How to Plan an Outdoor Wedding Reception

You've found the perfect man, you've set the perfect wedding date and you've even chosen your attendants, but now comes the hard part of planning the perfect wedding reception. An outdoor wedding reception is the perfect way to end your wedding celebration, but it can also be the ruin of a wedding if you don't plan it properly.

Instructions

1. Keep laughing and smiling, no matter what happens. An outdoor wedding reception isn't for the faint-hearted or the worrier, but if you can remember that it isn't how the day turns out but rather about the love that you and your future spouse share, there's no way to ruin your day.

2. Choose a place that means something to you as a couple, like your own backyard, a favorite park, beach or vineyard. It could even be the place where your fiancé proposed to you. If the venue means something to you, having the reception there is the perfect way to show that to your guests.

3. Forget about the rules for a typical wedding reception. You can have a completely informal affair where you have a barbecue and a simple luncheon, or go for a formal affair with a sit down dinner. Let your reception reflect the two of you as a couple.

4. Give the worries of the day to someone else. If you don't have a wedding planner, have a close friend act as one for the day. Give her all the details of the wedding reception and let her be in charge. This eases your stress and allows you to have a completely worry-free, enjoyable day.

5. Have a backup plan in case of weather issues. You don't want to plan for your wedding reception to be rained out of for snow to fall, but you should have a plan B just in case. You can rent a backup site or simply rent a tent for everyone to sit or eat under in case of rain.

6. Let guests know ahead of time that you're having an outdoor reception. This allows them to plan their outfits according to the weather.

7. Plan for parking. If your guests have to walk a great distance from the parking place to the reception site, consider hiring a horse-drawn carriage to give them a lift.