Fresh Ideas for an Outdoor Wedding

If you’re a couple who loves the outdoors, why not plan a wedding celebration al fresco? Let loose and let your personalities shine through. Forget about formal dining halls and hotel function rooms. Let nature’s blessings be your backdrop while exchanging your vows and partying with your family and friends afterwards.

You can make it different, memorable and definitely romantic. Work with what open air venues can give you – from the lakes to the skies. Pick some elements from nature and incorporate it in everything you need for your big day. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

Venue

You might have a wider selection of beautiful outdoor venues than you think. You just need to use a little creativity and look around you.

Your home. You can literally start looking in your own backyard – or front lawn. If you’ve got a well-manicured garden, go ahead and plan your wedding right in your own home. You’d only need a little more flowers and lighting here and there.

Parks and nature reserves. Many of these places have designated areas open for private functions, including weddings. Imagine the lush greenery and the sound of the birds around you. You might even find a spot near a waterfall that would make an incredible setting. What could be more romantic and awesome than that?

Botanical and butterfly gardens. In some locations, botanical and butterfly gardens have opened their gates to special gatherings. Similar to parks and nature reserves, you don’t really have to add a lot of decor and flowers in these places. In butterfly gardens, the butterflies can also be used in the ceremony instead of lighting up fireworks or sending balloons up in the air.

Attire

From the bridal dress to the guests’ attire, everything should be more comfortable than in traditional weddings. It would also be lovely to see touches of nature on the clothing and accessories of the bride and groom.

Bridal dress. Skip styles like ball gowns and restrictive cuts. Choose free-flowing dresses made of chiffon and other soft fabrics. Instead of a tiara or some sparkly hair accessory, use fresh flowers for your headpiece. Keep your veil short, if you plan to have one. But it would match the theme better if you leave it out.

Wedding and engagement rings. Choose a figural ring with the shape of a butterfly or a flower to signify your engagement, if you haven’t picked an engagement ring yet. For your wedding bands, you can match the design with your nature-themed engagement ring, or ask the jeweller to put details like leaves or flowers on the band.

Guests’ attire. Ask your guests to come in semi-formal attire, at the most. Don’t bother thinking of making them wear tuxedos and gowns. They’ll enjoy the atmosphere and the celebration you’ve prepared more if they’re in relaxed clothing.

Entertainment

Ideally, live music is best for an outdoor or nature-themed wedding. An acoustic trio or a string quartet would be excellent. But if that’s not possible, make sure that you’ve got a sound system set up perfectly for the outdoors.

Instead of the usual wedding band and games, have a couple of outdoor games like croquet, mini golf or even horseshoes. These games are unique alternatives to bring fun into your party.

As you go on with your wedding plans, you’ll come up with other novel ideas on how to make your outdoor wedding more memorable and fun for everyone. Just remember to pick a date that promises good weather. Although most probably, no amount of rain can dampen the spirits of a newlywed couple.

About the author

Sofia Angeli is a PR & communications consultant for companies in various industries. In particular, she brings her writing skills and passion for travel, culture, arts and lifestyle, including wedding planning and engagement rings, to the online world.