You’ve always wanted an outdoor wedding, and you have the plans well under way. You know what you’ll do as an emergency plan in case it rains… but have you thought about other concerns for your outdoor wedding?

outdoor wedding
Wind
If your outdoor wedding is enclosed or partly enclosed (such as by a tent/canopy, or surrounded by trees or stone walls) wind might not be a problem. But if you’re in an open field, a garden, beach, or other mostly-flat area, you might want to think about wind. You don’t want to spend your big day holding your veil down, or trying to keep your hair out of your face!
If you’re in an open space, there are several things you can do to make sure everything goes smoothly.

beach canopy

** Consider an updo for your hair. There are plenty of beautiful, romantic styles that will work plain or coupled with a veil, tiara, or flowers.

** If you have a shorter dress, plan for one of your bridesmaids to stand close. She can help keep your dress in place for those big gusts of wind.

** Make sure the ceremony is far enough away from anything that can blow around easily, like water (from lakes, fountains, etc.) or loose sand or dirt.

** Consider a decorative canopy to help keep wind minimized, especially for beach weddings.

 

Extreme Sun
While most brides think about what they’ll do if it rains, have you thought about the special problems caused if it’s very sunny? Will your guests be squinting into the sun to see you? Will you be squinting at your partner, or having a tough time making out the words to your vows on that glowing white piece of paper?

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to prepare for extreme sun.

** Think about what time the wedding will be and where the sun will be in the sky at that time, and plan the layout accordingly. Remember that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so if you’re having a morning wedding, try facing west, north, or south. If you’re having an afternoon wedding, face east, north, or south.

** If you’re reading vows, print or write them in a dark color font on a light colored (but not white) paper. If you have light colors in your wedding color scheme, you can match it to that. If not, even a pale grey or deep ivory will reflect less light and make it easier for you to read.

Check out Part Two for more things to think about when planning your outdoor wedding!