Outdoor Wedding Guide

An outside wedding is perfect for creating a completely individual event. When you include fresh air and some lovely views you can really make it your own and the photos will be unique.

Once you have your wedding theme set you’ll be able to choose all manner of wares for the perfect day outside in your garden, village green, or even a rented space for weddings.

Let’s take a look at the main areas to consider and give you some ideas for planning your outside wedding.

Marquee wedding

A marquee wedding can look very grand and if you’re blessed with a large back garden or know the perfect space, you’ll be able to have the perfect wedding that you may have been dreaming of.

Marquees aren’t cheap and of course they come as an empty space that you’ll need to fill with furniture, decorations, kitchen equipment, and more. We’ll cover some of that below.

There are also a few different types of marquees that you may want to consider.

Gazebos

With an outside wedding, not all of what happens will occur inside your marquee. If you’re having outside entertainment [Link to entertainment page] then you’ll need to consider that, too. Gazebos are a great little addition to cover the band, big games, cocktail bar, or whatever you’re planning outside.

In the summer these serve as sunshades – hopefully more than shelter from the rain! You can opt for open-sided gazebos, or in colours to match your theme – go wild with your imagination.

Lighting

The lighting in your marquee or outside venue needs careful consideration. In the long summer months you’ll need to get this right because as the sun sets, the light will fade.

Even in the daytime you’ll want some nice lighting in the marquee or outside space. Here are some ideas to ponder on:

• Uplighters for the marquee (inside and out).
• Centre lights for each table.
• Table centre lights.
• Fairy lights for specific areas of your marquee and outside space.
• Kitchen lighting.
• Outside lighting for paths and tricky pedestrian areas.
• Venue entrance lighting for the taxis and carriages to find guests late at night.

Not all of the above need to be electrical. Some well-placed garden torches or hanging lanterns can light the way and will add a whole new effect at night time.

Make sure you consider the power needed for all this lighting on top of what you already need.

Heaters

Don’t forget that later on in the day, and even during diner, you’ll need to heat the marquee or outside space. Drafts can be really off putting for you or your guests. A good blow heater will work with the size of the room and can run on a thermostat so it will come on when needed.

Outdoor equipment

Outside your venue you’ll need to work out what people will need to make themselves comfortable, as well as making sure all the other plans you have for your event can go ahead smoothly.

Here are some ideas for the outside of your outside venue:

• Rope barriers to line the entrance.
• Garden furniture for outside seating.
• Poseur table for outside drinks.
• Big outdoor games like Connect 4.
• Gazebo for cover or shelter. Some people still want to smoke – where will they go?
• Candles and bug deterrents for those later summer nights.

Got the right power?

One area you must focus on is the need for adequate power. So often we hear about events that switch off (literally) when the band start up or the chocolate fountain is plugged in.

The ovens, lights, heaters and more all have a power drain on the system and as good as the venue electrics, barn, or house are – it’s rarely enough to power your event.

There are some simple but important calculations to be made. Asking your caterers how many ovens they need and how many plug sockets the band and bar require (hint: it’s more than you probably think!) will all lead to being prepared and should prevent things from going wrong.

What size generator do I need for an outdoor wedding?

You can rely on us…

We’ve been hiring catering equipment in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds and West Midlands for over 20 years.

We’ve seen our fair share of weddings and this gives us the insight and expertise to ask the right questions to give you exactly what you need for your big day.

Contact us now or get a quote by clicking on the button below and we’ll get working on it together.