Open the Doors to a Beautiful Outdoor Wedding

Planning a wedding is a fun affair, but the joke’s on you if your plans go awry and your guests take home memories of a disaster rather than the image of you walking down the aisle as pretty as a picture and the solemnity of the vows you and your spouse-to-be exchange. Alfresco weddings are beautiful affairs no doubt – there’s nothing finer than nature in all her splendor – but only if you plan things right and are prepared for any contingency. Here are a few pointers to help you put together the perfect outdoor wedding that will have your guests talking for years to come:

· Alternative Arrangements: Yeah, you planned for your wedding day to be bright and sunny, but the weather gods may think otherwise. If the storm clouds darken the proceedings, both literally and figuratively, make sure you’ve made alternative indoor arrangements that will suffice in a pinch. The downpour may have rained on your parade but you don’t want to rain on that of your guests. Also provide adequate protection against heavy winds and extreme cold – tell your guests to come dressed warmly if you’re expecting snow or very low temperatures around your wedding date.

· Pesky Pests: Nature calls to flies and bugs like bees to flowers. So if you don’t want your guests swatting and scratching away in the hot sunshine, be prepared with citronella candles and bug zappers depending on how large your wedding party is.

· Surround Sound: Voices don’t carry outdoors as they do inside closed doors, so make sure you have decent microphones for the bride, groom and the officiator so that your guests are not forced to watch a mime show rather than the wedding they came expecting.

· Pertinent Permits: Some outdoor locations necessitate an official stamp of approval so make sure you obtain the right permits for usage of the venue and photography rights well before your special day to avoid any untoward incidents.

· Food Facts: Make sure that your caterer chooses food that’s suitable to be served outdoors. If the weather is unseasonably warm, leave out foods that tend to spoil fast.

· Decorative Designs: Get your decorator to visit the venue of the wedding well in advance and plan the decorations relevant to the surrounding vista. They must also ensure that seating arrangements for your guests are viable and that the place is as neat as a pin.


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This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of the best dating services. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com.