Outdoor Wedding Planning: tips & inspiration

At The Stylist’s Guide we absolutely adore an outdoor wedding reception! 

Weddings always have the romance factor all the way up, but when you hold the celebrations outside it pushes to the absolute max.

There’s just something about the night sky, string lighting and music while being surrounded by family and friends that can’t be beat!

Having said all of that, an outdoor wedding reception adds a whole other level to your planning and styling.

When you are already taking onboard a multitude of considerations for your day, for some, adding in the extra stresses that can come with the ‘what ifs’ of an outdoor event are too much. 

So, how do you decide if dancing under the stars is for you or the assurance of an indoor venue is more your vibe?

Outdoor wedding reception pros:
- The forementioned romance factor
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Ability to embrace the natural surrounds and make the most of the weather (when the weather plays along!)
- Venue flexibility – If your outdoor venue is dry hire (meaning you bring in all elements of the day), then you will have more options and more control over things like catering, crockery, cutlery, glassware 

-Space options – depending on the location, you may have more room to work with which gives you various possibilities for floorplans 

Outdoor wedding reception cons:
- Weather can be unpredictable with contingency plans required to be in place such as a marquee and flooring
- Depending on your budget, bringing in all elements for a dry hire wedding can become costly quickly
- Potential logistical issues and added stress

-More hands on involvement for the lead up and day-of

If our pros and cons help you make your decision a little clearer and you do decide to go with an outdoor reception, here are a couple of tips to consider:

1.  Plan for the best and the worst-case scenarios when it comes to the weather, no matter the time of year

2. Think outside the box with your layout, making the most of the area you have with alternative seating options like a lounge area
3. Lighting goes a long way to enhance the mood, make sure this isn’t missed  

4. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, engage a professional to assist

Still cant decide, or, realised you do need an expert to assist with your planning and styling? We’re here to help!