Outdoor weddings can be beautiful and awe-inspiring, but keeping your guests comfortable as they wait for you to walk down the aisle presents a few challenges. Here are just a few ideas you can use at your outdoor wedding venue to make sure your guests are just as happy as you are on your special day.
Serve Refreshments
Waiting in the hot summer sun can cause your guests to work up a thirst. Work with your venue to arrange for beverage service. This could include setting up a lemonade and iced tea stand off to the side of the seating area where guests can help themselves before the ceremony. For a more formal outdoor wedding, consider having your servers walk around with trays of ice water, lemonade and chilled champagne. Your guests will appreciate this extra touch, and they'll have a convenient way to quench their thirst as they wait. If there will be children in attendance, consider serving Italian ice they can snack on to stay cool. Stick to lemon flavors to avoid stains on their outfits, and serve them in plastic cups to prevent broken glass in the ceremony area.
Pass Out Fans
Consider having small fans placed on each seat before your guests arrive. The fans can be custom-printed with your wedding date and your names along with a favorite hymn. You can also have your wedding program printed on the fans for a bit of added convenience. If there is no shade near the seating area, you might also want to invest in paper parasols guests can use to block the harsh sunlight.
Loosen Up The Dress Code
Don't expect your guests to arrive in black tie formal wear for an outdoor wedding. Add a note to your invitations letting guests know that a more relaxed dress code is acceptable for your event. You can even add a few links to fashion blogs on your wedding website to help give guests an idea of what they can wear. Loosening up the dress code means that male guests won't have to sweat through a suit at your event, and female guests can opt for tea-length party dresses to help them stay cool.
Create A Shaded Waiting Area
If your outdoor wedding venue will be used for both the wedding and reception, consider adding a tent to use as a waiting area for your guests. They can enjoy cocktail hour in the shade while they wait for your staff to finish setting up the reception area, and you can even use this space to meet with your guests after the reception. Be sure to set up a table in the tent with complimentary sunglasses and sunscreen, which your guests can use before the ceremony and after to provide added protection from the sunlight.
Work with your outdoor wedding venue to come up with other ideas you can use to keep your guests comfortable. With the right preparations, you can make your wedding day one your guests are sure to remember. For more information, contact DEER MOUNTAIN EVENTS or a similar organization.
Share6 September 2016
Hello, my name is Eduardo. Welcome to my site about event planning. I invite you to learn all you can about this topic, so you can throw the best parties ever for your family, friends and neighbors. I will talk about the process of planning the party, including hiring caterers, decorating the venue and sending invitations to your intended guests. My site will cover information about making your own invitations and party decorations as well. I hope you will learn from my experiences throwing large parties and find a way to throw the best events ever after reading through these different posts.
