HOW TO CREATE A DREAM OUTDOOR WEDDING

FROM BALLROOM TO BACKYARD: HOW TO CREATE A DREAM WEDDING

Set the Scene: Ask Yourself These Questions:

(Your answers will help you get a better sense of what you’ll need for setting up your wedding space.)

Do you want to highlight the outdoors or create an environment that feels “indoorsy?”

What’s the best space in your backyard for guests to easily watch (and hear) the outdoor ceremony?

What space can you transform into an aisle?

After the ceremony, will you have a cocktail hour before dinner?

Are you planning on live music or a DJ?

Get Creative

If you’re fortunate to have a backyard with lots of flowering trees, festooning them with elegant white lights or candles is lovely and elegant, and looks beautiful from the late afternoon on. If not, visit your local flower market. We love them because of the variety—you can find all sorts of gorgeous arrangements, bouquets and individual plants/flowers, plus, the prices are ah-mazing. Read more about doing your own wedding florals.

Embracing Nature…

Doesn’t mean your wedding has to be “rustic.” You can have a supremely sophisticated outdoor event just by adding the right accents to your natural background. Sleek, crisp whites, glass candles, modern linens, a pop-up bar, and cool outdoor furniture can take your backyard to NYC rooftop in no time.

Keep It Simple and Chic

Backyard weddings do bring up some challenges, like where to put the food and how to keep it cold (or hot), etc, etc. Simplifying your menu will make it a lot easier. The good news: a small wedding lets you really perfect the details, so every bite, and every moment, is absolutely sublime.

Dress Code

Depending on how formal your ceremony, typically outdoor wedding dress codes are slightly less formal than indoor ones. You want your guests to be at ease. Here, a few ways to politely ask them to come dressed up but comfortable:

Cocktail Attire (But remember, we’ll be outdoors!)

Dress Code: Outdoor Chic

Attire: Dressed Up but Comfortable!

Dress Code: Simple Style

Attire: Natural Style

Dress Code: Casual Chic

Read more ways to word your invites.

Most important, embrace the day, the outdoors, your person. It will be amazing, no. matter. what.