Summer Ceremonies: Things to Keep in Mind for Outdoor Weddings
July is one of the most popular months for people to tie the knot. While outdoor weddings can be absolutely beautiful, they also require a little extra planning in case mother nature doesn’t agree with the mother of the bride. Obviously, you can’t control the weather, but if you’re planning to have a summer wedding, here are a few tips that might make planning your outdoor wedding a little less stressful:
1. Make sure your venue has a Plan B. If you’re going to shoot for that perfect outdoor ceremony, you should make sure the venue has a backup plan just in case it rains. Also, make sure it can accommodate the number of guests you’re planning on. The venue will definitely know the ideal room for you.
2. Check the event schedules in the surrounding area. Make sure there aren’t any big music festivals or concerts nearby that might cause any disturbance. Everyone should be able to focus on celebrating you, not straining to hear over the sound of Rick Springfield playing his greatest hits. This also may affect your parking situation, if the concert is being held in a stadium or part of a festival.
3. Have plenty of water nearby. This seems like a no-brainer, but we can’t stress enough how important it is to not only have bottled water available. Make sure it is easily available to all of your guests, especially any grandparents.
4. Have hand-fans available. Hand-fans can be a fun and effective way to provide your guests with the cool-down they might need if your summer wedding starts to feel a bit toasty. They’re fun and your guests will really appreciate them. You’ll also have an automatic fan club for your wedding.
5. Keep your older guests in mind. When you’re planning an outdoor wedding, make sure your venue is handicap accessible and comfortable for your older guests. While a lush meadow might seem like the perfect setting, it might be a little difficult for some of your guests, especially those in wheelchairs. So, just make sure that you have some plan on how to accommodate all of your guests regardless of location. Be sure to tell your venue if you have guests in wheelchairs that will require extra assistance.
6. Make sure you have access to electricity. Make sure your venue has enough power and nearby outlets for the ceremony musicians as well as for the PA for your ceremony. If you are doing a ceremony in a forested area, you may need to rent a generator. If you do, try to find one that makes the least amount of sound. Some of them can be very loud and disruptive. Your venue or tent supplier may have some ideas to help you.
7. Have a speaker and mic set up for your ceremony. Even the perfect summer day can make it difficult to hear if there’s a light breeze. Don’t take any chances, make sure you have good audio for your ceremony so all your guests can hear you loud and clear. Have the sound system be set up and tested well before any of your guests arrive.
8. Don’t place the musicians in direct sunlight. Ceremony musicians are many times performing on delicate wood instruments such as violin, cello, and guitar. Make sure the area you have set aside for them is shaded and outside of the direct sunlight. This will protect their instruments as well as everybody’s ability to see the activities of your ceremony much easier. Your Chicago wedding band will thank you!
9. Make sure the musicians have clothespins or plastic covers for their sheet music. If there is a forecast for wind, you may want to make sure the musicians have clothespins or a plastic shield to prevent their sheet music from blowing around. Professional music companies like ours will already have that ready, but a quick reminder based on the forecast can help. This would surely throw some of the Chicago wedding bands out there off their game!
10. Set aside a specific time to make the call of an inside or outside ceremony: It is better to be safe than sorry.
Hopefully, you found some of these tips on outdoor, a little extra planning will make sure your outdoor ceremony goes smoothly even if that means your outdoor ceremony is an indoor one. David Rothstein Music is supported by a full organization designed to help you with exactly these kinds of issues. We are an amazing band with a huge heart, and are happy to help you with all the logistics so that you can have great music and the outdoor wedding you envision.
