Outdoor Weddings — The Knot Community

Outdoor/Garden Wedding Venue

AJStose2012 — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:25:28 +0000

My wedding was June 1, 2012. I wanted an outdoor/graden wedding and found the perfect place!
The location is Cedar Valley Event Center in Jane, MO. They have a website at www.cedarvalleyevents.com

They do not provide very many photos on their website, but trust me it's worth a visit.
The facility is ran by two women, a mother and daughter. Their names are Angie and Anita. They are the friendliest, most attintive people I have ever met in this type of business. They are calm, listen to what you want, do their very best to meet your expectations, and go above and beyond to make sure your day is beautiful and flawless.
We also had them cater our reception. All of the food was homemade...seriously! And it tasted amazing. Juicy, tender meat, flavorful veggies, crisp salad, perfect sweet tea....everything was beyond amazing.

Another note: it began to rain right at the start of the ceremony. The staff asked if I wanted to postpone for a bit and wait - even showed us the weather radar! I decided the show must go on and they provided us with umbrellas. The entire event went by effortlessly and without a single flaw. The photos even look as if the whole umbrella thing was planned out. It was a very beautiful wedding. All thanks to the amazing ladies at Cedar Valley Event Center in Jane, MO.

all-inclusive in Islamorada?!

krisndavid — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:16:21 +0000

From what I understand there are no all-inclusive resorts in Islamorada, Florida? Does anyone know of one? I would live to do an all-inclusive for the convience of my guests. Help?

Getting married in Puerto Rico

[Deleted User] — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 13:22:38 +0000

I am considering getting married at either the Ritz in San Juan or the W hotel in Vieques. Has anyone had their ceremonies at either of these locations? Any words of advice for contract negotiations? Thanks so much.

Horrible Experience at Blithewald Mansion in Bristol, RI

rosie128 — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:15:31 +0000

I just had my daughter's wedding at Blithewald and Karen Belivance who is the wedding coordinator and her asistant Ann Marie were HORRIBLE to work with. Our wedding cost over $85,000 and they treated our family and our vendors TERRIBLY!!! I will be glad to give you my list of grievances but lets start with the fact that the wedding must end at 10:30 and every venror, every guest, every table, chair, piece of linen, every scrap has to be off the property by 11! at 11:10 my daughter, the bride was told to get her and her vendors off her property NOW! Sweet isnt she? She says yes to things in the beginning then renegs 6 days before the wedding. That would be our liquor vendor.... Good thing my daughters father is a lawyer! Karen Belivance was actually enjoying being mean! If you fight back with her she eventually backs down, but she makes you so nervous and upset that its horrible....my advise is If you WIN a FREE WEDDING AT BLITHEWALD MANSION IN BRISTOL, RI...RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!!! Place is a JOKE

Denise Marchetti

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A VENUE, GO TO YOUR LOCAL BOARD!!

OBX2011 — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:32:46 +0000

I swear no one bothers to take the time to read the blue stickies at the top of this thread.

If you are looking for a venue in your area, visit your Local Board on the left side of the page!

<-----------------------------------

Do I really need chairs???

missy439 — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:58:27 +0000

So, I know this probably seems like an odd question for most of you, but do I really need chairs at the wedding ceremony? A quick summary of our wedding. We are having our guests (about 50) spend the weekend in cabins in the woods. The cabin setting will also be the location of our reception. Our ceremony will be at a lake about 10 minutes from the cabins. The plan is to have guests drive from the cabins to the ceremony and then back to the cabins for dinner/reception. I have not been to a ton of weddings, but the ceremonies themselves are usually not that long. I would imagine ours will be 10 to 20 minutes at the most. Is it ok to have guests stand for the ceremony? It's a very low key, relaxed wedding. I think my biggest worry is having to deal with renting chairs, setting them up and taking them down, all for just a short period of time. Any thoughts?

