As the bright sunny days appear with more easy grace, and summer days stretch out long and beautiful in front of us, more weddings seem to happen to take maximum advantage of the glorious weather! And of course, we get the appeal! Is there anything as magical as summer weddings? The cornflower blue skies, the easy sunny days which are effortlessly beautiful, and nature showing off her best work in gorgeous spreads of colorful flowers, from sunflowers to peonies and everything in between! While there is a lot to love about summer weddings, one of the favorite things happens to be the joy of being outdoors.
So it goes without saying that when a couple plans for a summer wedding, one of the first things which come to mind is the location. Will you be hosting an outdoor wedding or an indoor one? While the answer seems obvious, approaching just an important decision with all the pros and cons in place seems like the right thing to do. If you have been battling whether or not to host an outdoor wedding, here is a complete breakdown of all the things working for and against that decision.
The Pros
Outdoor weddings come with many pros which makes every outdoor wedding unique and special in its way. If you have been confused about whether or not to go for an outdoor wedding, here are some reasons why you should!
- The beautiful outdoors: You can deck the wedding venue interiors with the finest of wedding decorations and use the most gorgeous of drapes and the sparkliest of lightings. But it is hard to compete with the dramatic beauty of nature outdoors! Spring wildflowers, a spectacular sunset, or the scent of fall and the changing of leaves from lush green to kaleidoscopic hues are hard to match. The outdoors has an allure that is as unique as your fantasy day, and it is unmatched in making an already fantastic event even better. It may be simple to choose a wedding date if you have a preferred season, and a gorgeous outdoor wedding venue will do the rest!
- Endless open grounds: Another pro of the outdoor wedding venues is that it offers a blank canvas and endless flexibility to the couple when it comes to using up the space! An outside venue will not feel stuffy or packed, regardless of how many people are on your guest list. Open spaces give plenty of seating as well as flexibility in arrangement. The greatest outdoor wedding venues allow you plenty of breathing areas, whether it's for a large wedding or a small gathering. It's difficult to dispute that everyone enjoys breathing fresh air!
- Amazing photos! One of the most important reasons couples love hosting their wedding outdoors is the sights and sceneries that an outdoor wedding can offer. Depending on the wedding location and venue of your choice, it can be the grand backdrop of the lapping ocean or the majestic and timeless mountains, or the mystical woodlands, and all of those things have a way of making the most amazing photo opportunities! The day of your wedding will fly by, so it's critical to have images that you'll love and remember for a long time. Outdoor wedding locations give a stunning natural backdrop and capture unforgettable images with flowers in their natural home and the sun peeking through at exactly the perfect moment. You and your wedding photographer can talk about the ideal angles, photo backdrops, and the timing for the optimum lighting. Natural lighting and breathtaking landscapes will give your wedding album an added layer of authenticity and love.
- Freedom of creativity: While it might be easy to dream up the most exorbitant dreams for your wedding day, in reality, it's normal to find ourselves limited by the wedding venues we have available. However, outdoor wedding venues let you live your far-fetched fairytale dreams! Not only do you have free reign with your creativity, you have all the components to build the wedding day of your dreams, with no obstacles whatsoever. When compared to what is available in a standard size, having your wedding outside opens up a world of possibilities. If you want to have a petting zoo or swing by the lakeside swing for some pictures, you have the creative freedom to do so. You have the option of having your Ring Bearer be your pet dog or you can have a photo booth under the oldest mature tree on the property. With endless grounds, you can do whatever feels right for your special day!
- Lower price: It might come as a surprise, but outdoor weddings come at a much lower price. Of course, if you are planning to say your vows in the rolling fields of a stone castle in Scotland or a famous nature reserve, things might not be so easy on the pocket but in most cases, outdoor wedding venues are generally better priced than indoor wedding venues. If your outdoor wedding venue happens to be your backyard, your wedding will be even cheaper! Outdoor locations provide a natural backdrop for your wedding without costing you a penny. When planning a wedding at an outdoor location, you'll need to make a few adjustments to the ceremony and reception. You can use the natural scenery to adorn your wedding in a variety of ways. You can also employ the existing architecture in the area as decor.
- Make it sentimentally yours: While the indoor wedding venue allows you to create your perfect day too, an outdoor wedding venue lets you make it personalized and uniquely yours. From the setting you choose to the decor elements, your wedding venue should be able to generate an atmosphere as soon as guests arrive. A venue that holds sentimental value for you and your fiancé will elicit even more emotion. Whether you choose a tropical beach, Victorian garden, or forested park, each location will be able to set the tone and theme for the entire day. While this is closely connected to the creative freedom aspect, you also get to create the day you always wanted, which is special.
