Considerations for an Outdoor Wedding

Creating a Pinterest-worthy outdoor wedding can be a lot of work. It’s important to consider weather, footwear, elderly guests and various possible logistics issues when you’re making your plans.

Depending on where your wedding will be held and during what time of year, you may need to make a back-up plan in case of rain. Even if there’s just a brief rain shower, and you don’t need to move the entire wedding inside, you may still ruin electronic equipment, your guestbook and decorations. At minimum, keeping these items safe should be an important consideration.

Let your guests know what to expect. If they have to walk on grass, women may need to wear flats. If the evenings turn chilly, they may want to bring a warm layer. Perhaps you can make custom sunglasses as a wedding favor, should your guests be in bright sunlight during the ceremony.

You’ll need to keep several other things in mind: Are you going to have a dance floor? If there’s not a natural, hard surface nearby, you can rent one. Are elderly guests able to walk to the seating area easily? Are bathrooms readily accessible? Is there electricity available for a sound system? And as the sun goes down, will you have enough lighting to continue the party? Thinking through each of these items will help make your big day run smoothly.