Beach Wedding and Reception

brookethebride1 — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:26:42 +0000

We are thinking of getting married in Hawaii. FI wants the reception right next to the ceremony - in the sand. I want to go inside to a reception hall. Can't image being in that sand for any longer than the ceremony. But, I want to make him happy. What do you think?

Normandy Farm is the place to go in Blue Bell, PA if you're looking for a nice outdoor wedding in/ar

tiffpink95 — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:18:49 +0000

Below is the email I sent to Dana, our coordinator, from Normandy Farm thanking her and the Normandy Farm staff for all of their hard/effortless work to make our day the best day of our lives! Please do visit Normandy Farm in Blue Bell if you're looking for a great location to have an outdoor wedding in/around Philadelphia....their ballrooms are also magnificent so an indoor wedding with them would be wonderful as well. Their grounds are immaculate!

Hi Dana, I’m hoping that this testimonial makes it to your internet page, but even if it doesn’t I still wanted to thank you and all of the Normandy staff for everything. Saturday, June 2, 2012 was absolutely the best day of my life thus far next to being born! Myself, Rob, and our families cannot express to you how delighted and appreciative we are to your entire staff for making our wedding day a memorable event! We met with Eileen initially and she set the tone for our relationship with Normandy. She is a wonderful sales woman and after only seeing one prior venue, we decided to settle with having it at Normandy Farm now known to me as the most glamorous wedding venue in and around Philadelphia! Next we met with you and we were assured that we had made the right choice on locations of where to have our ceremony, because you were extremely helpful and very informative and on point with any information that we needed to know. Even in a time of tragedy in your family, you were more than a pleasure to work with and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We wish you could’ve been there on the actual day, but I’m going to send a few pictures following this email. Lastly, the day of was amazing! From Karen to Brittany, the staff made everything flow fluently, satisfied everyone’s requests (especially Rob and I). It was simply wonderful and amazing and I so wish the date hadn’t came and went, because I would love to do it all over again! It was worth every penny we paid and we will surely be recommending Normandy to anyone that inquires. All of our guests can’t stop talking about how beautiful everything was, how great the food was, how cordial/helpful the staff was, and how great of a time they had! We hope to spend many upcoming anniversaries at Normandy and we will surely let you all know when we’re coming. We had to come to the main building the Sunday we checked out, because my in-law’s left some things in their room. The items were retrieved right away and I’m not certain of the guy’s name that was at the front desk but when he gave them to us I just started to cry. I told him to pass our thanks and well wishes on to you, Eileen, Karen, Brittany and everyone who contributed to making our day a momentous occasion. Words cannot express how appreciative we are to have chosen such a wonderful place to make the first of many memories together. J Please pass our thanks on as we didn’t have everyone’s email address to send this email to.

Rhode Island or CT Tent Weddings

bethsupe — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:56:59 +0000

Hi-
I really have my hopes set on a tent wedding or a unique venue ( really dont like reception halls) in Rhode Island or CT maybe in MA if it is near the water. I have looked at places such as Regatta Place in Newport and The Newport yachting Center- I also liked places like Linden Place - Im looking for as many suggestions as possible due to the fact that I live in FL so I really have one weekend in July to look at Venues. My fiance and myself are also interested in possiby renting a home and doing it all ouselves. Our budget is a middle sized budget - we are not over the top people, we want our guests to feel comfortable and laid back but have beautiful scenery to take in as well. If anyone has any suggestions for us to look at it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Bethaney S.

Wedding Color Scheme HELP

Ashley2203 — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 21:48:10 +0000

Hello, I need some suggestions on the wedding color scheme. Ill give some detail about what will be at my wedding then give you the issues I am having.

