Garden and Outdoor Wedding Planning:
Advantages and Disadvantages

Outdoor weddings can be beautiful, especially taking into consideration a spectacular garden setting.  An outdoor wedding has many advantages. However, these types of weddings do have a lot of issues that you should think about.  Outdoor weddings are not for everyone. If you are considering an outdoor wedding then you will need to cover a lot of homework before you decide.
Of course a church wedding is for the very traditional and usually for the more conservative bride.  The Garden or outdoor wedding does give the bride many other opportunities.  These can be small and simple to lavish sit down dinners.

Advantages:

• An outdoor garden wedding could possibly be more reasonable in cost than a Church wedding, but this would depend on the Venue and your plans for the reception.
• Outdoor weddings do give you more options for themes: Beach, Garden, Arboretum, Castle Grounds, Mansion backyard, Back Yard Gazebo’s, Tents, Yachts, Sailboats.
• Beautiful settings
• Great photo scenery
• Could possibly be very relaxing for you and your guests.

Disadvantage:

• You will need to make sure they have chairs for the ceremony area.  If not, you will have to make arrangements to rent enough chairs for invited guests.
• You will need to secure an Officiant to conduct the ceremony.
• You will need to know if they have a caterer.  If not you will have to secure one.
• If they have a location for a reception: you will need to know if they have tables, chairs, linens, China, Flatware, & Glassware or arrange to rent the items from a reliable rental place.
• You will more than likely need to have more flowers in order to make the setting more wedding like.
• At an outdoor or garden wedding you must always have an alternate plan.  This is in case it should rain or have inclement weather.  You should make arrangements for a tent or if the facility has an indoor covered building, you should reserve it in case of bad weather. 
• If you have a tent you will need a dance floor.  Size will depend on the number of guests you will have.
• The alternate plan is also in case it should rain: you do not want to inconvenience your guests.
• If you should have live music for your ceremony, live music for the reception or a DJ, their sound system equipment should always be protected if it rains.
• If your outdoor or garden setting is in a family neighborhood; you will need to consider the noise level from the band or DJ.
• What you do not want is for the Police to appear and let you know that the music is too loud and the neighbors are complaining.
• Flowers are a necessary consideration.  Depending on the time of year you want to get married, you will need to consider the heat element.  Some Flowers are delicate and depending on your selection, please make sure that the flowers you select will hold up from the time of delivery to the end of the reception.  What you don’t want to happen is the boutonnière’s and bouquets to look droopy or for the petals to fall off before the reception is over.  Your florist should easily tell you which flowers are sturdier for that time of year that you are planning your wedding.
• Your wedding dress: All wedding dresses will go through some form of abuse and get soiled, but at an outdoor wedding, your long dress will not only have grass stains, if it rains you will also have mud stains that could possibly be more costly to have removed.
• Shoes: If it has rained and the grounds are soft, your heels will more likely sink in the soft grounds. 
• Runner for the middle aisle: If having a runner for the ceremony site, please make sure that it is of sturdy material.  Otherwise, your heels and those of the bridesmaids and female family members in the wedding party will break through and sink in the soft earth.
• Parking is another consideration.  Some outdoor Venues will not allow parking close to the actual wedding location.  You must confirm that there is sufficient security and if it rains, you want to make sure your guests get to their autos without getting drenched.  You do want your guests to remember the beautiful wedding and not the inconveniences they had to go through while at your wedding.
• In some locations you will have to pay extra for Security persons.  The number needed to hire will depend on the number of people you have at the reception and how long you anticipate serving the beverages.
• If the Venue does not have a required Liquor license; than you will have to make arrangements for the beverages.  Usually through the caterer.
• You will also have to hire the bartenders.
• If it is a hot time of the year, you will want to make sure you have plenty of bottled water for your guests.
• If it is hot and if you have elderly grandparents; arrange to have a few hand fans for them. Depending on the style, they can be decorated very nicely for a wedding.

At a Hotel Venue, the packages offered will include the majority of the items you will need for the reception. With the exception of your flowers, attire, musicians, favors, etc.
Ultimately, garden weddings styles will depend on the bride.  They are all beautiful and they can all be elegant weddings, regardless of budget. This is just a short list of advantages and disadvantages. My advice is to hire a great wedding consultant or coordinator that will assist you in making your wedding day the day you have always dreamed of having.