Planning an Outdoor Wedding - 5 things to consider
One of the most wonderful things about a Humanist wedding is that you can have your ceremony absolutely anywhere, including outside!
Always dreamed of getting married on a hilltop? Want to hold your wedding at the coffee shop where you met? Want a relaxed wedding ceremony in your garden under your favourite tree? With a Humanist wedding you can do just that!
So what are some of the key things to think about when planning an outdoor wedding ceremony? Read on for five top tips and a few ideas of outdoor ceremony venues that I particularly like and am a recommended celebrant for.
For any outdoor ceremony, giving your guests a ‘heads-up’ on what the plans are is a great way of making sure everyone feels prepared. Letting people know what shade or shelter will be available or if you’ll be providing brollies or if people should ‘dress for the elements’ will make sure everyone feels comfortable and limits difficult moments on the day.
Your celebrant can help you think about your options, where there are things you might want to consider, and what kind of ‘back up plan’ you’d be happy with.
Shelter…
We all want to believe that the weather will be glorious on our wedding day.
Whatever the time of year, it’s always worth considering what your options are and what you’d be happy with and what you think would be appropriate for your guests.
Wherever possible, it’s really worth trying to have a plan for a bit more shelter for everyone involved. This could be an indoor location or having some pop up shelters on standby.
Some couples are happy to crack on outdoors if there’s a little drizzle, you could have some clear umbrellas on standby to keep you dry while making sure you can still be seen. Extra umbrellas or even lightweight ponchos could be provided for guests.
It is worth trying to decide ahead of time how much rain would be too much and allocating someone on the day to make that decision or to ask you both your decision and at what point in time, the decision is yours. Ideally once the ceremony starts you don’t want to be moving unless it’s a sudden unavoidable change in circumstances.
Shade…
On the other end of the scale is considering what might happen if there is a really hot and dry day. This is especially important to think about if anyone at the wedding is either pregnant or a little older.
It’s definitely a good idea to set up a couple of shaded areas, even a couple of garden umbrellas will work. You might want to include one for where you’ll be positioned for saying your vows, especially as you’ll be less likely to want to fan yourself and may well end up dehydrated!
Not technically shade, but do also think about having some bottles of water available for you and for your guests.
Ceremony Seating…
When thinking about the layout of your ceremony space, consider how different kinds of seating can change the feel, the aesthetic and the comfort of your guests.
Planning an outdoor wedding often lets you consider creative layouts, have you considered getting married in the round or having a spiral aisle? Both of these give you much more opportunities to see your guests faces and for them to see you!
Equally think about what seating would suit both your location and your guests, perhaps a mix of hay bales and informal mismatched chairs might meet everyone’s needs, maybe you are considering sofas, or beanbags. Do make sure you have enough seats for everyone who is going to need one. This includes you both - you may want to sit at your ceremony too!
If you are having a ceremony where you are expecting guests to stand, it is definitely worth letting them know this in advance so they can be prepared. Also do consider any guests with known mobility difficulties that you might want to make arrangements for.
Background Noise & Acoustics…
Outdoor ceremonies do sometimes come with additional considerations around noise. This is especially where a celebrant can help you, in fact, it’s a great reason to have a rehearsal in the venue or location you’re planning on.
There may be things that it’s helpful to know in advance, a passing train line, a flight-path, or just the fact that if the wind picks up you may need to project your voices. These are all things a celebrant and a rehearsal can help identify solutions for.
Backdrop…
Have you considered what will be behind you during your ceremony? This can be useful to think about both from the point of view of your guests, but also your photographer or videographer.
Thinking about backdrops could be as simple as considering where the sun will be, or there might be a particular view that you want guests to see, or not be distracted by during your ceremony.
Looking for a fabulous outdoor wedding venue?
Now you’ve considered these things while planning your outdoor wedding, here are some fabulous wedding venues that all have options for an outdoor wedding ceremony:
The Oak Barn at Frame Farm - Kent Wedding Venue - Heritage, character and rural beauty are all on offer at this venue which also prides itself on its inclusion & accessibility!
Meadow Weddings - Wedding Venue - Kent & Sussex Wedding Venue- An amazing blank canvas meadow that can give you anything from a festival wedding backdrop to countryside, Eco-friendly chic!
Oaks Farm - Surrey Wedding Venue - A gorgeous wedding venue with 20 years experience that gives you beautiful countryside vibes not far from Croydon!
