Ideas for Outdoor Weddings

No doubt about it - nothing beats the natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere of an outdoor wedding. Here, the draw is obviously the setting, but there's still a lot to do after you've booked your outdoor venue. Tie it all together with this list of ideas for outdoor weddings:

Décor Elements

• Let the setting speak for itself – don’t compete with Mother Nature; rather, subtly enhance your background – whether a sandy beach, blooming garden, or thick forest – with a complementary color palette and décor elements.
• Natural elements – depending on your setting, natural items like shells, pinecones, berries, vines, leaves, and grasses provide great décor inspiration.

Flowers

• Blooms - an outdoor wedding calls for flowers that can brave all sorts of weather. Look for sturdier blooms like mums, alstromeria, calla lilies and sunflowers.
• Style - keep your containers and arrangements natural looking, as an intricately designed, elaborate pedestal centerpiece in a tall candelabra just doesn’t fit. Instead, use loose arrangements in urns, wooden boxes, crates, or pails.

Menu

• Keep it simple - even an elegant outdoor wedding calls for simpler fare that can withstand varied temperatures, so avoid items like mayonnaise or dishes which must be served cold. If yours is a casual affair, consider a traditional outdoor barbeque.
• Keep guests refreshed – especially if your outdoor wedding will take place in a warm environment. Have plenty of ice and water, along with teas or lemonades. Alcoholic beverages like sangria, mojitos, or mint juleps will also keep your guests refreshed.

Cake

• Make it last - wedding cakes can melt outside. Opt for fondant icing over buttercream, which doesn’t keep well in heat or humidity. Stay away from mousse and ice cream cakes.

Attire

• Dare to go casual – outdoor settings allow for breezy fabrics and shorter hemlines
• Do elegance right – you can still plan a formal dress code, just consider what’s best suited for sun, sand, or grass. Lace and organza are good outdoor fabric options.
• For the Girls
- Silhouettes – you may want to forego the giant ball gown skirt. Instead, stick to a romantic empire or a-line. (same goes for your bridesmaids) - Hemlines - Keep your hemline clean from the grass or dirt. Consider going knee- or tea-length. Or raise a floor-length gown it to the ankles or at least a half inch higher than you would for an indoor wedding. Avoid a train. - Shoes – Opt for a wide, flat heal, as stilettos may sink into the ground.
• For the guys –
- Unbuttoned affair - consider losing the tux and dressing the guys in khakis and sport jackets or crisp oxfords. - Neat in back - if they do wear a tux, get a vest with a full back – which will look better when their coats are off.

Favors

• Keep ‘em cool - personalized paper fans are both decorative and functional
• Keep love blooming – with packs of flower seeds
• Plant it – give miniature potted plants or herbs
• From the sea – if yours is an outdoor beach wedding, give bags of shells, sand dollars, sea stones or sea glass – decorated with your monogram

Get even more outdoor wedding ideas at Elegala.com