If you are planning an outdoor wedding, it shows you are romantic and in tune with nature. It also means you are a bit adventurous. Outdoor weddings are lovely but have many more pitfalls inherent within them that those held within an indoor setting.

Unless you live in a place that has a dry season, the inevitable can happen and it can rain on your parade. Even in States like California, Arizona and New Mexico where rain is rare during the summer months, other factors such as extreme heat, wind and bugs can give you fits when planning an out door wedding. Are you still Game? Good, because what follows are some tips that will tame the potential pitfalls and that will make your outdoor wedding a smash hit event.

For an outdoor wedding, think comfortable for yourself and your guests. Suggest that they wear clothing that will suit the weather and the location, no real need for spiky heels. If you expect a nice sunny, hot day, prepare the ushers with plenty of bottled water and fans to pass out to the guests. Rent large electric fans and a large tent for shelter and romantic looking shadows. Position the ceremony so that the bride, groom and guests have their backs positioned to the sun. If the weather threatens to be chilly or damp, use the reverse plan and tell your guests to dress in layers of clothing. Give the ushers fleece throws to pass out and rent outdoor heaters. In case of hard rain, formulate a backup plan with an emergency indoor setting. It is possible to still have the ceremony outdoors but set up the receptions things indoors, for a comfortable party. A tent will only hold up for so long, so do have a standby indoor location prepared. The same strategy applies for wind. Choose clothing and a hairstyle that will stand up to wind without letting you look like Marylyn Monroe standing over a subway grate. Sure she looked great but you don’t want to moon your guests at the wedding so stay clear of light chiffons and wide skirts if you expect a winding day for your outdoor wedding. Also important is to deal with the ambient outdoor noise. To counteract this, rent a sound system and some clip mike so everyone can hear and share when you exchange those vows.

{mosimage} An outdoor wedding focuses on the beauty of nature and requires no or few decorations. But do hire a grounds team to prepare the area just prior to the wedding. Perhaps you will want to add just a trellis for the bride and groom to stand under or a few potted plants and some lanterns, or citronella candles to repel bugs.

Make certain your caterer has experience with outdoor events and has planned a menu and brought the equipment necessary to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Avoid mayonnaise based foods and foods like avocados that rapidly discolor. Also, instruct your caterer to have plenty of non-alcoholic thirst quenchers on hand, not just for the non-drinkers but to keep everyone hydrated, especially if it is a warm day.
And most of all, if you are planning an outdoor wedding in a public park or preserve, do not forget to get all of the necessary permits well in advance.