We are having an outdoor wedding at my parents house. It is on about 80 acres so it is very breezy and outdoorsy. Ceremony is through the cornfield paved with grass and over overlooking a beautiful pond. We are having two large tents with a dance floor inbetween right off of the deck outback. Hanging lights overtop the dance floor and those lighted lanterns in the tents in different colors. The tables will be covered in black tablecloths with burlap table runners. We are having large mason jars with tulips inside and a leopard print ribbon around them. Then smaller mason jars painted a pale mint green with the cute red lips/mustach stick things to use for photo props and fun. Our favors are red lips and black mustache chocolate wrapped in cellophane. I will have hay bale seating areas around the yard and on the deck for lounge areas.

I am trying to figure out how to coordinate everything so that it goes with my outdoor theme but also with the vintage mint green, leopard and red. The issue I have is that I am having some things that are red and I feel like if I dont incorporate the hints of red into my whole wedding that the favors and photo props will look out of place.

Heres my other ideas about the red. Along with mint, brown, and ivory lanterns in the tents I could add a couple red ones just to bring it together. I dont think that I want to add too much red though since my accent is the leopard. I dont want to make it busy. I might wear red lipstick. Also it might be nice to have some red flowers in the bouquets.

The other issue that I have is our wedding party. Do I incorporate the red in them? Heres what I have so far....

Bride-I will be wearing a leopard print flower in my hair and a pale mint green sweater over my wedding dress.

MOH-black satin bubble dress-pale mint green (waistband with hint of red as a flower?)
Man of Honor-vest differing from groomsman (brown?)
Bridesmaid-black satin dress with ? waistband
Bridesmaid-black satin dress ? waistband

Groom-black or white vest
Best Man-mint vest?
Groomsman-?

I want the best man and MOH to have the color that stands out and the others can have whatever. I had thought of brown sashes for rest but idk. If i did red I feel like it would be too rockabilly looking against the black and too harsh. maybe just red accents but idk how to go about that. I need a fresh perspective. Please give me help!

Looking for a barn wedding venue in CO

LinzeRae — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 03:51:45 +0000

We are looking for a mountain barn venue for our wedding. Privately owned would be ideal. We need a day to set up before the wedding and a day to tear down. 70-100 ppl Any suggestions would be appreciated - and, if we end up using your reference/suggestion, we will give you $150. Thanks!!!

Have your horse-drawn carriage and eat out of a canoe too!

jewelee38 — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 03:38:24 +0000

This countryside wedding at Friendsville, Md. was picture perfect, from both the bride's and groom's point of view:

http://www.connect-bridgeport.com/connect.cfm?func=view§ion=News&item=Wedding-Review-1-Breezy-Romance-at-Chanticlaire-Farm495

Walking down the aisle without music?

stacie0013 — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:12:17 +0000

So Im putting my wedding together in little over 2 months of preperation, and on a strict budget. The wedding will be outside and at a state park becuase of the budget It will be too much to pay someone to play music. I also believe that a battery powered stero would look cheap ? Any suggestions? Because its outside I don't think it would be too akward would it ?

Getting nervous!

tszostek — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:18:55 +0000

I'm getting so nervous about the weather! My wedding is 7 weeks away and I live in Florida! I'm so worried about the weather holding up... or a hurricane coming or something! Anyone else have these worries??

Colors?!

SouthernBride17 — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 01:21:04 +0000

What are some good color combos for an outdoor wedding in early June?
We were thinking maybe blue, silver and pink, but were not quite sure.

Tent Reception - Flooring yes or no?

ClareM13 — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:44:54 +0000

We are having our wedding reception in a tent next May and I was wondering if any of you have done this as well and/or have recommendations on the subject of flooring? We can either have it on grass w/ a dance floor, lay carpet over the grass, or rent a plywood floor and lay that under carpet as well.. any opinions or words of wisdom would be much appreciated!! Thanks!!

Tent ac?

Emilieclaire — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 20:46:29 +0000

We are having a tented reception in Maryland in early September. Its not particularly hot at night but I'm worried that a tent with 130 people is going to get too hot with just fans. Has anyone rented an air conditioner for a tent and was it worth the cost considering I'd also have to pay for walls too then? Heat doesn't bother me but my mother hates being hot. Thanks for the advice!

