Planning and Decorating for an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

Stephanie Smith

Does your ideal wedding ceremony include the chirping of birds, softly blowing winds, and the sweet smell of fresh air mixed with fragrant flowers? While that might be asking a lot, outdoor wedding ceremonies can still be incredibly romantic and beautiful. They take a bit more planning and setup than a traditional church wedding, but you and your guests will notice the difference.

Once you've chosen your ceremony site you'll need to focus in on where the altar will be. This area will preferably have some shade to protect you, your honey and your officiant from the sun (or rain). Do you want to be squinting in all of your wedding photos? Or sunburnt because you didn't want to get greasy sunscreen on your gorgeous dress? You can't predict the weather, so be prepared for anything by picking a spot with somewhere you can get out the sun or rain. Your guests will also appreciate it if there's room under cover for them as well! My husband I had planned an outdoor ceremony at a local banquet facility with a gazebo as our focal point. Our caterer made the call to have the ceremony indoors the night before due to a forecast for sweltering heat. We were lucky to have that option since it ended up pouring rain instead!

After your altar site is chosen, you can determine where and in what direction the aisle will be. Make sure it's easy for your guests and for the bride to access. You'll be nervous enough walking down the aisle so don't make the trip unnecessarily long! You can decorate the edges of the aisle with potted plants, lanterns, or baskets of flowers.

Make sure to decorate your ceremony site with items that won't easily be damaged by rain, sun, or wind. Rain can damage paper items, the sun can wilt some of the more delicate flowers, and the wind can wreak havoc on candles, tablecloths and flowers. Keep any flower arrangements simple since a good gust of wind can rearrange the most beautiful centerpiece. Also make sure to keep candles well away from anything flammable, including a table cloth or veil that could get caught in the wind. Candles can be hard enough to light indoors when everyone is watching, let alone when the soft breeze keeps blowing them out. Anything light, such as programs, papers and flowers should be weighed down appropriately to keep them from exiting prematurely. Consider using potted plants instead of fresh flowers in vases. They can be set on the ground, on a table to keep a tablecloth in place, or using in hanging baskets to add interest. For any fresh cut flowers, including your bouquet, make sure to talk to your florist to find out what may or may not last the day.

If extreme heat is in the making, a thoughtful gesture would be to have bottled water or drinks on hand for your guests. You don't want any getting dehydrated while they're waiting for the ceremony to begin. You can use coolers to keep the drinks cold, or decorative buckets for a more dressed up look.

To make your outdoor ceremony decorating easier, try to use what will already be onsite. Does your chosen location already have flowers nearby? Do they set up seating so you don't have to? What other services do they provide that can minimize your decorating needs? The fewer items you have to bring to the site, the easier your wedding morning will be. You will have far more important things to do (like hair, makeup, getting dressed, taking photos) to worry about decorating. If you're planning a ceremony at a friend or family members place, you'll need to do more of the setup, but the sentimental value will be that much more.

Just remember, always have a backup plan. You can't predict the weather so don't let it ruin your day!