Outdoor receptions are a beautiful way to celebrate your big day, but hosting one is often challenging. Below are a few tips to keep in mind as you get started in your planning process!

Weather
Because weather can be unpredictable, it’s good to plan for different scenarios. In hot weather, make sure to offer guests plenty of cold water, shade, and fans. In the case of rain, it might be best to move inside, otherwise, tents and table umbrellas can help.

Bugs
Bugs can be a problem during certain parts of the day. Avoid a twilight reception to help lessen the chance of mosquitoes, and fans can help keep bugs away during hot summer days. Citronella candles or bug zappers can be useful, too.

Food
If offering a buffet-style meal, make sure to choose an appropriate menu; outdoor receptions make it hard to maintain the temperature of either hot or cold food. Also, if it’s warm out, make sure the wedding cake will stand up to the heat.

Lighting
A twilight wedding and reception can be beautiful, but make sure there’ll be enough light after sunset. On the other hand, if it’s warm and bright out, make sure there’s ample shade for guests, and provide sunscreen for those who might forget.

Shoes

While beautiful and fun, outdoor wedding receptions aren’t necessarily the best place to wear formal shoes. If guests will need to walk on grass, sand, or uneven dirt, let them know in advance so they can forgo those spiked heels.

Be Flexible
Maintaining flexibility as your reception date nears is critical. It’s true that outdoor receptions are more prone to last-minute changes, but it’s equally true that a relaxed, positive attitude—combined with adequate planning—will go a long way to ensuring your event goes off as close to your best-laid plans as possible.

Photo by Ricardo Diaz.

Get more information about wedding and reception venues at: www.countryclubreceptions.com