"I Do" Outdoors Part 2

OK, so you want to say "I Do" outdoors anyway. Good for you. It can be very lovely and romantic. Now keep in mind a few things and you will find it a pleasurable experience.

1. Have soemthing on hand for beestings. Benadryl is best. Never know who might have an allergy. Don't want the groom to have a puffy face in the photos!
2. Have a covered place to actually say your vows, unless it will be close to dark.
3. If it will be close to dark, talk to the videographer about filming. There are special concerns when there is little lighting.
4. Have a safe walkway down the aisle. Runners on top of grass are very dangerous!!!!
5. Have a cool place for folks to wait inside, with cool drinks, before the ceremony begins.
6. Have a place out of the sunlight for the musicians. They have very expensive instruments, and can suffer damage easily in direct sunlight and heat if they are string instruments.
7. Have a covered place to put musicians if it indeed looks like rain. They will have to run for cover quickly if it begins to sprinkle, even though the guests might be fine sitting still. Again, remember the instruments are delicate and expensive.
8. Don't plan on lots of crinolines and puffy, scratchy underlayers with your wedding gown. The lighter and simpler the better outdoors.
9. Remember their will be airplanes and traffic noise and maybe dogs barking in the background, so plan on some type of sound system if you want the officiant to be heard.
10. The larger the musical group playing the better. It is hard to hear a duo outdoors, so think quartet when planning.
11. Be flexible!!!! Don't "loose it" if you indeed need to have the ceremony indoors at the last minute. Just be OK with whatever happens.
12. If you can pick a venue with a covered deck you can do the ceremony regardless of rain. I recently played a string trio outdoors at Frogtown Cellars in Dahlonega and it rained and rained!! It was actually very romantic playing outdoors in the rain, though, and watching the storm come over the mountains! With a deck raised off the ground and a full cover over it, the rain didn't affect anyone....it just added to the ambience. Keep this in mind when looking at locations.