Hosting a wedding outside can be an excellent way to enhance the scenery and overall vibe of the ceremony. However, any event that takes place outdoors may require some additional preparations and provisions to keep the festivities comfortable and convenient. If you’re in the process of planning an outdoor wedding and you want to make it as enjoyable as possible, it should go without saying that you should make hospitality your highest priority. On that note, here are four ways you can keep your guests happy and high-spirited throughout the duration of an outdoor wedding ceremony.
1. Provide Restroom Trailers
You’ll need to consider the fact that some of your guests, such as the elderly or young children, might not be able to cope with being a long distance away from the restroom for a period of a couple hours or more. Ideally, you’ll want to have facilities stationed within 100 yards of the gathering area. Unless you’re going to be directly outside of a building that has restrooms, your options will usually be either porta potties or Satellite Restroom Trailers, the latter of which is the preferred option due to the obvious aesthetic and functional benefits.
2. Have Multiple Drink and Snack Stations
Having just one bar for refreshments can be inconvenient if you’re going to be having a fairly large reception with lots of guests. You don’t want people migrating across the grounds and lining up to fetch drinks and snacks instead of spending their time socializing with each other. In addition to having several strategically placed and stocked stands, you may also want to utilize a catering service to actively deliver refreshments on trays and rolling carts.
3. Create Plenty of Shade
The sun is both your friend and your enemy at an outdoor wedding. On one hand it enhances the scenery and gives you a nice show at sunset, but on the other hand it can be a bit overbearing when you’re sitting in direct sunlight for more than 20 minutes. Having various gazeboes, umbrellas, tents, and other shade-making structures will give people a place to stay cool and comfortable.
4. Be Close to an Indoor Venue
Finally, perhaps the best way to make an outdoor wedding more convenient is to combine it with an indoor venue. This will not only let you have the wedding feast inside away from the flies, mosquitoes and other pests, it can also provide a backup in case the weather takes an unexpected turn. Additionally, having an indoor facility open to your guests will be ideal for those who want to take a break inside if the event is being held on a hot day.
Giving Every Guest a Great Experience
Ultimately, following the suggestions above will help you avoid the most common pitfalls and inconveniences that are dealt with during outdoor weddings, and the result will be a better experience for everyone involved. As a bonus tip, you may want to consult with some of your guests to see if they can provide any additional recommendations that will help the wedding reach its full potential.
