Outdoor wedding worries

[Twigler]

I am wanting to have an outdoor wedding in the backyard of the farmhouse I grew up in. We would have tall pine trees as out backdrop. The only problem is that my fiance and I are really worried about whether all of the possible downfalls of it being outdoors outweigh having a wedding indoors. For instance, my wedding date is June 9 and we live in the midwest of Illinois so weather is always a threat. Along with that is worry about the sun and pictures, traffic noise (the farm is on a somewhat used road), heat, wind, rain, makeup problems, keeping my dress clean and grass stain free, hair problems, etc. Can anyone give me any tips/ideas of how to help us decide what to do?

[CarlosHoney]

Welcome!! Congrats on your engagement! Glad you found us!!

Check this out:
http://www.weather.com/activities/events/weddings/?from=footer&ref=/

It will show you the past weather on your wedding day. You'll have a better idea of what you might expect..

I'm all for outdoor weddings, though.. There are problems with them. The ones you listed, of course, and many people really won't want to be outside in the summer heat. Anything above 75 and I really feel warm.

If you go outdoors, you might want to make sure that you have an alternative venue in mind just in case it rains, or there's a freak heat wave, and it's going to be 100 degrees out.

I was going to have the whole thing outside and decided to have the ceremony outside and the reception inside. Best of both worlds.

Good luck dear, and if you have any other questions, all of the girls here are awesome!!

[Twigler]

Hey! Thanks a ton for that website! It looks like it will be a lot of help! This website here looks like it is going to be a lot of help and I am sure I am going to need the help (hense why I am starting to plan this early!).
The only problem with having it at another venue is that there isn't really anywhere around here (I'm from a really rural area) and I am trying to keep costs as low as possible so it is kind of hard to make a complete plan B. That's why I am really worried...I might try to have a tent though.

[CarlosHoney]

Well, there's a few girls from rural areas. Definitley check out a large canopy of some sort, and if it's really hot, you could get some fans to place here and there. It might also help to have it late in the evening, right when the sun is going down, so that it cools off for everyone.

What kinds of decorations did you have in mind? Here's some things that I thought of when I saw that it was next to a farmhouse:

http://eventionsproductions.com/gallery/albums/album15/gorman2.jpg
Romantic lighting by candle under a tent

http://eventionsproductions.com/gallery/albums/album06/pilgrim_front.jpg
You could use paper lanterns with multi-colored bulbs

http://www.beau-coup.com/Pictures/paper_fan_150.jpg
I'm leaving a fan on each seat at the ceremony, so that if anyone is hot, they can cool themselves.

[brewsells]

I definatly agree with the canope. It will shield from the weather, either way. Besides that, I really like the way it looks. I would have one if I was doing mine outdoors. My wedding is in August, so the heat would have been too much.

[Jenn060306]

The outside with the farm house does sound beautiful. But i would have to agree with the other girls. Look in to the cost of renting a tent. That way could can be sure no matter the weather it will be ok.
Good Luck! Keep us posted on how your plans are going!

[Kacie_bride]

Welcome to the board! We look forward to getting to know you. Outdoor weddings are beautiful. I agree with everyone else about the tent. If you go that route defiantely make sure your attire is very light. I know my dress is really hot and it's a halter top. I guess because of the undergarments, but my wedding is in December so I'm not going to bake.

[WhiskeyGirl]

Hi! Welcome to the board!! My DH and I were supposed to have our wedding outside last July!! When the day rolled around it was cold and miserable! (and it rained the morning of!!)Luckily we moved our wedding into the hangar on my FIL/MIL's farm!! We always had a back up plan!! Although a tent is a wonderful idea, what will you do if it is a cool day?? Do you have a quonset on the farm that you could clean up and decorate?? If not, are there local halls that you could rent?? I would think that every small town has a community hall! The hole in the ground town that my aunt lives in even has a hall but no grocery store!! Go figure!! Anyhow, welcome and we're here to help!!

[Kacie_bride]

You have to watch out for those small town halls though. We have a VFW here but the inside of it looks like a dingy bar. It even smells like a dingy bar.

[WhiskeyGirl]

You have to watch out for those small town halls though. We have a VFW here but the inside of it looks like a dingy bar. It even smells like a dingy bar.

