Planning an Outdoor Wedding? Check This List of Don’ts

Planning an outdoor wedding can be tedious, especially if you’re doing it yourself. There are so many different aspects of a wedding that need to be considered and then planned for, making it a high-stress situation. The good news is that planning an outdoor wedding can be a relatively easy process if you know what to expect and what not to do.

Don’t Wait to Set Up

If you’re setting up a tent, don’t wait until the last minute to do so. Even if the forecast is for clear skies and sunshine, weather can change in a minute. You’ll want to be prepared for mother nature if she decides to throw a curveball. Not to mention that setting up a tent can take some time, especially if you’re in an area that creates complications.

In most cases, it takes a rental company at least three days to set everything up — meaning you need to have everything in place before then. You’ll need to decide whether you’re staking or weighing down the tent ropes and what restrictions might be in place at your venue. So be sure to stay ahead of the game, and prepared for the dreaded ‘r-word’ (it rhymes with pain), by setting up with plenty of time to spare.

Don’t Let the Food and Drinks Sit

If your wedding will take place in the warmer months, you don’t want to put all the food and drinks out at once. According to the Knot’s 2014 Real Weddings Study, the most popular time for people to get married is in June (15% of weddings), which can get pretty warm depending on location. Food will spoil and drinks will skunk, and on top of that, you’ll spend a fortune on ice for drinks.

Granted, you’ll probably go through a lot of booze by the end of the night. Millenials alone drank 159.6 million cases of wine in 2015, according to USA Today, but nobody likes a hot glass of Pinot Grigio. So be sure to have a cooler or refrigerated area to keep the food and drinks chilled until they’re ready to be cooked or placed out for consumption.

Don’t Forget the Power

Planning an outdoor wedding doesn’t have to be stressful Many people get so wrapped up in the planning process that they completely forget about electricity. If your wedding is in a remote area, such as a beach, then you probably won’t have access to a wall outlet. Depending on your set up, you might need to rent generators of some sort. This can present other issues, such as sound, sight (no, covering the generator with a blanket is NOT a good idea), and cost.

Even weddings during the day need power for things like coffee makers, blenders, audio equipment, and much more. So make sure you have a viable source of energy that can sustain all your electrical appliances. You should also test everything before guests arrive and have contingencies in place. Just because the juicer works now doesn’t guarantee it will later. You should have extra generators, extension cords, and gas to account for the ‘what-ifs’ of the night.

Planning your outdoor wedding should be a fun experience, but without help and knowledge, it can be a difficult time. Using planning guides, helpful online posts, and any other means to get inside tips can be extremely beneficial. I’ve been to a few outdoor weddings and in the end, they were all wonderful and perfectly planned. If you follow a few do’s and don’ts, yours will be too! 

The most important ‘don’t’ about outdoor wedding planning is attempting to do it by yourself. Ask for help, delegate tasks, and take advice. What shade of white the linens are is only as important as you make it out to be, so don’t stress and have fun planning your wedding.

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