Planning an Outdoor Wedding: Essential Tips & Venue Inspiration

Saying your vows surrounded by natural beauty is one of the most popular ways to get married. Forget the corporate interior of a registry office or an echoing church; outdoor weddings, especially in the summer, feel special and more natural. If you want to know how to plan an outdoor wedding, this article is a must-read.

In it, we’ll explain why choosing an outdoor wedding is so appealing and how, with a little preparation, your special day can be even more memorable. We’ll share suggestions for some of the best outdoor venues and handy planning tips for beginners. We’ll also add some budget guidelines so you can have all the joy of an open-air wedding without the financial worry.

Why choose an outdoor wedding?

An outdoor wedding offers a unique blend of natural beauty, flexibility, and memorable experiences that can make your special day truly unforgettable. One of the biggest advantages is, of course, the scenery. Whether you choose a country garden, a beach, or a rooftop wedding in the heart of the city, your surroundings provide a setting that doesn’t need any additional dressing or decoration.

Natural light also makes for better photographs, and your photographer will have far more options for creating those perfect lasting memories outdoors than indoors. Wedding in outdoor settings also offer more room for your guests and more flexibility, giving you the freedom to create a more personalised celebration.

On a practical level, outdoor wedding planning can also be cheaper than an indoor venue, especially if you hold the ceremony in a friend’s garden or on a beach. While you may need permission to hold a ceremony in a public space such as a woodland park, the cost will be minimal compared to a grand country house.

Tips for planning an outdoor wedding

Don’t be fooled into thinking that an outdoor event is easier to plan than an indoor one. In fact, outdoor wedding planning throws up a raft of considerations that you don’t have to worry about with an indoor venue. If you want to hold your event outside, you’ll need a checklist of things to organise before you go ahead. Here is our top ten list of must-dos.

1. Choose the right season – Weather is the biggest factor when you’re planning a celebration outside. That means picking the season when you’re most likely to have good weather, dry conditions, and sunshine. Spring and early autumn are favourites for beautiful backdrops and mild weather, but a sudden squall on your big day could easily ruin everything. In summer, you’re most likely to get the sunshine you want, but venues are also busiest, and local events can eat up accommodation availability and parking spots.

Unless you and your guests are prepared to wrap up warm, winter weddings outdoors are not the best idea. If you’re planning a wedding abroad, study the climate of your chosen location to make sure you don’t plan your event during hurricane or monsoon seasons.

• Always have a weather back-up plan – The weather is unpredictable, even in the middle of a heatwave. Have a contingency plan ready if the forecast suddenly turns inclement, including a marquee to move the event under cover, mats to keep guests off muddy ground, and umbrellas to hand out as they arrive.

• Choose the right outdoor wedding venue – The next part of planning an outdoor wedding is deciding where you want to have your event. This could be anything from a friend’s garden to a Caribbean beach, a clifftop location or a formal country house estate. Bear in mind, though, that you need to consider not just your plans, but your guests’ needs.

If you have elderly relatives or friends with mobility issues attending your wedding, they won’t want to hike two miles to that perfect forest glade where you’ve set up a pergola and fairy lights. Be ambitious but temper your decision with practicality.

Remember – if you want your outdoor ceremony to be legally recognised, check that your chosen venue and arrangements meet the relevant legal requirements. You may need to hold the legal ceremony at an approved venue and celebrate outdoors separately.

• Work with experienced wedding planners – Wedding service providers who are experienced with outdoor events will know exactly what to do to make your wedding memorable. For example, entertainment specialists will understand how to set up a sound system and lighting to create the right ambience and ensure everyone can hear the vows.
• Consider your guests’ comfort – Outdoor settings can present challenges for guest comfort that you don’t have to worry about with indoor venues. You can ensure your guests’ comfort by providing shady areas during hot, sunny weather, as well as water stations. If your event is near a lake, you may need to add some citronella candles to the décor to keep midges and mosquitoes away. Check that your guests’ seating isn’t just comfortable, but stable too, especially on soft ground. And don’t forget to check toilet availability at the venue.
• Plan your catering carefully – If your outdoor wedding includes a reception, work with caterers experienced in outdoor events to make sure your meals and, most importantly, the cake make it to the table in one piece, even if the ground is a bit uneven.
• Plan your lighting and electrical supply – If your wedding runs into the evening, you will need lighting. Contact an electrician who specialises in events to ensure paths, pagodas, and marquees are adequately lit and safe, too. Our top tip: Go for battery-powered lights so the sound of a generator in the background doesn’t ruin the atmosphere.
• Use nature to decorate your venue – A beautiful outdoor venue won’t need too much embellishment. However, if you are having flowers, discuss your plans with the florist in advance so they can use seasonal blooms to create a natural-looking setting that complements your location.
• Think about accessibility – Your 80-year-old grandmother may not appreciate a hike along a muddy forest trail to reach your fairy-tale woodland glade, so do consider accessibility for kids, older guests, and those with mobility issues. Make sure the car park is close to the venue for easy access.
• Check availability for setting up and taking down your event – Unless your wedding planning focuses on a custom-made venue, you will need access to the location before and after the event to set up and pack away seats, marquees, and floral arches, depending on the scenario.

Outdoor wedding venue ideas

There are plenty of outdoor wedding ideas, each with its own unique charm.

