I love rom-coms that end with the couple getting married outside on the beach. The background shows only the ocean, a ceremony arch, and their closest friends and family. It’s so romantic! Outdoor weddings are beautiful!

But if you stop and think about it, where does the music come from? What if it rained? Where did the bride get dressed and wait before going down the aisle? Outdoor weddings are actually really complicated and take a lot of planning to do well. Here are a few details to consider while planning your perfect outdoor wedding.

Must have a rain plan

There’s no way to know what the weather will be like on your wedding day. Wishful thinking and ignoring the possibility of anything less than you imagine isn’t enough to make your wedding day go smoothly. It could rain. You could also run into cold in the spring or extreme heat in the summer month. You don't want guests or wedding party fainting during your vows. Have a plan for all these possibilities.

Electricity

You want music for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Be sure that there is an accessible electric hook-up for your DJ that won’t blow a fuse.

Check with your vendors

Outside on a hot day, the cake could melt. The caterer might need access to a kitchen. The photo booth backdrop could blow over in a gentle wind. The DJ likely requires a tent. Double check with them anyway.

Restrooms

Enough said. Your guests need a place to go and they don’t want to walk far.

Parking

Be mindful that there’s room for all your guests to park, or have a shuttle plan. Also consider how far guests have to walk to get to the ceremony location. They’re most likely wearing heels and dress shoes that are NOT made for walking up a mountain.

Space for Bride & Bridesmaids

You don’t want anyone to see you before the ceremony, so you need a place to wait during guest arrival that’s close enough to get you to the aisle without being seen. it doesn’t have to be much. A closet or small shed with a chair that won’t get your dress dirty could be sufficient.

Tent & Fans or Heaters

The best thing to do is rent a tent. It can include sides if necessary and those can usually be ordered the week of the wedding when you have a better idea of the weather. The week of the wedding you can also get fans or heaters to be sure your guests will be comfortable and want to stay for the duration of your reception.

Hire a Wedding Planner

Unless your’e working with a venue that does weddings outside regularly, an outside wedding is a lot of work, more work than an inside wedding. It would be worth it to hire a wedding planner who know every detail you need to cover for your outside wedding to be a success.