Ah to be outside and at one with nature – what could be a better way to tie the knot? The combination of bright blue skies (if the weather holds out, that is), gentle breezes, and the beautiful natural decor on display, is what makes outdoor weddings so amazing. Of course, while getting married outside can be amazing, it’s important to realize that a lot can go wrong. So, with that in mind, below are some of the dos and don’ts of planning a gorgeous garden wedding, to ensure that every eventuality is planned for.
Do devise a rain plan
Hopefully, you won’t need to worry about rain, but should the heaven’s open it’s a good idea to ensure that there is a rain plan in place. The truth is that if you’re going to get married outside, you need to have a plan B, to ensure that no matter what, your big day is perfect. The last thing you want is to have to get married outside in the rain, so it’s important that you’ve got a plan B in place so that no matter what happens your big day can go ahead.
Don’t plan an entirely open-air event
What a lot of couples who are planning a garden wedding do is hire a marquee with open sides to put the tables and chairs in for the wedding breakfast, along with the bar, and dance floor, and then plan to have the ceremony outside. However, should it rain, then the ceremony can easily be moved inside, so there’s no drama or stress. There are some beautiful marquees out there – the most popular of which tend to be teepee-style marquees. Don’t think of marquees as boring because you can fill them with pretty decorations and transform them into truly magical spaces; it’s just a case of getting creative, that’s all.
Do beautify the area being used for the ceremony
Picture from Pixabay
Yes, nature is beautiful, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t want to amp up the beauty of the area that you’re having your ceremony in. If you take the time to have a browse online at garden weddings, you will see that most couples choose to add nature-themed pieces of decor to their ceremony area, such as archways with flowers woven around them, wildflowers in jam jars, and all sorts of cute, quirky other features. Take the time to get creative and get inspired, and you can ensure that your wedding ceremony is totally and completely gorgeous, and just how you dreamed it would be.
Don’t forget about power
Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of forgetting to think about how you will get power to your ceremony, if you should need it. Or, if your ceremony doesn’t need power, your marquee most definitely will, so you need to ensure that you are able to get the power that you will need. The ease of this will depend on where you are pitching your marquee – if it’s in a private garden, this could making getting access to power difficult. However, if it’s being held in a garden that specializes in weddings, then the chances are they will have a generator or electric hookup on offer. This is something that it’s important to find out about beforehand, just in case there isn’t access to power.
Do get creative with entertainment
When it comes to the entertainment that you have at your wedding, don’t be afraid to get creative. There are so many fantastic ways you can ensure that your big day is fun and memorable for everyone in attendance, it’s just a case of thinking outside of the box. The great thing about holding a garden wedding is that there should be plenty of space for outdoor activities, such as crochet, boules, and cornhole. Obviously, add personal touches to your wedding is important, so aim to find ways to personalize any activities that you have. Take cornhole, for example, perhaps you could get personalized board wraps? Take the time to browse for board wraps online and see whether there’s anywhere that offers specially designed wedding ones, and consider investing in those to add a personal touch to your entertainment. The same goes for any other entertainment – personalizing it is always a great idea, it’s just a case of finding a way to do that.
Don’t forget to hire a DJ
Of course, a wedding isn’t a true celebration without music, so as well as other activities, make sure to hire a DJ (or a live band). Make sure to check that the DJ you have hired has all the equipment needed to crank up the tunes and make your wedding an amazing celebration. It’s also a good idea to give them a list of music that you want played, in advance, to ensure that nothing gets missed out.
Do be choosy about the food you serve
Image credit
The fact is that the food you choose to serve at your wedding should be in keeping with the theme of the day. For example, an overly fancy sit-down meal can seem a bit strange at a garden wedding, as garden weddings tend to be more relaxed. So, instead, something a little more relaxed could be a good idea. For outdoor weddings, ram roasts or hog roasts always tend to work well, as do BBQs, and buffet-style meals, because they’re that little bit more relaxed. Or, how about having a themed buffet. Love Greek food, have a Greek-themed buffet. Mad about Mexican food, have a Mexican-themed buffet. The options are endless. Just make sure to choose food that you and your partner love.
Don’t fail to think about keeping everyone warm and comfortable
Getting married outside or in a marquee with open sides is a great way to tie the knot – there’s nothing nicer than being at one with nature until it gets cold that is. To ensure that you and your guests are kept warm even if the weather goes cold, it could be worth putting show baskets of throws around, that people can wrap up in. For anyone wearing heels who becomes uncomfortable or starts sinking into the mud, why not leave a basket of flip flops for everyone to help themselves to. That way you can ensure that everyone is comfortable and cozy, and can enjoy themselves.
So there you have it, all of the dos and don’ts of planning a gorgeous gardening wedding.
Submitted on behalf of Modern Weddings