From Proposal to Wedding Day: fall outdoor affair

With the fall weather swooping in with its chilly mornings and nights, one might think that the wedding season is overall. September, though is becoming a extremely busy season for weddings, somewhat comparable to the popularity of June. It is especially ideal for the outdoor weddings due to comfortable temperatures, less humidity and beautiful colors present in the nature.

Read on for some tips on how to have beautiful and successful outdoor reception.

Look for a venue with beautifully manicured gardens and lots of blooms in early fall. It will save you lots of money in the long run on extra flowers and decorations and it will be a visual feast for your guests.

Venues that offer indoor and outdoor areas are your best bet. Some of my favorites are: countryside feel Inn at a Fernbrok Farms http://www.innatfernbrookfarms.com/ and the more urban setting of Inn at the Millrace Pond. http://www.innatmillracepond.com/index.html

You want to have an option in case of a bad weather, but even during warm and pleasant nights some guests will prefer a change of scenery. And on the practical side-indoor bathrooms beat any 5 star outdoor bathroom trailers-no matter how fancy they are equipped.

Plan your entertainment accordingly. Since you will be playing music outdoors, a lot of venues will have to observe local ordinance rules and end music by 10pm or so. But don’t worry, you can always continue with the after party at the hotel that you are staying at. Just plan ahead and coordinate with the hotel to make sure they have room and availability. Most drinking establishments in NJ stop serving alcohol between 1am and 2 am, so you will have plenty of time to party well into the night.

Think of your guests’ comfort and have baskets of mosquito wipes handy as well as shawls for the ladies. If your ceremony is during the day and there’s no shade, think of having pretty umbrellas available to provide some shade. I personally think that programs printed on the fans are a waste of money, you can print your ceremony programs for half the price and whoever needs to fan themselves can do it just as efficiently with the program.

When choosing food for the cocktail hour, opt for passed hors d’oeuvres, so you don’t have tables of food sitting in the full sun, melting and looking unappealing.

Think outside of the box. Since you are out in the nature, try to utilize the space to its full potential.  A lot of venues have fire pits and lounge areas in a close proximity to the reception tent. Think roasted marshmallows and hot cocoa for the end of the night. Ask and see if you can release chinese lanterns (it makes for beautiful photos!), just make sure you release them away from any trees, to avoid the unnecessary drama.

When it comes to décor and flowers go for minimal, low centerpieces and not necessarily in fall colors. You want to create a bit of a contrast, plus having pumpkins during pumpkins season is a bit expected.

When renting your own tent and a dance floor work closely with the vendor and ask them for size recommendations. Take into consideration if your crowd is young and dance happy and get a few extra panels for the dance floor. You don’t want anybody to be excluded from the celebration. Also think about renting unique outdoor sofas, chairs and other furniture to create a sophisticated and unique space

In my next blog I’ll talk about DIY weddings and their pros and cons. In the meantime – happy wedding planning!