Having an outdoor wedding is very romantic but it can come with a lot of ‘what-if’s’ with the main one being the weather. There is always the chance that it will rain on your wedding day and you will be forced to move it indoors but if you have the perfect day with lots of sunshine, here are some great ideas for the wedding reception.
Venue
One important thing to consider before choosing a venue is whether you will need a tent or not to hold the reception. Having a tent to host the wedding reception will help not having to spend the time continually in the sun. This can result in sunburns for the bride and guests. Some guests may not be able to stand much sunlight. Also, having a tent will be an insurance policy of sorts if the weather turns bad and starts to rain. It will also make it easier to keep the cake from melting under the hot sun. You should also have a backup plan where it can be moved indoors if necessary in case of a bad storm.
You should also look at the available parking because you want to make sure that your guests have a place to park and not have to walk a far distance to get to the reception or drive around looking for a parking spot. If you have the room for parking and such, you can always host the reception in your backyard.
Décor
For a wedding reception outdoors, it is best to keep the decorations to a minimum. As far as decorations are concerned let nature do the talking. Compliment nature with pieces that will enhance its grandeur. Just make sure that any hazardous decorations like lamps or candles are kept out the reach of any children. You also need to make sure anything that has wires is out of the way so no one will trip over them. You can use silk flowers instead of real ones if you would like.
Food and drink
The main thing that will dictate what you serve is your budget. It can be anything from a full sit down dinner to just snacks. It is best to keep it simple but one thing to remember is that it is true that many do judge a wedding by the type of food and drink they serve. For a wedding reception outdoors, you could have a hog roast or a buffet of picnic foods, or finger sandwiches. If there are to be children at the reception make sure that you include food on the menu that will satisfy the little ones.
These are just some ideas you can use when planning a wedding reception for an outdoor wedding.