Get married in nature
Romantic, intimate, with natural scenery and with the bright summer sun as the perfect backdrop, outdoor weddings are gaining in popularity for both ceremonies and post-event celebrations.Without doubt the beauty of getting married in the great outdoors is the natural light, the sun highlighting the breathtaking scenery and the ability to capture such unique imagery for treasured wedding photos. Coupled with the far more personal and relaxed atmosphere that outdoor weddings can offer and their flexibility in terms of space, we think opting to choose an outdoor location to hold a summer wedding really does offers unbeatable advantages and great value for money. Traditional venues can account for a sizeable chunk of wedding expenditure, so why not replace costly hire fees for churches, hotel receptions and halls with a comprehensive package for the use of outdoor spaces for both civil ceremonies and celebrations? Indoor venues have restrictions on space and can feel somewhat impersonal – having an outdoor wedding gives guests far more space to mingle as well as an opportunity to enjoy the unique surroundings of the great outdoors.
Planning an Outdoor Wedding
However, as romantic as it may seem, planning an outdoor wedding does mean there’s a few extra things to consider. Here we go through a few of the points to bear in mind when contemplating an outdoor wedding together with ways in which Events by Knight can help you achieve that fairy tale dream day.
Comfort
Think about the typical weather expected at the time of day and month of your outdoor wedding. If it’s likely to be extremely hot, do bear the comfort of your guests in mind. Perhaps ensure ushers have plenty of ice cold bottles of water to hand, or fans. Printing your order of service on a fan instantly provides guests with a treasured memento of your day. Warm locations may need large electric fans for extra comfort or marquees and tents to provide shelter from the sun.With the sun in mind, consider timing an outdoor wedding when sunlight will not be directly shining in your guest’s faces. This could either be achieved by careful layout of seating plans or choosing a time of day when the sun would not be at its brightest.Similarly, is it likely to be windy? If so, you’ll need to make sure that not only bridal clothing and hair styling will withstand the weather, but also any marquees and tents will stand up to sudden gusts of wind. Do remember to inform guests in advance so that they can dress accordingly.
Outdoor Distractions
When planning an ideal location for an outdoor wedding, it’s easy to focus on the attractive aspects and ignore things which may prove distracting to your guests. Will they all be able to hear properly if the backdrop of a beach setting becomes too noisy or the wind gathers speed? Does your seating plan cover this? If you’re unsure whether everyone will be able to hear the ceremony properly, look into the use of either clip on microphones or amplification equipment.
Décor
One of the advantages of an outdoor wedding is that the outdoor landscape and natural scenery form the main aspects of décor. However, you may still wish to co-ordinate wedding theme colours for floristry, chair and table decorations, centrepieces as well as ensuring that the site itself will be presentable for your special day. Will outdoor lawn areas be maintained, flower beds tidy, etc? Do you need extra decorations such as lighting or lanterns in trees?
Catering
Wedding menus for outdoor events do need extra thought and attention to detail. If food is to be outdoors for any length of time, do ensure adequate health and safety provision has been included. On site barbecue cooking works well, smoky aromas are enticing and with the food items freshly prepared and grilled, there is little opportunity for food to be out in the sun for long periods of time.Barbecues are extremely versatile and have a place at both formal and elegant occasions depending on the menu choices Teamed with salads which require minimum refrigeration and a varied selection of cold drinks, lemonade, fruit punches, water, etc we think al fresco barbecue catering for an outdoor wedding makes perfect sense.
Music and Entertainment
Live music and entertainment are perfect for outdoor weddings. No more worrying about a live band being cramped in a dark corner with inadequate lighting. The vast outdoors is your new stage. That said, do bear in mind electricity requirements, cabling, generators, etc and the health and safety implications these may have for guests.
Back up Plans
This is the most difficult part of planning any outdoor event. Thinking about unexpected eventualities may not be first and foremost item on your planning list, but in some respects it’s the most important. What happens if it rains heavily on the evening before your outdoor event and the grass becomes waterlogged? How would you cope with bad weather on the actual day? Do you have an indoor space you could instantly transform into a dining area or an area for guest to take shelter?
How can Events by Knight help?
Planning an outdoor wedding is a daunting task. Everything needs to come together seamlessly but with the extra consideration of outdoor elements and the comfort of your guests.This is where Events by Knight’s expertise and knowledge proves invaluable. We fully understand the challenges and logistics involved in creating that ‘day to remember’ and as experienced wedding planners, appreciate the privilege and responsibility of being entrusted to work with you.From intimate family wedding celebrations to the more lavish and extravagant, our dedicated team of event planners have years of experience in designing, creating and staging tailor made outdoor weddings. We’ll work with you, taking ideas and transforming them into reality to produce a special day with reflects your individual style, character or wedding theme.Events by Knight have an established reliable network of suppliers and vendors on hand to supply the necessities for your outdoor wedding. We’ll discuss catering and menu options, music, entertainment, décor, colour schemes, floristry, lighting, etc – in short, everything to make your special day complete. We’re able to negotiate the best rates and discounts, thus making budgets stretch further.
Come and Talk to Us
We love planning exciting events and watching them come to life. Tell us about how you’d like your outdoor wedding to look and feel, your ideas for music, entertainment, the number of guests you’re planning to invite and your budget, etc, and we’ll work with you to turn it into reality.We’ll also take care of the unexpected. We’ll carry out risk and health & safety assessments, and put in place contingency measures to cope with any unforeseen issue. Whether that’s from a technical perspective, or providing marquee style tents and extra indoor seating to accommodate guests, you can rest assured Events by Knight have it covered. Events by Knight are professional award winning event planners. Entrusting us with the logistics for your special outdoor wedding ceremony and celebration gives peace of mind and reassurance - leaving you free to relax and enjoy your day.
Need some help with your outdoor wedding? Not sure where to start? Get in touch with our dedicated team who will be able to chat things over with you.
Email: info@eventsbyknight.co.uk or call +44(0)20 3130 4040