Planning your Outdoor Wedding
If you are planning an outdoor wedding, there are several different ways to do it. You'll need to decide just what type of wedding you'd like, since there are tons of possibilities. The style or theme can be fun, romantic, whimsical or traditional. I have several ideas that I'd like to share with you, in the hopes you'll find some great ideas for your outdoor wedding.
What type of couple are you? I like to start with ideas about who my clients really are, how they see themselves and what their main interests are. One couple, when picturing their wedding outdoors, may envision tables among the heavy vines of a vineyard, while another couple pictures a country-chic barn as the perfect setting.
A wedding in the Woods
Remember when you were a kid and went camping with your friends and family? You were enchanted by the very feel of being in nature, the night time campfires and sitting around telling stories. Allow that memory to translate into an amazing wedding theme.
Let's start with your guest seating. To give outdoor seating an elegant touch, add decorative fabric cushions in your wedding theme colors. Many outdoor sites have a split log type of campfire seating, so check with your local park or recreation area in advance to see what's available. If no seating is provided at your chosen site, try natural colored, wooden folding chairs to stay in line with your theme.
Next make the area extra special by string decorative lights in the trees above your seating area. There are lots of options besides the traditional Christmas string lights, so don't be afraid to be a bit daring with your choice.
To keep the woodsy theme going, choose a braided branch wedding arch and decorate it with flowers. Your guests will feel as if they are in a woodland fantasy, and your wedding ceremony will be magical! You can also use floating paper lanterns, vintage glass lanterns, or ribbons to create a similar effect, and really dress up your woodsy wedding.
Getting married in an Vineyard!
Talk about a gorgeous venue, you can really build a theme around! Like wine, fruit and sunshine? Well a Vineyard, (or orchard) can make the perfect setting for an amazing event.
For this theme, use natural elements to their greatest advantage in every area of your wedding design. This outdoor wedding theme has tons of appeal for wine lovers, and for lovers of the great outdoors alike.
You can use empty wine bottles as wedding centerpieces, alone or with flowers. Simply keep your empty bottles, or ask friends to keep theirs and put them to good use. Use different shapes and colors if you wish, and surround several grouped together bottles with candles in votive holders.
Another chic and cheap way to have fun with this theme is to use wine corks as escort card holders. You can buy them in bulk online, so don't feel the need to start drinking more wine, unless you really want to!
Getting married in a barn
Some folks may not think that a dusty old barn can be the setting for an elegant wedding ceremony or reception. Well those folks are wrong! Beams can make hanging a gorgeous chandelier easy, and there's usually plenty of space.
You can use hay bales as seating, simply cover them with cushions or heavy fabric, both to decorate them and to protect guests clothing. This works equally well for wedding or reception seating. Hay bales make equally quaint risers for wedding centerpiece arrangements at the head of your altar, or in the back where guests will enter the seating area.
Many other venues make great sites for outdoor weddings as well. Arboretum, rose garden, butterfly garden, lakeside, and on the beach are some of my favorites. Check back here soon for more ideas about these particular venues, and many more great outdoor wedding themes