Decorations and some cleaning! Thats all it would need though! If it still smells, scented candles on the tables!! I know that they are tacky in a lot of towns but you've just got to work with what you've got right!! In one of the ones I've been to they had like orange and brown cushions on the wall!!! They are ugly as sin, but like I said, you work with what you've got!!

[fotogrllt]

I, myself, prefer photographing weddings outdoors. So, go ahead and have the outdoor wedding, but have a back up in case of a weather change. i.e. tents with sides for the guests to retreat to. I have photographed weddings outdoors both in Arizona and Michigan, and I found weather not to be a problem because I move the photos along. I don't dawdle outdoors in case the weather is threatening to change. Too, if it is sunny, the trees will make nice shade because you do not want your photos in direct sunlight. Check out my web site at www.photographyplusbylaura.com to see examples of outdoor wedding photography. Good luck

[Twigler]

Decorations and some cleaning! Thats all it would need though! If it still smells, scented candles on the tables!! I know that they are tacky in a lot of towns but you've just got to work with what you've got right!! In one of the ones I've been to they had like orange and brown cushions on the wall!!! They are ugly as sin, but like I said, you work with what you've got!!

I understand what you say about the community hall thing. We do have one in our local town, but it is not nice at all. And we could really go all out and decorate it and make it look nice, but I am working with a very limited budget and I really have to watch how I am spending my money (like a $5,000 budget)!! The only part of the day that would be outdoors is the actual wedding. My fiance is from another small town so we are having the reception in the VFW in his town. I just hate the idea of spending over $300 for a tent to be set up just in case of a storm. But I guess that is just something you have to do just in case. In response to Canadianbride, we do not have a quonset (I actually have never heard of that before). It is a really small farm, but it is where I grew up and lived my whole life. I will try to get a picture of where exactly it would be at so you guys could get a better idea of the setting. Thanks for all your help!!

[WhiskeyGirl]

I understand what you say about the community hall thing. We do have one in our local town, but it is not nice at all. And we could really go all out and decorate it and make it look nice, but I am working with a very limited budget and I really have to watch how I am spending my money (like a $5,000 budget)!! The only part of the day that would be outdoors is the actual wedding. My fiance is from another small town so we are having the reception in the VFW in his town. I just hate the idea of spending over $300 for a tent to be set up just in case of a storm. But I guess that is just something you have to do just in case. In response to Canadianbride, we do not have a quonset (I actually have never heard of that before). It is a really small farm, but it is where I grew up and lived my whole life. I will try to get a picture of where exactly it would be at so you guys could get a better idea of the setting. Thanks for all your help!!

Perhaps you know them as something different! A quonset is where you store machinery and such!! Usually they are like a half moon round, metal type building! They generally have a cement floor in them!

[rainbowtreat]

I am having my weddin goutside as well. We are planning on getting married on my sisters deck. I was going to do the tents and have the reception outside but I decided to rent the hall. The American Legion has a very large room with a bar and kitchen on the first floor. And because my sister and her dad are members it only cost me $100. So if it rains I will have the ceremony in the hall as well. So if your having a hall for the reception then that can be your back up if the weather is too bad on that day. Good luck and welcome.

[Kacie_bride]

I think you have a lot to work with for $5000. There are other girls on here who are having from what I can tell gorgeous weddings for under that amount. You have plenty of time to shop around and find the best deals. You can have one heck of a fiesta I think.

Oh, and CanadianBride yup when you are faced with it, you got to work with what you got. Lucky for us we have a wilderness resort 30 minutes down the road that works for us or I guess we would have to spend out the wazoo and book a hotel or something in Houston or Beaumont.

[CindySue]

Me and Brian and been talking a lot here lately about our back up plans if if happens to rain. Our ceremony AND reception are both going to be outside. The ceremony at the lake and the reception here at the house. Well it would be no problem to move everything indoors here. We have a shop type builing off to the side of the house that we could hold both in if need be......only we've run up on ANOTHER possible problem. Out here in the country we arent on a sewer system, we have a septic tank instead. Which is normally not a problem except when it rains in large amounts. Then the toilets dont want to flush, sinks dont want to drain, etc. and it can get nasty. Now just imagine if the septic tank was filled with rain and theres 30+ people here trying to use the bathroom :bbeek: . That is NOT a scene I want to happen in my house!!!!!!
If its pretty outside - Plan A, Its its sprinkling a little - Plan B, It the bottom falls out - Plan C (Only we are still trying to figure out plan C!!!!!)
Wish me luck!!!