Suggestions for the location

klnkandazo — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 02:48:25 +0000

I know that I want my wedding to be out side, in a garden, and the reception to be outside under a well decorated tent, but I can't find the right place. I live in Georgia and the wedding will be in February... any good ideas?

indecisive, HELP!

kaym6 — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:59:54 +0000

My wedding is going to be June 1, 2013 in Maryland. The ceremony and reception will be at the same location that has a little beach as well as a huge lawn and a beautiful white and marble almost victorian looking beach house. The ceremony will most likely be down toward the beach with the reception tented on the lawn. I can't decide on the colors i want! I am really torn between a pale yellow and navy blue which i think would look very nautical and put together for a spring evening wedding OR a pale yellow and some form of turquoise/aqua which i think would be very pretty since its beachy and outdoors as well as spring like. Also, My Fiance is an officer in the Coast Guard so i am worried about the yellow and aqua combo not being formal enough for the formality of his uniform/ his grooms men uniforms. Does that matter or am i over thinking it? Any thoughts?

Hay bales instead of chairs?

caterpillar85 — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 01:47:17 +0000

I am having my ceremony and reception at a horse ranch and the ceremony is outside. They don't offer any tables and chairs.

It looks like this-

I was researching rental places in my area and we can't afford to have chairs and tables inside AND other chairs outside for the ceremony.

I saw hay bales and fell in love with the idea. Being from Kansas I know of many places that can get me bales for cheaper than the chairs. (I know I need to have some chairs for the elderly or others)

Has anyone done this or went to a wedding where this was done? I plan on covering them with blankets/sheets something like in the picture so the guests don't get poked lol. I doubt I'll have the back part or the pillows, just the coverings. Good idea? Bad?
TIA

Wedding Ceremony in a Public Setting: Worried about non-attendees interfering

naomichan12 — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 20:01:34 +0000

We are having our wedding ceremony and reception in a nice little lake-side park. We have rented a pavillion in the park for the reception and my in-laws think it would be good for the ceremony too. I could see the ceremony happening under/just outside the pavillion because it is a very nice view, but I really would like to be next to the water.. like ten feet away from it vs. hundreds of feet.

Basically, there are a few little cove-type areas along the shore in the same park just a minutes drive up the road, and those are public swimming areas. The lake has said that we are allowed to use them for the ceremony, which would be a dream come true for me! But we are worried about how private we would be able to make it. The ceremony would be at our own risk, so if random splashing families decide to join us for the event I don't know what we would be able to do...

Has anyone done something similar before? Is it worth it to hold the ceremony there and just keep someone on lookout (maybe hire someone?) to ask people politely to keep away from the area for 20 minutes? You would think that it is a general cultural understanding to give a couple their space, but I don't want to just rely on common courtesy.

Poem for rain plan??

Ceciliaaw — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:12:44 +0000

Im getting married in September 2012 and we are planning on having an outdoor wedding. I have to let people know our plans if it rains... which would be in our church. And we arent going to let a sprinkle or a short shower ruin our day. Now obviously if its a hurricane then thats a different story. But I was wanting to say it with a poem. Has anyone seen any poems that do this? I havent had any luck finding any. Thought about trying to come up with one myself but havent had any luck... :)

Bucks County PA Outdoor Wedding

pcrowell — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:47:01 +0000

My husband and I are still coming down from a fantastic wedding day last weekend June, 2, 2012 in New Hope, PA. This area is known for weddings and B&Bs and you don't want to know what some people are paying for it! I did alot of research and did NOT want to spend a fortune on everything, but yet wanted it to be nice, personal, outdoor, garden-party style. I wanted to share some of the amazing vendors we worked with and our guests often told us this was among the best weddings they have ever attended!

