Summer is the main wedding season. Given the hot weather and long days, it’s also understandably the time of year when we love to get outside. Many communities make their public spaces available at reasonable prices for private parties. Whether it’s in a park, on the beach, or even in your backyard, hosting your wedding outdoors can provide an enchanting setting, great views for photos, and beautiful scenery without spending a lot on decoration.
However, there are important things to consider, and hidden costs, when taking your ceremony and reception outdoors. Here’s a checklist to refer to when setting your budget and discussing your outdoor wedding with your wedding planner or caterer.
Rentals – “Front and back of the house”
Remember that you will have to build a space for the ceremony, a kitchen and a dining room. Most likely, you will need to rent tables, chairs, tablecloths, plates, glasses, napkins, dance floor, audio equipment, in short, everything you need to serve and entertain your guests.
Also, your caterer will need to build a kitchen. This may involve renting a tent and cooking or heating equipment. At a minimum, you will need to rent tables to use at the countertop workstations. Rentals can take a big chunk out of your budget and need to be accounted for up front.
Water sources
Are water sources available nearby? Being in the sun will undoubtedly make your guests thirsty. If there is no source of drinking water, you will need to bring bottled water for your guests. And your provider will need water to rinse pots, pans, and dishes.
Energy sources
Your caterer can cook over an open fire, venue permitting, but are you planning to serve coffee? Will you go out after dark? Are you going to have a DJ? If so, you will need a power source to connect the equipment.
Bathrooms
Obviously, this is a very important consideration when partying and drinking for several hours. Are there clean and sufficient bathrooms? If not, it is recommended to rent portable urinals.
Unwanted “guests”
Do you have any means of keeping mosquitoes, flies, and maybe even other hungry critters away from your guests and food?
Garbage disposal
And finally, at the end of the evening, a big party will have generated a lot of garbage and waste. Does the venue provide enough trash cans or will your caterer have to bring additional cans? Does the garbage have to be transported at the end of the event, or will the venue allow you to leave your garbage in its receptacles?