The Great Outdoors

I have something I need to say that I just can’t hold back any longer. Ready? Here it is: I love an outdoor wedding. I don’t just like them; no, I LOVE them! In the many years I have been working as a Professional Bridal Consultant I have helped plan and manage countless outdoor weddings. And the thing I like best about them is that each one is completely different from the last.

I have handled wedding in locations such as back yards, public parks, private camps, college campuses, mountaintops, and yachts. Each of these settings offered its own unique backdrop for the couple’s big day. One back yard had a huge made-made pond with a waterfall, and the small bridge that spanned the fall was the perfect place for an elegant ceremony. A small grove among towering trees at a day camp was a beautiful natural setting for another wedding. The top deck of a small yacht provided guests with a 360-degree view of the Boston Harbor during one summer union. No cookie-cutter weddings here!

I should point out that outside affairs present a variety of obstacles that are not an issue for traditional inside weddings. You’ve got the weather, bugs, and “nature” to contend with. There is also the challenge of buying or renting everything you need for a wedding and setting it up on your blank canvas. You wouldn’t have to worry about supplying a tent, tables, chairs, lighting, and even electricity if you were getting married in a church or banquet room. But the extra work is all worth it if you are able to tie the knot surrounded by earthly beauty in a location that has special meaning to you.

So as you start your wedding planning and begin to think about possible locations, don’t restrict yourself to halls and restaurants. You can create the perfect place almost anywhere you chose. Think about the beach where you love to spend summers, the huge flower garden in your grandma’s back yard, or the vineyard where you and fiancé spent your first vacation. And when people ask you why you’re going through so much extra trouble when you could simply have your wedding at a nearby banquet hall, tell them it’s because “I love an outdoor wedding!”

If you are getting married in the Western Massachusetts area and would like some suggestions for local outdoor locations just drop me a line. I’m happy to share with you some of my favorite outdoor wedding spots. Remember, from “I will” to “I do” I’m here for you.