A Look at the Logistics of an Outdoor Wedding  

 

Outdoor weddings are a perfect way to say ‘I do’ with the one you love and are becoming increasingly popular choices with those looking to get hitched.

Surrounded by your nearest and dearest in the great outdoors creates a wonderfully romantic and rustic setting, and lets you celebrate in places that are special to you. Whether it’s a sun-soaked beach or a bohemian woodland vibe, outdoor weddings offer something for everyone.

However, outdoor weddings can offer more of a logistical headache than indoor ones as there’s lots more that you need to consider when it comes to planning your special day.

Here, we’ve had a look at some of the things you need to keep in mind for an outdoor wedding that often get overlooked.

Weather appropriate venues

As much as you might be crossing your fingers in the run-up to the big day, even brides to be can’t control the weather. Therefore, it’s essential that you have a plan for all eventualities. It’s no good having a beach wedding with no indoor venue available if it starts pouring with rain. Similarly, on a blistering day, you need to provide shade for your guests.

This site has some great tips for outdoor weddings in all weathers.

Accessible venues

Similarly, you need to plan your wedding around access to the venue. You might have fallen in love with the idea of a ceremony on a rugged cliff top, but if you’re 80 year old granny can’t get there, then you might have to rethink it.

Make sure that your venue is accessible by car for those who struggle with mobility and that once you are there, the ground is suitably surfaced for easy navigating.

The facilities

Call them whatever polite name you wish, but thinking about toilets when planning your big day isn’t something most couples want to be doing. However, it can be a logistical nightmare for you and your guests if these aren’t taken care of.

You don’t want people to have to keep breaking up the party by traipsing back and forth to the nearest loo, especially if you have elderly relatives in attendance, so make sure you get some top-notch facilities for them. Event Washrooms do luxury toilets for weddings to add a bit of glam.

Legal requirements

In most places, there will be certain requirements required for having an outdoor wedding. For example, in England and Wales, your vows will only be legal when said under a licensed fixed structure like a pavilion or arbour.

Similarly, there are different permits required for alcohol such as personal licenses and Temporary Event Notice forms. Speaking to Hospitality Training Solutions, who specialize in personal license courses, they said: “laws around alcohol licensing can be confusing and it’s important to always check that you have the correct permits in place to stay within the law. Make sure whoever is serving the alcohol for your event has a personal license or the correct TEN.”

It’s always worth going to Citizens Advice or your local council to find the correct permits required.

Electrical requirements

Chances are that you’re going to need some sort of electricity on your big day. Whether it’s for some romantic lighting, to power the caterers or to get the party started with a DJ booth, it’s important to make sure you factor in electrical requirements.

If you’re close enough to an indoor venue, for example in the gardens of a hotel, running some electrical cables under secured matting could work out cheaper than hiring electric generators. However, if you’re in a remote location, it’s essential that you hire enough generators to keep your wedding going. You don’t want to be suddenly plunged into darkness if one cuts out!

Your electrical choices also need to be safe for all your guests, so we recommend getting some professionals in to help rather than doing it all yourself.

We hope this has given you a few tips for an outdoor wedding. You can also check out this guide by Love and Lavender for more advice.