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Outdoor wedding couples: we know you've got your amazing forest-friendly outfit, your rustic ceremony signs, and your best outdoor-wedding-rockin' attitude, but what are you forgetting? Here are the five things you just might forget at your outdoor wedding.
When you're sans AC, hardwood floors, and the little things that make indoor weddings a little more controllable, you want to make sure you've got these things covered. These outdoor wedding essentials will all be worth it for the photos, right?
Footwear suggestions
Gravel, dirt, mulch, wet grass, rocks, hills… it's a big world out there full of crud to step in, break heels, and ruin pedicures. Make sure to advise your guests (via your invite, Facebook group, wedding website, wherever) what shoes to wear at your outdoor wedding. you may also want to set up some designated pathways for walking on rougher terrain, especially if you'll be hosting guests with mobility issues.
Pro tip: consider providing some shoe covers in case it gets really messy outside. Someone with shmancy shoes will thank you.
Weather woes
Having a backup location in case of rain is usually something couples remember, but it can be easy to forget the little luxuries that indoors can provide. If you're caught in cold or hot weather outdoors, here are some items to have on-hand, depending on your sitch:
- Handheld fans (maybe as your wedding program?)
- Blankets or shawls
- Sunscreen
- Bottles of water
- Mini umbrellas
- Bug spray
We've got tons of tips for warm, summer weddings, too:
Food cover
Depending on your venue, you may need to think about bringing some extra coolers, ice, and food covers to keep your food cold. If you're using a catering company, double check that they have a solution for outdoor food spoilage-prevention. Secondly, you may have to contend with some buggy friends wanting in on your delicious food. Plastic food covers, drink lids, and mosquito netting can keep them at bay.
When mother nature calls
When you're in Mother Nature, sometimes she calls… and you've got to answer. Check to see if your outdoor venue provides any bathroom facilities or you may end up decorating some kick-ass portable toilets:
The body electric
WE HAVE THE POWA…. or do we? If you'll need outlets for music, microphones, lights, etc., you'll need to find a power source. Check to see what your vendor provides or if you'll need to pony up for a generator. Keep in mind that the quiet kind of generators can be expensive.
Pro tip: camping gear can be great for outdoor lighting options and battery-powered devices. Think LED string lights, solar pathway lights, mini flashlights, and maybe even glow sticks!
Are you having an outdoor wedding? What tips did we miss?
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About the Author: Catherine Clark
Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com.
Food cover and spoilage! I don’t think I’ll ever forget the Tribesmate who went to a wedding with an unintentional multi-hour gap between ceremony and reception while the self-catered food and guests sat out in the sun. A majority of the guests ended up with food poisoning.
Some good points here and I agree with all of them. Outdoor weddings might look very cool and classy, but it troubles a lot that may spoil your mood and ruin your outdoor wedding. It might sound boring to get married behind four walls, but these weddings provide comfort and all the great amenities.
We bought an inflatable buffet that we filled with ice to keep things like potato salad cold.
For the love of all that is good and just, just spring for a tent rental too! We didn’t plan to, but then ended up getting one because there was possible rain in the forecast. Fortunately it didn’t rain, but having that tent made all the difference for the comfort of our guests.