Spring is in the air and wedding season has begun!!!
Al and I are TOTALLY psyched for all the cool and fun weddings we will be covering this year. It is going to be a very busy wedding season for us- but I think since we have the BEST Brides and Grooms it wont even seem like work!!! (We really do feel blessed with all the great couples we meet)
This year we will be going to some awesome places such as the Omni Hotel (which allows fro great photos in the historic district), Warrington Country Club, Pen Ryn Mansion, Franklin Institute, The Philadelphia Public Library, Penn Archeology Museum, William Penn Inn, The Chart House, Skippack Village, Drexelbrook, Celebrations Valley Green, and The Audobon Society-and this isn’t even all the amazing places!
Many of the weddings we do have either outdoor ceremonies, outdoor receptions, or both- so I wanted to post a few tips I have put together from myself and other posts. Hope you find this helpful!!
10 tips when having an outdoor wedding!
• Make your guests comfortable Think about what the weather will likely be at the time of day and month of the year of your outdoor wedding. Sunny and hot? Don’t leave your guests uncomfortably melting – have your ushers give guests ice-cold bottles of water as they are seated. Consider printing your wedding program on a fan so that guests may cool themselves. Don’t forget to have plenty of sunscreen on hand as well. We had cute umbrella tables at the reception to keep the sun off of people- as well as those cute little Chinese umbrellas-and guests could take them home with them too!
• Have a backup plan What will you do if it rains? The ideal outdoor wedding location has an indoor location waiting just in case. Many brides and grooms opt to have their ceremony outside and reception inside. In a pinch, the tables can be scooted to the back of the room during the ceremony. A tent is another option, but only for light to moderate rain storms. A heavy rain will soak the ground underneath, leaving guests with soggy and muddy shoes. Make sure any tent you rent is sturdy so it won’t flip over, and that it has thick and weighted sides.
• Plan for Wind Many outdoor weddings suffer from windy conditions. Tell your hairstylist that you’ll be having an outdoor wedding so she/he can plan a style that won’t leave you looking like Cousin It! And of course, make sure your tent will stand up to gusting winds or find an indoor backup plan. If its too windy and you are lighting a Unity Candle- don’t get frustrated- just move on!
• Can everybody hear? When you picture your dream wedding at the beach, you’re probably not hearing the roaring of the waves, the rushing wind, or the local kids running and screaming around you. Look into renting a sound system with clip mikes for the bride, groom and officiant. Your DJ or band may be able to easily arrange this for you. We will capture your vows and all the sound when you booked us for video because the groom will be wearing a wireless mic- but if its too windy, that sound could be picked up a little too.
• Decorations One of the bonuses of an outdoor wedding is the natural beauty around you, lessening your need to decorate. But you still need to do some work. Visit the site a week before your wedding to make sure the grass is mown, the ground raked, and the flowers have bloomed. If your wedding is at a public park, you may want to ask the groomsmen or friends to do this the morning of your ceremony. If it’s been an especially cold season, you may need to supplement the flowers with some potted bulbs from a florist. Other decorations you may want to consider include an arch or trellis to focus the ceremony and frame the bride and groom as they say their vows; strings of lights or lanterns in the trees; luminarias or torches.
• Make things tasty outside Does your caterer have experience planning an outdoor wedding menu? Make sure they’re planning things that will keep well outdoors in the heat. Avoid things like mayonnaise salads or dishes which must be served cold.
• Don’t leave your guests parched Since alcohol is dehydrating, consider serving a variety of lemonades, teas and punches. Be sure to have plenty of ice and water around as well. For a fancy cocktail, why not serve a classic mint julep or a mojito? The mint will refresh and cool your guests.
• Those pesky flying things Be sure to put out citronella candles or a bug zapper so that your guests won’t spend the whole ceremony swatting at the air. We had natural bug spray (made by Burts Bees) on the tables!
• Here comes the sun Consider timing your outdoor wedding for sunset where your guests will see you take your vows surrounded by the warm glow of the sun. Those having a daytime outdoor wedding should orient the ceremony so that the sun will be on guests’ backs rather than in their eyes.
• Permits Don’t forget to contact your city parks department or other local government to get a permit for an outdoor wedding. Be sure to ask about rules concerning trash removal, candle or torch lighting, and pre-wedding photography. For example- if you want to take wedding photos at the Philadelphia Art Museum- you must get a permit and they start at $150!
