When you get down to it, doesn’t every couple dream about having an outdoor wedding? The gorgeous weather, the sun-kissed face of the bride and groom, the glowing parents — the thought alone is dreamy. A beautiful outdoor wedding space can make your special day magical.
Of course, it also requires a heck of a lot more planning. After all, outdoor weddings are subjected to countless potential weather-related issues. The rain. The wind. The bugs.
You can have a perfect outdoor wedding, but you must plan it right. This planning means you must work with a vendor who understands your needs. Fortunately, at Stoney Creek Hotels, we’ve worked with countless couples to help them develop wedding ideas for outdoor weddings and find the right outdoor wedding decor.
Outdoor Wedding Decor
Outdoor weddings have different furniture needs than indoor ones. You’ll need to ensure that whatever wedding venue you work with is appropriately equipped for furniture that can manage outdoor weather, is durable but still looks classy, and will appear great in pictures. It should also fit inside a tent or whatever other outdoor space you have set. Finally, you’ll need to ensure that your color selections match the outdoor furniture.
Fortunately, all of this can be done with an experienced wedding vendor — like those you will find at Stoney Creek Hotels.
Planning for the Weather
Planning for the weather for an outdoor wedding can be complicated because you are at Mother Nature’s mercy. You’ll need sun — or at least a lack of rain, snow, and heavy winds — to ensure things go right.
What does this mean?
- Have backup plans in case the wedding doesn’t cooperate.
- Make sure that someone who isn’t you (you will be busy doing other things!) is ultimately responsible for calling when to shift inside.
- Make sure to have event insurance just in case things go really wrong and a natural disaster makes your wedding location impossible.
- Have decor that is heavy-duty. Even a light breeze can knock some flowers or centerpieces over. Make sure this isn’t the case for you.
Temperature
Outdoor weddings and mainly at the whim of the sun and the clouds. As such, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Tents or other semi-enclosed spaces can still have heathers, fans, or portable AC units that can control temperature. Make sure to invest in them.
- Plan your wedding’s timing appropriately. For example, an outdoor wedding in late July, Arizona, is a bad idea, but a December wedding may work out properly.
- Have alternative plans if there are swings in the weather that make holding it outdoors impossible.
Herding!
Okay, so Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Joe aren’t cattle, but when it comes to outdoor weddings and outdoor ceremonies, you have to make sure that you don’t lose anyone or that they don’t wander off, particularly during a critical part of a ceremony. Since outdoor weddings have fewer boundaries, this can be a bit more of a challenge.
What does this mean? You’ll need to consider a few things:
- First, make sure anyone involved in the wedding knows precisely where they have to be and when they have to be there.
- Ensure staff knows to keep an eye on certain guests, so they don’t wander off.
- A temporary border or lines of demarcation, asking wedding guests to stay within those boundaries during the party.
Take Advantage
Much of this entry has been built around planning for when something goes wrong, but here’s the thing: Outdoor weddings can and will be gorgeous. There may be issues, but you want your wedding to be outdoors for a reason — exquisite pictures, gorgeous natural surroundings, perfect weather, and so on.
In other words, take advantage of your outdoor surroundings. Hug those trees: Truly, do this! Take advantage of the natural elements to make the wedding cohesive and tie everything together. Wrap lights, flowers, or photos around trees to tell a story. Less is More: The best part about hosting a wedding outside? You aren’t trying to over-contrast.
Whatever you do, make sure you fold in your outdoor surroundings and make sure you work with a vendor like Stoney Creek Hotels that has experience in managing weddings and outdoor weddings.
The Stoney Creek Experience
Stoney Creek prides itself on a great outdoor wedding space, but we recognize that, at times, it takes some finesse to get the length just right for your special day. Outdoor wedding venues can be intimidating. But, as we know, there is something so refreshing about hosting your wedding outdoors, with natural elements supplementing the hours and hours you put into deciding on decorum and cake choices.
Stoney Creek Hotels offers some beautiful outdoor ceremony locations. Stoney Creek Hotels’ best outdoor ceremony locations include:
- Stoney Creek Sioux City: This hotel offers a courtyard with a pond and gorgeous seating arrangement potential.
- Stoney Creek La Crosse: La Crosse looks over an expansive nature preserve and is exceptionally green.
- Stoney Creek Independence: We can’t lie. This one is the best. It offers fantastic views, a waterfall, and extensive outdoor seating opportunities.
- Stoney Creek St. Joseph: This one is unique! Check out the waterfall and courtyard views.
Stoney Creek Hotels and Stoney Creek weddings can be perfect for your outdoor wedding needs. Check us out today.