! I loved how the were so fully bloomed. I thought they were absolutely stunning. I agree on the itinerary. It is really helpful for guests!
I love weddings! I wanted a beach wedding but my mom’s wheelchair couldn’t handle the beach. This is a great post and budget friendly which is always good for me.
I’ve been to a beach wedding! It was fun, but there are even more things to consider for the beach – especially if it’s a public beach, I feel like! I do think there are lots of ways to be budget friendly with these events!
Such a great list! I was pretty happy thinking we did most of these! Ha! The only thing I would add is that if you don’t DIY, find friends that do and pay them! That’s what I did and it was still cheaper and we both benefited!
This is a really great idea! It’s cool to get your friends involved, too.
Some great tips there and fab photos, really unusual. Love the chalkboard 🙂 Thanks for linking up to the #bestandworst please do stop by again!
Thanks so much! You throw a great link up, Helen! 🙂
wow what awesome ideas.
Thanks!
I love outdoor weddings! This is great advice for getting it right! #bestandworst
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate you stopping by!
Love this! I had an outdoor reception and there were so many factors. Luckily I was able to get a handle on most of it but it was hard. I should have hired a day-of coordinator and not tried to DIY everything. I got sick right before the wedding and almost ruined everything! Thank you for a great list!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I think day of coordinators are wonderful no matter what kind of wedding you have! We were so thankful for ours!
Thank you so much for this article. My sister-in-law is having an outdoor reception in two weeks and we definitely did not think of half of these things!!
Two weeks is super close! I’m glad you found it helpful! Best wishes to your sister in law! I hope the day is wonderful!
I would love to attend an outdoor wedding…but when I was planning my wedding, one of the first things I said was “Not outdoors!” haha–I so do not trust the weather. I ended up getting married in December in Michigan anyways, so outdoor wouldn’t have been an option. Than barn venue is so lovely though…
It was really fun! That was one of my first thoughts too for my wedding – we got married in the summer in NC and good thing we chose indoors because it was a humid 106 on our wedding day! I do love outdoor wedding in the right season though and the barn was gorgeous!
This was such a fun post. I got married in 2015 on the beach so there were a lot of factors to take in to consideration. A good rain plan is a must and keeping your guests comfy, too. We also opened up the food bar for the guests once family was done taking pics so that they didn’t have to wait on us.
A barn wedding would have been my second plan! I love all your pictures. So simple, gorgeous and rustic!
Thank you! My college roommate had a beach wedding and it was really fun! There are so many variables for outdoor wedding! I think it is really thoughtful and considerate to keep your guests comfortable for sure!
I love all these ideas! We had ours at our vineyard outdoors. 3 cheers for creativity!
Thanks! This was my friend’s wedding, but I wanted to share all the awesome things she did because it definitely showed to the guests!
Excellent post! I so wanted an indoor December wedding, but due to lack of a venue (and funds) am doing an outdoor wedding in December. But since I’m in the more southern part of GA and it was 80 degrees here on Christmas last year, I’m keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks for the tips!
It is always really mild in the south on Christmas I feel like! Hopefully you’ll have great weather! I had a friend who wanted a spring wedding, but ended up getting married in February. It was sunny and 75. Perfect!
What a gorgeous wedding! Mine was outdoors and I followed all of these tips as well. Ironically it actually poured all day EXCEPT 40 minutes to have the ceremony outside facing the lake. We already planned to have dinner indoors just in case.
Thank you! It was my friends wedding and she did a really great job! Fortunately the rain held off right until the couple left! How awesome that the rain held off for your ceremony! I’m sure that was a MAJOR relief!
Great article! I like your point about keeping the guests comfortable with water and potentially fans. I got married 5/29 in the evening on the beach in CT, so we didn’t have to worry too much about bugs and heat, but depending on the setting, a bug spray and/or sunscreen station might be a good idea, too!
Bug spray/sunscreen is a great idea! Mosquitoes can be terrible! I bet your wedding was beautiful that time of year!