1. Garden weddings – If you’re looking for outdoor wedding ideas on a budget, a garden wedding is an ideal option. If a friend or family member has a particularly beautiful garden, you can hold the ceremony in a place that has special meaning to you and your family. You may be limited on the number of guests depending on the size and layout of the garden, though.
2. Country estates – If a garden wedding is your ideal choice but you want something a little grander than your aunt’s cottage garden, country estates often provide access to their gardens for wedding events, especially if the estate is regularly used as a wedding venue. You’ll be able to welcome more guests. While costs may be higher, the estate will likely already be set up for practical needs such as accessibility, toilets, parking, and lighting.
3. Barn and farm weddings – Wonderfully rustic and evocative but with the benefits of modern conveniences like lighting, space, and catering facilities, barn and farm weddings are perfect if you want that rural idyll theme for your wedding. They’re more affordable than country estates, too, making them a great choice for outdoor wedding ideas on a budget.
4. Woodland weddings – Surrounded by majestic trees and shady glades, a woodland wedding is a magical choice for an outdoor wedding venue. The logistics are more challenging, especially access, but the beauty of a woodland wedding is its biggest attraction, especially in late summer and early autumn.
5. Beach weddings – One of the most popular choices for outside wedding ideas is beach weddings. Whether it’s on an idyllic Caribbean beach with white sand and endless sunshine or a characterful Cornish beach followed by a surfing session instead of a sit-down meal, beach weddings are evocative and memorable. You may be limited in how many guests you can invite to the ceremony, especially if you’re holding your beach wedding overseas, but you can invite more family and friends to the reception afterwards. Beach weddings are more intimate, and you don’t need extra decorations when you have a perfect sunset or coconut palms swaying in the background.
6. Lakeside and Loch weddings – If you can’t make it to the ocean, a lakeside wedding is an inland alternative, especially in Scotland where the dramatic beauty of the Lochs creates a perfect backdrop for a ceremony. Beware of the midges, though!
7. Rooftop weddings – Outdoor wedding ideas don’t necessarily have to be in the countryside or at the beach. If you’re a committed urbanite and love the city, a rooftop wedding overlooking the cityscape is a modern alternative that’s increasingly popular. Guest numbers may be limited, and parking may be challenging, but accessibility shouldn’t be a problem, even for guests with mobility issues.
8. Vineyard weddings – If you and your partner love wine, a vineyard wedding is an ideal way to combine your big day with one of your passions. Vineyards are usually in stunning locations, and those that offer their services as a wedding venue also often work with local suppliers to source gourmet food to go with the house wine. You may not be able to book a wedding during harvest time, though, as the vineyard will be exceptionally busy bottling next year’s vintage.
9. River weddings – Particularly popular in cities with a large river running through them, like London and Paris, river weddings offer a different way to say your vows against an urban backdrop. You’ll cruise past some of the city’s biggest landmarks during the ceremony. Many river cruises also provide a gourmet meal for guests, turning your wedding into a social event to remember.
10. Destination weddings – Did you meet your partner while backpacking in Thailand? Or perhaps you met on a beach in Ibiza. Destination weddings take you back to where it all began, offering exotic outdoor wedding ideas and often on a budget, too. You’ll also need to consider logistics, including legal paperwork, accommodation, and flights. You may also be limited in the number of guests. However, that can make a destination wedding far more intimate and personal.

Things to consider when choosing an outdoor wedding venue

Outdoor wedding planning can be a logistical challenge, as you have to consider things you would normally take for granted in an indoor venue. When you’re putting together your wedding plan, remember to include considerations such as:

• Capacity – Weddings outside can mean fewer guests, unless you choose a specialist venue such as a country estate.
• Parking – Parking may be some distance from the venue, or there may be limited spaces. Check before you book to make sure all your guests can park easily on the day.
• Accessibility – A secret woodland glade may be romantic, but how will everyone get there if there’s only a single-track path? Consider accessibility, especially in spring and autumn when paths may be muddy or hard to navigate for a guest in a wheelchair.
• Toilets – If it’s a mile walk to the nearest toilet, your wedding plans could run into problems. Check that toilets are close by and accessible for you and your guests.
• Logistics -Make sure your caterers, the marquee team, and your service providers can access the location with larger vehicles. Also check that there’s adequate lighting available, especially in the evening and along paths to and from the site.
• Guest transport and accommodation – If you have guests travelling to the event, ensure there are taxi services and road and rail access, and provide details in plenty of time so they can make arrangements. You’ll also need to check out the availability of local hotels and B&Bs for guest accommodation.

What are the most common outdoor wedding mistakes?

The most common outdoor wedding mistakes include not having a ‘rain plan’, especially during transitional seasons like spring and autumn; not thinking about accessibility; and choosing the wrong time of year to plan a wedding outside.

How much does an outdoor wedding cost?

When you’re drawing up your wedding planning list, cost is at the top. A simple ceremony in a friend’s garden is a perfect wedding idea on a budget. A trip to Bali for a beach wedding may cost a lot more, especially if you’re paying for your guests to fly out and join you. Outdoor weddings don’t always cost less than indoor weddings, and how much you spend depends on you.

What is the best month for an outdoor wedding?

Late spring (May and June) and early autumn (September and October) are generally the best months for an outdoor wedding due to mild weather, scenic beauty, and comfortable conditions for guests. However, July and August are generally among the warmest months in the UK, making them popular choices for outdoor weddings.

Protect your wedding plans with TH March

For over 130 years, TH March has been providing bespoke insurance for your most precious items, including engagement and wedding rings. Now, our new wedding Insurance service offers greater protection for almost every element of the big day, including covering your financial commitment if your venue goes out of business before the day, or your service providers go bust without fulfilling their commitments. Our cover also includes personal liability to protect you against the financial impact of a compensation claim for third-party injuries or property damage on the day. You can learn more about our new service on our wedding insurance page. Or contact us direct to discuss your needs with one of our advisors today.