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Planning an Outdoor Wedding
Planning an Outdoor Wedding
An article by Amy Griffin - Griffin Luxury Toilet Hire
When you’re planning your wedding (which most of us girls have dreamt about since we were about five!) there’s a lot more to consider than just the style of your dress.
Traditionally weddings are held either inside a church, or other religious building, or in a registry office. Over the past few years this trend has changed and people are now choosing various locations in which to tie the knot, especially as more venues are licenced for weddings.
Have you ever considered having an outdoor wedding? So many people dream of having their wedding on the beach or in a grand garden on a beautifully sunny day with all their family and friends around them, but what really are the practicalities of this?
1. Location – The first thing to consider is whether you want to get married at home or abroad. If you dream of going overseas, you will need to know the legal requirements for marriage in that country before you start booking. If you decide you want to get married closer to home, there are a variety of options available. Perhaps on a local beach, in a park, at a scenic landmark, in some beautiful gardens or in the grounds of a stately home? With so many options of outdoor locations available, other considerations are:
2. Permissions – If you choose to get married in a public place like a beach or a park, you will need to consult your local council to see what permissions you need. If you want to get married in the gardens of a stately home you will need to ask permission from the owner of the house and find out if they’re licenced to hold weddings.
3. Back-up Plan – What will you do if the weather is so bad that there’s no way the ceremony can be held outside? It’s wise to plan somewhere where there is also an indoor location. Or perhaps you could have a tent or some shelter available if you still wish to have your ceremony outside?
4. Dress – The bridal party need to plan their outfits according to the location and expected weather for the time of year. If there’s a risk that the ground may be wet, it would be wise for the bride not to wear heels as these could sink into grass. Many outdoor locations such as beaches can be windy, so consider this when planning your hairstyle as there’s nothing worse than having to push your hair out of your eyes all the time and it looks terrible in photos! If it’s likely to be hot, remember to wear sunscreen and don’t wear heavy make-up. Most importantly – don’t forget to tell your guests that the wedding will be outdoors so that they can dress accordingly too.
5. Ensure Your Guests Are Comfortable – Inevitably your guests could spend a lot of time waiting. Depending on the time of year, you need to make sure your guests are provided for. For example, in hot weather provide cold drinks for them so they don’t get dehydrated. Fans are a good idea to make sure they don’t overheat. Perhaps you could even provide sunscreen. In cold weather, outdoor heaters may be a wise option and lap blankets particularly for the elderly.
6. Sound – One of the most important things is to make sure everyone can hear the ceremony, especially those all-important vows! Is there scope for a sound system to be set up? This will obviously rely on electricity supplies but it’s definitely worth investigating.
7. Reception – traditionally even though the ceremony is held outside, the reception will be held inside. What kind of venue would you like? If you want to keep with the outdoor theme, have you considered Marquee Hire? A few things to consider when hiring a marque are:
- Where will you have it? Again, permission may be needed depending on the location. Have you got a big enough garden to perhaps have it at home?
- Visit the site first – Wherever you choose to have your marquee you need to visit the exact location of where it will be to make sure it’s suitable for your needs.
- Size – What size will you need for the number of guests you’re inviting?
- Catering - Will you be hiring caterers? If so, will they be inside the marquee or will they need a separate tent?
- Toilets – Will your marquee be near a house with sufficient toilet facilities for your guests? If not, you will need to hire portable toilets.
- Lighting, Flooring, Dance Floor – what will these be like? Usually each Marquee company will have a brochure or a website so that you can find out specific information and choose the exact specifications you desire.
As you can see, planning an outdoor wedding takes a lot of hard work and preparation. There are many other considerations to take into account as well. Whatever wedding location you choose, make sure you think everything through carefully to ensure that you have the perfect wedding you’ve always dreamt of!
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