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Thinking About A Garden Wedding?

You are considering a Garden Wedding....envisioning exchanging your vows in the open air on a beautiful summer's day, surrounded by flowers......or on a crisp autumn day amidst the colors of fall foliage. This is a lovely vision, and one that can be fulfilled, but in most cases you will have to do some careful planning to turn that vision in to reality. Here are some important things to keep in mind, to help you decide if you want to have your wedding outdoors.

There are a variety of settings in which you could hold an outdoor wedding. Some examples might be: city or town parks, state parks, summer camps, historic buildings/historical society grounds, horticultural facilities/arboretums, Country Inns/Bed & Breakfasts, Your own yard or that of friends/relatives. With planning, these venues can also accommodate your reception.

One advantage of a garden wedding is the feeling of country charm and informality that an outdoor wedding brings. You may be able to save money on decorating and floral costs. The garden provides for atmosphere and aesthetics. However, you may want to supplement the garden with flowering plants or shrubs in pots or hanging on plant hangers around the ceremony area. You may also want to add a focal point such as a gazebo or arbor to frame the ceremony. Other backdrops could include stone walls, rustic bridges, and flowering hedges or shrubs.

Having a reception outdoors generally requires some special equipment and arrangements, but can be done. You may need to rent numerous items such as tent, tables and chairs, dance floor, and portable toilets. Other challenges include: getting electricity and refrigeration to the reception site, dealing with difficult terrain for people to walk across and for chairs and table to be stable, and weather concerns.

In terms of equipment, these are the things you may have to rent:

• tent with sides
• tables and chairs
• dishes, silverware, serving equipment
• dance floor, bar area, gift table, cake table
• portable toilets

In more remote areas, you may have to make special consideration of how and where food will be prepared, and how it will be transported to the reception site. If food needs to be prepared at the site, you may need to hire a caterer who has the special equipment to do this (power generator, portable refrigeration, etc). There are caterers who can do this, but the cost may be higher. You should take this into consideration, and find out what equipment/facilities are provided by the site. You will also want to think carefully about your food choices, to make food preparations as simple as possible and to minimize the possibility of spoilage.

You may also need to arrange for electricity for musicians/dj. When you meet with your dj or band, be sure they know that it is an outdoor wedding, and get a list of what they need in terms of electricity, and talk with the facility owner or coordinator about this.

Another consideration for outdoor weddings, particularly in more remote settings, would be the terrain. If the ground is uneven, you may want to inform your guests before they arrive so that they can wear appropriate footwear. Any elderly guests may need to be accommodated with wheelchairs or other arrangements so that they can get around the area safely. Additionally, uneven ground may present a challenge to setting up tables and chairs and even the tent on a stable surface. You will also want to be sure that the spot you choose for ceremony is well drained, in case of a rainstorm before the wedding, you don't want to stand in a puddle throughout your ceremony. Be aware of these issues when selecting your site and planning the layout.

If you choose to have your ceremony and reception at the same outdoor location, you can plan to have the ceremony out-of-doors, and have the tent as a back-up location in case of inclement weather. It is a good idea to plan on having the reception under the tent, even if it is a nice day, as people might appreciate the protection from the sun. If you are having the ceremony in one spot and the reception in another, one issue you'll need to resolve is seating. If you are renting chairs, have the set-up people arrange the chairs in the ceremony area, and after the ceremony have the ushers (or hire someone to do this) move the chairs to the tables under the tent for the reception. Another alternative would be to have your guests stand for the ceremony, if it is brief (and also not a scorching hot day!). If you opt for this arrangement, you may want to be sure there are a few chairs available for older or disabled guests.

If you can choose a site that has an indoor alternative, you will have the security of knowing that whatever the weather decides to do, your wedding can go on.

Notes about possible outdoor wedding sites:

• A Country Inn, B&B or someone's yard:
  
  • Many Inns and B&B's have had numerous weddings at their facility, and often have a wedding coordinator on staff to help you with planning, arranging and making sure the day goes smoothly. They may even have a wedding tent and some of the equipment you would otherwise have to rent.
  • Electricity and kitchen facilities are usually easily arranged for at this type of site. Often an Inn will provide the catering, and a few extension cords may do the trick for additional power.
  • Parking space could be a problem in some cases. Be sure to make arrangements with the owner of the property, and perhaps neighbors. You may need to contact the local police to inform them, and they may require a permit and/or a traffic control officer to be on site.
  • If you use someone's house and yard, you will not have to pay a site rental fee. For a very informal wedding, the food could be potluck. You would probably have to rent a tent and other equipment.

• Summer Camps, State Parks:
  
  • Vermont encourages the use of many of their State Parks for weddings, charging a minimal site rental fee. Some parks have shelters that can accommodate large groups for a meal or party. Guests can swim or participate in other outdoor games/sports during the reception.
  • Many summer camps will rent out their dining hall or other indoor space for receptions. Availability may be restricted to Fall and Spring.
  • These locations lend themselves to "weekend weddings", as guests can stay overnight at the facility and activities can be offered all weekend long.

• Public Gardens, City Parks:
  
  • Contact your city hall for information about public parks or gardens to see if it is possible to hold a ceremony and/or reception there. Find out if there is a maximum number of people allowed, and if it will be open to the public while your wedding is going on. Find out about shelter, food preparation and electricity issues.
  • Perhaps you could have your ceremony there, and then go to a nearby restaurant for the reception. These settings are often rich with blooming flowers and manicured lawns throughout the Summer and into Fall. Be aware that they may use herbicides and other chemicals on the lawns and gardens.

An outdoor wedding can be a wonderful experience and become a cherished memory. Due to the variables of nature, an outdoor wedding also holds more risk of things going wrong. But if you plan carefully, and think through all the possible problems and solutions, you can have a lovely wedding in the Great Outdoors! Good luck, and enjoy!

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