Inexpensive doesn’t need to be cheap, right?
Price isn’t the only reason why you’d want an outdoor wedding, though. Big, bulky and majestic just isn’t a thing anymore, even where weddings are concerned. Simple and minimalist isn’t just nice. It’s also the only surefire way for the bride and groom to have some fun as well, and not just during the party, but while planning it too!
But even a small event won’t devise and organize itself. So here are several ideas as food for thought! You can choose one or even combine two or more.
Enchanted Forest
If you have a wooded area at your disposal, it can make for an incredibly romantic venue with its natural charm! When done right, this one’s probably my personal favorite.
It does call for hosts and guests with a sense of adventure, though! Installing nets and meshes against mosquitos big enough to cover the whole area would make a serious dent in your budget. So you’ll likely have to make do with insect repellent sprays. (Before you say citronella, here’s why it doesn’t work.)
The best kind of décor for your forest wedding would be foraged greenery, vine and flowers, plain and simple. You can use these to decorate the arch as well.
As for furniture, the more mismatched it is, the better! You can literally make a round and borrow chairs from your friends. Rough cinder blocks lined with cushions can also look fabulous.
That said, a forest wedding doesn’t come without any risks, and not all of them are immediately obvious or benign like mosquitos. If the property that the forest is on isn’t regularly being attended to, it will need some serious prep work.
First, you’ll need to clear the zone of debris like fallen branches and leaves, rocks and roots. Bear in mind that there’s bound to be at least several pairs of uncomfortable shoes or even high heels, no matter your instructions! The last thing you want are sprained ankles as a result of your wedding party.
But it won’t be enough to just look down. You also need to look up! Do a good inspection of the trees to detect if there are any loose branches. You can trim any overhanging, dead or weak branches on your own if they are small and easily accessible. But in some cases, if there are very old trees (yes, just the ones that are most beautiful!), you may need to call in a professional arborist to assess and handle the risk.
Exactly how acute can this problem be? We asked George Smith, horticulturist and owner of a tree lopping company based in Adelaide, Australia. “Trees can suffer from internal decay that’s only detectable if you look at the roots or the tree’s overall structural integrity,” he tells us. This can make a big and heavy branch that looks perfectly healthy on the outside fall without any signs of warning, he adds. Especially because they’ll suffer some strain the lighting is being mounted.
Vintage Tea Party
This is bound to be a win with your guests for a simple reason: everybody loves nostalgia. With a skillful photographer to underline the vintage aspect, it will be a memorable event!
Best of all, you can get different sets of teacups, saucers, cutlery and plates from a your local thrift store or flea market. It’s completely fine and even desirable for them to be mismatched, as long as they look vintage!
It’s also a perfect opportunity to break out your grandma’s dollies, napkins and tablecloths. Maybe even her wedding dress! If you want to take it one step further, you can ask your guests to also dust off theirs or their parents’ old clothes.
Food options are also affordable for this one. You can serve finger sandwiches, scones and jam, cupcakes and different flavors of tea.
A very nice detail would be an old typewriter (make sure it works!) instead of a guest book.
Bohemian Garden
This one’s great if you live in a city where you can rent out a dedicated section of a public park, rooftop garden or a community garden. The idea is heavily customizable and will look marvelous the more you improvise! In fact, the more colorful and ethnic you make it, the better and more cosmopolitan it will look.
Rugs, cushions, macramé backdrops, tapestries and hangings, hammocks — anything goes in this arrangement.
As for chow time, why not rent out a vintage food truck? Whatever you choose to serve from it, it will have a special flavor. Options include anything from salad bowls to noodles, poke bowls with a variety of sauces, to gourmet hot dogs with creative toppings or even grilled veggies for vegans.
Whatever you do, make sure to get a photo booth with boho props like oversized glasses or flower crowns, and of course, a Polaroid camera!
Simple & Cozy: Backyard Oasis
I love this idea because ANYONE can do it. And by anyone, I even mean people who don’t have a backyard, or it isn’t big enough. If you don’t, at least one of your friends or relatives does. In fact, letting you host your party in their backyard could even be their wedding gift to you!
Another pro is, this idea is scalable. You can make it as simple or elaborate as you want, with as few or as many guests as you need. The only necessary prep work is to trim the lawn, and you’re good to go.
String lights and/or paper lanterns are all you need in terms of lighting. Better yet, the latter are crazy easy to DIY Chinese style, and you can even make a garland of them!
You can throw in candles, mason jars, pine cones or flowers to make things more colorful. And the sitting arrangement can be done with simple wooden benches made of planks and wooden blocks, to optionally add a rustic touch. But if that doesn’t sound appealing to you, even rented out plastic or wooden white chairs will look fabulous in this setting.