We customized our ceremony with Gerald Fierst, a civil celebrant who has written a book on weddings! He's picture perfect, at ease with the job, and worked with us to get more creative and personal with everything from the vows, to creative tie-ins for the rest of the day. http://geraldfierst.tumblr.com/

My friends and family all came from out of town, so we rented out the entire B&B called Stephan House Inn. I am certain that many of these guests will be back. They commented on how lovely the rooms and grounds were, and how comfortable they were without strangers in the house, but still having private bathrooms! The yard in the back is where we married and had the reception. The roof deck was a nice spill over section as was the next door restaurant bar. It was perfect! I managed to fit in all 115 of my guests. They had a chance to walk around New Hope, and some took the train ride. Other guests spilled over to The Porches, The Fox and Hound, and I got less expensive rooms reserved early at the New Hope Ramada, which is nicer on the inside than it looks from the front.

The restaurant next door, Villa Vito on Bridge Street in New Hope, is a family owned Italian restaurant that provided the buffet also served the alcohol, and they made a few off-the-menu items special per my request. It seemed like I was working with new family members by the time the wedding arrived. These people at Villa Vito were top notch! They have some experience with catering, but not in the way that makes you feel like it's an assembly line. They asked all the right questions, and always wanted me to get what I wanted. They spent alot of time with the layout and flow of the traffic in the yard, the decorations and delicious tastings to be sure it was right! My guests were happy -- eating more than they wanted to! The caters brought out special surprise things throughout. Wherever I sat with guests a new platter of something would show up! AMAZING!!!

The best kept secret in New Hope is the flower vendor at the flea market. Vincent. He's amazing. He doesn't deliver, he's low tech on the quote, you may need to follow up a few more times. But he's extremely creative and talented especially if you don't sweat the small stuff. Give him some space to create and the results are astounding. I brought him two large vases I picked up from Michaels and he filled them with the altar and cake table arrangements that would have been in a hotel lobby. No kidding.

I also worked with a fantastic day-of-coordinator, Natalie Diener. From our first meeting she found a custom tailor for Ian's suit that saved us hundreds of dollars, she "handled" a few day of issues, I still haven't had to hear about. Her and her assistant have a background in theater production, and we benefited from their help with sound system, iPod control, VIP Parking conversations, last minute decorations and more and more and more!

Overall I am very happy with the Wedding. Ian and I will have nothing but good memories thanks to all who we worked with! Bravo!!!

Drinks pre ceremony?

megannie — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 02:28:05 +0000

We are getting married outdoors in June by the water, and I thought it might be nice to have a drink offered to our guests as they arrive for the ceremony, especially if it's hot. I asked our venue, and she said it was possible, however, they have never had that request before. My dilemma came up when I pondered what people were to do with the glasses once they were done, especially if they took them to their seats? And whether the drinks would attract bugs? I have a cousin who got married a few years ago by the water, and everyone still talks about what a disaster it was.....no drinks, not even water, no chairs, and biting bugs for hours, and she was late by a few hours. I certainly don't plan on a repeat of that, but am not sure if this is a good idea or not. We were thinking of a flavored tea or lemonade......anyone have any thoughts or experience with this?
Thanks.

ISO Ring Bearer Outfits

AlliENC23 — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:31:16 +0000

We are a non-traditional couple having an outdoor wedding. We are planning the whole wedding in 100 days and now we have just one month to go. We would like our 3 yr old nepphews to walk our 9 month daughter down the aisle in a wagon but are looking for non traditional ring bearer outfits. We are thinking navy blue/grey newsboy cap, bow tie, suspenders, and shorts. Can anyone give us any leads on where to find something like this?

Colorado Venues

Susan Barrett — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:45:22 +0000

Hi all Colorado Brides past and present,

I want to have a western wedding outdoor theme and am on a budget. I found a place in Littleton, CO called Stockton's Plum Creek Stables. They have an indoor area plus picnic and western town area. Does anyone know someone who had a wedding or party there? I'd like some input about how things went and any tips they have for holding an event there.
Thanks.

Keep bugs away when candles aren't allowed.

