This article was originally written for and posted by TopWeddingSites.com, April 2011.
Perhaps the best part of planning an outdoor wedding is the opportunity to add your special touch. If you rent a tent you’ll have choices over the tent size and style, type and amount of lighting, size and shape of tables, style of chairs, color of linens, to name a few. You’ll also have carte blanche over the décor, allowing you to pick a theme and decorate in a number of ways. Here are eight tips to help you “weather” the elements of hosting an outdoor wedding.
1. Plan For the Weather
Depending on what part of the country and time of year you’re getting married, weather could be a factor. As I mentioned in my last blog entry on picking a venue, tents can be remarkably good at keeping your guests cool in the summer heat and warm on a chilly night. If you anticipate rain or high winds be sure and reserve sidewalls for your tent. If the day turns out to be perfect you can have the tent rental company remove them (or even take them down yourself).
2. Invest in a Good Tent
Take no shortcuts here. You want your wedding to be memorable; having your tent blow away or leak during a storm is not the memory you want. In addition, a cheap tent makes an entire wedding look, well, cheap. There are a variety of models – frame tents, pole tents, and sail cloth tents – that work best for different settings and budgets. A quality tent rental provider will have different styles and sizes and work with you to determine the best tent for your event.
3. Keep Guest From Melting
If you’re expecting a real scorcher of a day have plenty of bottle water available and sunscreen on hand. Guests will appreciate a program to fan themselves with. We saw one creative bride provide guests with paper parasols to shield themselves from the sun. If you’re inside a tent consider tent fans to keep air moving, and don’t forget a generator if there is no power source available.
4. Don’t Let Guests Freeze
If you anticipate temperatures to drop to chilly levels the day of your wedding be prepared. Guests will leave quickly if they are cold. With a tent, side panels (consider clear panels if you have a view to enjoy) and appropriate tent heaters you and your guests will stay warm through the night. I suggest 1 heater for every 1500-2000 square feet. This means if you have a 30’x40’ tent you’ll need one heater; if you have a 40’x60’ tent you’ll need two. And don’t forget the generator if you don’t have access to electricity.
5. Consider the Sun
Let the sun be your guide. If you have your pick of locations for your ceremony consider the time of day and where the sun will be. If you’re planning a ceremony in the late afternoon determine if the setting sun will be in guests eyes, or soft enough to provide a beautiful backdrop for your ceremony. If your ceremony is early in the afternoon, is there a location that will provide some tree coverage from the sun’s harsh rays?
6. Keep the Bugs at Bay
Mosquitoes, flies, gnats—keep those pesky insects at bay with the use of citronella candles or a bug zapper. If flying creatures are especially heavy perhaps have a natural bug repellent available for guests to spray on themselves. You can also have small tent fans installed to keep the air moving and bugs at bay.
7. Don’t Leave Guests Wondering Where to Go
If your outdoor location has limited or non-existent bathrooms you will need to rent a portable potty, or risk having some guests relieve themselves in the bushes (yes, this does happen). Don’t be put off by the picture as there are many rental companies who provide dressed-up portable restroom trailers specific for outdoor events. They feature flushing toilets, running water, ac/heat, lights and even decorated stalls.
8. Spruce Up the Surroundings
If your location is not used frequently for outdoor events, you may need to drop by the week before the wedding to ensure the lawn has been mowed and the ground raked. You might even want to ask a friend or a member of the wedding party to stop by that morning to do a last minute check. If the setting lacks color you might bring in potted flowers or flowering shrubs, or consider using an arbor for the ceremony and weave fresh or silk flowers among the trellis.
