What you should know when planning an outdoor wedding...

Having a wedding in the great outdoors is incredibly romantic - imagine saying your vows to the sound of birdsong as a gentle breeze rustles the trees and the clouds drift peacefully across the sky.

Here are some important tips that you should keep in mind when it comes to planning an outdoor wedding.

Keep Your Cool

If you are getting married outdoors on a hot day, make sure that your guests are not sweating into their finest gowns and suits. You could set up a large fan to blow cool air towards where your guests are sitting, as well as ensuring that your programs are large enough to use as personal fans.

You could even give out small electric handheld fans on each seat as wedding favors for your guests. Plus, don’t forget to provide a shady area with cold drinks where they can retreat from the sun. Don’t forget - you also shouldn’t let your floral arrangements sit in the sun for hours before your wedding. If it is a hot day, leave your flowers inside until the very last moment. Otherwise, they are going to look tired and wilted by the time you finally walk down the aisle.

Rain On Your Wedding Day

Isn’t it ironic? Remember to stay calm - there’s nothing you can do to change the weather but you can be prepared.

The best way to deal with rain is to have a solid backup plan already set up, so that you can gracefully transition into an indoor event. Our event center is the perfect Plan B venue ensuring you’ll still have a wonderful day.

You’ll also want to have plenty of umbrellas on hand - which guests can use to cover themselves while they make their way to the indoor setting. Clear umbrellas are perfect for capturing beautiful photos in the rain, as they will not cast a shadow on your face. If you are worried that the rain will ruin your hair, consider an updo hairstyle or a relaxed flower crown that will withstand the elements without becoming frizzy. Also, keep in mind that the old superstition states that rain on your wedding day is good luck - so make the best of the situation!

More Clever Outdoor Wedding Tips

• Hand out plastic heel protectors to your guests wearing high heels, so that they don’t sink into the grass.

• Or, you could offer a basket of cute flip-flops for anyone who needs to borrow more practical footwear for the outdoor part of the ceremony.

• If you are using name cards for a seated dinner event, prevent them from flying away by tying them to rocks or branches with ribbon.

• Think about the food that you will be serving and how well it will fare while exposed to the elements. For example, cheese doesn’t do well when in direct sunlight and fruit displays can be a magnet for flies and bugs.

• In some areas you might need to have a professional service come in and spray before you set up to keep the insects away.

It’s Sometimes Worth Calling in the Experts

There are a lot of details to take care of when you are planning a destination wedding, so it can sometimes be advantageous to simply hire the services of a wedding planner. Chalet View Lodge offers a full service wedding planning team who can take care of all of the details of your special day. That way, you can simply sit back and enjoy yourself while the professionals worry about everything else.