Cons
While outdoor weddings can be all kinds of wonderful, it is not beyond cons! Here are some reasons why most couples skip outdoor weddings, and you might want to keep these in mind too!
- Unpredictable weather: Temperature and rain are the two most common deterrents to holding an outdoor wedding. Rain, as well as excessive heat, cold, wind, and/or humidity, will undoubtedly ruin your special day. If you specify an outside venue on your wedding invites or in an insert, your guests will be reminded to bring a light sweater and sunglasses. To keep your guests cool and dry, you can rent large portable fans and invest in umbrellas. If Mother Nature decides to be a pain on your wedding day and showers you with rain, lightning, or high winds, it's a good idea to have a backup plan in place, such as an indoor venue.
- Wedding crashers: When planning an outdoor wedding, you can be sure that some of your guests may forget to RSVP. Bugs, birds, and possibly even a raccoon are likely to show up at your gathering. This may be a normal and accepted element of enjoying the outdoors for folks who are used to spending a lot of time outside. For others, it may be a huge annoyance. Consider how willing you and your guests are to put up with a few creepy crawlies during your wedding. If you're ready to take the plunge, insect fogging can help you avoid this problem before the party. During the party, light citronella candles or torches, set up a bug zapper, and distribute insect repellant spray.
- Uneven ground: Natural terrain does not always have the same level of smoothness as a parquet floor. Guests may need to bring appropriate footwear, which is a double issue if the weather is damp or chilly. It'll be crucial to remind your female guests that high heels might dig into their feet, and open-toed shoes can cause cold feet. The greatest outdoor wedding site will include sidewalks and designated paths, but people with handicap requirements or difficulty walking long distances may be concerned.
- Lighting: That garden, beach, or wooded setting could be lovely during the day, but what about when the sun sets? The majority of wedding receptions last until the sun has set. If you're using an outdoor venue, make sure you have a plan in place for lighting or a quick evacuation. Ensure that you have the power backup to execute the same, and simple fairy lights are enough to light up your wedding day. When it comes to lighting for your images, you should avoid taking them when the sun is straight overhead. For the finest outdoor shots, keep the sunlight indirect.
- Sound and noise: It's difficult to fill those large open expanses with sound. This may appear to be a positive if you suffer a headache in a noisy environment, but it can also become a problem. Guests who are not seated in the front row may find it difficult to hear your vows during the ceremony. Even after the reception has started, you'll want to be sure that the entertainment you've picked can appropriately fill your outdoor space. Few individuals are willing to get up and dance to barely audible music. On a similar topic, make sure that each of your service providers' power requirements will be met.
- Restrictions and parking: While you might have a dedicated parking space if you are hosting in a commercial outdoor wedding venue, it might not be the case when it comes to backyard weddings. Parking may be scarce for backyard weddings. If you are hosting your wedding in a residential suburb, parking the vehicles for all the wedding guests can be challenging. In addition to that, alcohol limits, headcount maximums, noise level requirements, and time restrictions may exist in public locations such as parks, which might be problematic. In the aforementioned scenarios, as well as for outside wedding settings in general, bathroom facilities may be an issue.
- Plan B required: When planning an outdoor wedding, keep in mind that bad weather is a possibility. This means you'll need a backup venue, which will add to the stress and costs of preparing for your wedding. You'll always need your venue to have a backup plan planned and ready to activate at a moment's notice if it rains. This manages to add both stress and expense to a procedure that is already costly and difficult.
- Keep the tissues handy: With all the pretty flowers come the vices of pollen, and with pollen comes allergies! It's quite unlikely that no one in your wedding party or the guest list has allergies. Pollen could wreak havoc on your wedding celebrations, depending on the season. Guests with allergies may have difficulty controlling their symptoms depending on the time of year and where they are. The last thing you want is a bunch of folks sneezing away and saying "bless you" every two seconds during your wedding vows. Outdoor weddings are surely gorgeous, but a quick check with your guest about allergies can surely go a long way in creating a pleasant wedding day experience for you and your dear guests!
While every decision comes with pros and cons, it is your unique preference and taste which makes the final call for it. Let’s admit it, if you have been dreaming about an outdoor wedding, you will risk the elements of nature so that you can host the outdoor wedding of your dreams! Outdoor weddings are surely a lot of work and keep a lot of planning, but when it comes to executing it perfectly when the wheels align and the plans fit in perfectly, as you dreamt it would, the result is glorious and unforgettable. There is something about being outdoors, enveloped by the sights and sounds of nature, holding the love of your life in your hands, which feels magical. And we get why most lovers choose those outdoor locations at the drop of their hearts!
