Planning Your Wedding: Are You an Outdoor Wedding Couple?
“Trawling through the lists of hotels and country houses, restaurants and sports clubs nothing seemed to quite strike the right chord for us.”
Now you’re planning your wedding you’ll be looking for something unique that gives you loads of flexible options. Ideally you’ll want to put a few personal stamps on your big day but what if the whole day could totally reflect you as a couple? What if you could have the sort of day that you’re both comfortable with? An outdoor wedding provides just that and the planning can be all kinds of fun!
How do we know if we’re an outdoor wedding sort of couple?
It isn’t just about spending your leisure time in the big outdoors. You might be hikers or bikers, perhaps you love to run or laze in the sun – but there’s so much more to it than that. Outdoor wedding couples are a relaxed bunch of people who love to be sociable with friends and family and express themselves from ‘I do’ to the last dance, through their styling, food and drink, music and entertainment on their wedding day.
Your legal ceremony will need to be conducted in a licensed premises; some outdoor venues include this by means of a pagoda or other licensed area. If that’s not possible at your outdoor wedding location then getting a celebrant on board enables you more choices for your vows. Your legal ceremony can be conducted in a registry office or in your venue’s licensed area prior to the big day. After that, a celebrant led ceremony outdoors lets you be wherever you choose when your friends and family see you ‘tie the knot.’
What sort of vibe does an outdoor wedding have?
In short – it’s whatever you make it because an outdoor wedding gives you the opportunity to make it all about you and your style. What it’s unlikely, but not impossible, to capture is formality. If you’re looking for a five star, silver service and butler sort of celebration with everything timed to the minute with perfect precision then perhaps an outdoor wedding isn’t for you.
Outdoor wedding vibes are flexible and relaxed, they’re fun and can be lively, they can provide pockets of calm where needed and some stunning backdrops for original images. Getting married in an outdoor setting might not always follow a traditional wedding running order and may allow for a more fluid and evolving approach. Lots of planning is needed in the background to make sure that your day still fits in all of your important ‘must haves’ but you and your guests have a fun-filled, laid back day, especially once the ceremony has taken place.
Mostly it’s all about being unique and perhaps even a little bit quirky. You’ll certainly have a day to remember and one that your guests will be talking about for years to come!
But how exactly do we capture our style in an outdoor wedding?
Traditionally outdoor weddings have centred on rustic or boho themes and harnessing the great outdoors into your styling is wonderful but certainly not compulsory!
Florals and foliage, centrepieces and chandeliers, pallets and barrows and some really personal touches can all add to an amazing end result. Including festoon lighting, uplighters, lanterns or fairy lights makes all the difference and results in some amazing images for the album!
A festival style allows the use of a range of colour palettes, a vintage feel can bring some relaxed formality with a pretty twist. A tipi could be decorated in a Moroccan style with vibrant colours and golden touches. Start off by brainstorming your ideas; maybe think about where you’ve been together on holiday – tropical colours or a safari theme; the sky really is the limit!
What sort of food could we have at our outdoor wedding?
Think about what you both like to eat. It’s all about you! What are your favourites? How do you like to eat? Sit down for a structured meal or graze over the day and night? Food for both the daytime and evening reception is another opportunity to really put your stamp on your day, be innovative; surprise and delight your guests!
If you’re looking for a three course sit down meal this can be achieved in an outdoor location but consider hog roasts, barbecues, pizza from a wood fired oven, meze platters or tapas style eating. What about throwing the schedule out of the window completely and have food trucks and festival style without any formality at all? Or beautifully dress your tables and go for a luxury afternoon tea with delicate finger sandwiches and delicious cakes?
What else should I think about before deciding on an outdoor wedding?
If you’re having an outdoor wedding in a true green field site you’ll need to consider all of the utilities. You’ll need generation, consider water supplies, and to hire in toilet facilities. Consider your guest list when you’re working out the number of bathrooms you’ll need and don’t forget anyone with mobility issues in terms of access and getting around the site.
A summer wedding in the great outdoors is wonderful but in the UK we can’t always rely on the weather so don’t forget a supply of umbrellas just in case! If you’re having your reception in a tipi it will be nice and warm even in the winter and a real cosy feel can be created with fire pits and lighting but what about including a few blankets in your ‘accessories’ list?
Don’t forget music. What do you both love? Do your friends or family belong to a band and would like to perform for you on your big day? Is there a tribute act you’d really love to play? Music, like love, makes the world go round so giving it a space at your outdoor wedding can only add to the fantastic memories.
The most important thing is to have fun with your outdoor wedding planning. Don’t let it become stressful as that definitely doesn’t fit with the relaxed vibe!
Weddings at Fort Burgoyne provide fantastic outdoor weddings in tipis set in an amazing historic location. Polly and Paul are a couple in life and in business who work with engaged couples just like you to ensure that your wedding is unique in every way.
If you fancy an outdoor wedding and saying ‘I do’ without stress then please get in touch via our contact page.
