In The News

Planning Your Outdoor Wedding

by BB Webb and Denise Myers

Having an outdoor wedding can be a beautiful choice. A ceremony set in a colorful and fragrant garden or in a field with rolling hills in the background is enchanting, but first there are many factors to consider in the planning process.  Among the many questions to ask: What is my back-up plan in case of rain?  Where will our guests park?  Will the reception be held outdoors as well? Should we order tents in case of rain? What is involved in the set-up at our ceremony location?  How will the caterers get their food to the location and keep it warm? Will my high heels dig into the dirt?

When it comes to outdoor weddings and the weather, you want to plan for the worst and hope for the best!  No one can predict what Mother Nature has in store for your wedding day, and although rain is considered good luck, it certainly wouldn’t be OUR first choice.  A back-up plan is essential!  The simplest solution is to choose a wedding venue that has both outdoor and indoor ceremony options and a kind staff to help with a potential transition indoors (when interviewing a venue, be SURE to ask what is involved in moving from outside to inside).  Consider your guest count in this decision, as many venues can only accommodate small indoor ceremonies but have large outdoor locations.

We remember well our very first wedding at Carl House, on July 5^th 2003, nerves all atwitter, staff eager for their first REAL event.  Our lovely bride was on time, though her guests, many from the Caribbean, had their own relaxed time schedule.  Nervous to stay on schedule, the bride nevertheless chose to hold the ceremony off until more guests arrived.  On the horizon we spotted a rain cloud and all of us prayed it would avoid our beautifully decorated outdoor ceremony location. But, unfortunately, just as the last guests were arriving and our beautiful bride was about to walk down the outdoor aisle, strewn with pink and red rose petals, that black cloud began producing sprinkles.  Our staff quickly found umbrellas, escorted everyone into our cool and spacious ballroom, re-set flowered columns and trellises, created an aisle and voilà, an indoor ceremony setting appeared as if by magic, and everything went forward without a hitch.

If you decide to have an outdoor ceremony in a location that is not a typical “wedding venue”, it can still be done, but expect much more planning to be needed.  Consider hiring a professional wedding planner to assist you or ask if the venue offers one, as there are so many aspects to remember and she is experienced in handling EVERY important detail!  Worry should not be a part of any bride’s day. You do not want to wonder if the chairs for your ceremony or the tent for your reception have been delivered or set up yet.  This is part of the job of your wedding planner.  You will want to carefully discuss every detail with her, e.g. ceremony and reception set-up, guest parking, access to electricity, access to restrooms and that all-important back-up plan for inclement weather.

An advantage of an outdoor ceremony is that little decoration is needed when the setting is a beautiful garden and a gorgeous sky. What can be more touching than saying vows to your beloved at sunset?  How lovely to see a bride’s veil blowing gently behind her in the breeze, as she makes her way down the aisle.  What can match the beauty of birds singing in a garden ceremony surrounded by fragrant gardenias or roses against a backdrop of weeping willows?  It’s all in the planning.  So, be sure you know what time the sun actually sets, secure your veil so that it doesn’t blow away, and remember sunscreen.  Plan for the unexpected and anticipate the beautiful unforeseen.  Most of all, have fun – it’s your wedding day!

Carl House Owner, BB Webb also hosts local television program, “Living Life with Style.’  Denise Myers is the Senior Wedding Director at Carl House and co- owner of Blissful Events, a full service wedding planning business.  She has been planning weddings for over 10 years and enjoys all the fun details involved in each event, especially the part about two people being in love!   Feel free to contact Denise or BB through award winning Carl House at www.carlhouse.com