Kate0558 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:07:34 +0000

Well I'm getting married on a farm in front of a pond and reception in open air barn.

I must be an idiot cus i attract mosquitos like theres no tomorrow and theres water and its at night and they don't allow candles. WEll they might allow a few on the patio but not inside the barn.

Heres my plans so far... I really gotta do every thing possible so please shoot out any ideas.

I'm going to ask if they can fog the area beforehand or spray downt they yard beforehand.

Theres 2 large doors to the barn so at each door i'm going to put a thermacell. I've heard they work really well and control a 12 ft radius. So i'm hoping that will keep them from coming inside.
The owner said he'd light a few tiki torches outside and they might let me put a few of the off lanterns on some tables outside. Other then that i'm going to spray the entrances with 100% deet. I want to keep something on each table to help too tho and without candles - i'm not sure how to do that? I was thinking about somekind of liquid in a container with a led light too make it look pretty... some kind of liquid that keeps bugs away. Other then just dumping bug spray around... I'm not sure - i heard of listerene helping but idk if thats true.

I don't want the place to reek of bugspray either. something affordable preferably.

How to Choose a Wedding Dress

Lindayly — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 05:53:03 +0000

Tips

http://shop.soddress.com/home.php?cat=1

Just remember that in the end, it's your wedding, and you CAN do what you want. However, if you decide to wear a mini-skirt short, strapless, backless dress to your super religious ceremony, you may end up coming back to share your lessons learned by writing a wikiHow article on "How To Keep Your Super Religious Parents From Cutting Off Their Monetary Contributions To Your Wedding!"

Don't Try on Too Many.You will always have to try on a few duff dresses before finding one that fits, although trying on too many isn't a good idea either. Maria Yiannikaris, of wedding boutique Mirror Mirror (opens in a new window) advises, "Look for too long and at too many, and your 'perfect dress' moment may well pass. Three or four visits to different bridal boutiques should be enough to find one that makes you look and feel great. Women who make seven or eight appointments can confuse themselves."

If you feel you're most beautiful in a dress, then buy it! No matter what style of wedding you are having or how long before your wedding - you are shopping, if you feel beautiful in it you will shine on the day.

When you actually go to a store, unlike other clothing stores, wedding gown stores will not often have the dresses in your size. You may be making a decision based on a dress which is too large or too small. This is where deciding on a silhouette beforehand can help you. If you know that empire waists are flattering to your figure, it's easier to take the plunge when you're standing in a dress 4 sizes too big with huge clips in the back and trying to imagine how the correct size will look.

Wedding dresses are typically sold by designer and style number, even for the less expensive types, so note which designers you like and the style numbers - this can help you find similar styles that may be more affordable than the exact dress you want.

Another option to consider is renting a dress. This can be a far more affordable way to get yourself a fantastic dress (for the day). The other bonus is not having to clean, store, or ever deal with it again.

If you are lucky enough to have a master seamstress as a good friend and enough time, you have many more options. The first is to make it from scratch. This can be quite costly with certain fabrics being as expensive as a dress itself. Another option is to severely modify a dress. A size 10 wedding dress may be able to be transformed to an 18 by certain combinations of sizes and capabilities. These dresses can be bought at sales for less than fabric.

If finances are really an issue, there may be dresses available through charity organizations.

Wedding/Party Venue Available in Napa Valley on July 7, 2012 (napa county)

ASundarajan — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 21:21:18 +0000

Wedding was cancelled, but we have a venue with the following amenities available for July 7th:

-- outdoor and indoor ceremony spaces
-- outdoor and indoor reception areas available
-- on-site catering and other event services
-- winery and vineyard on-site
-- chapel on-site
-- beautiful, scenic location in Napa Valley

If interested, please email ASundarajan@gmail.com for more information.

$20,000 For Your Wedding!

donttellthebride — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:28:14 +0000

Currently casting engaged couples who have big dreams

and small budgets when it comes to the wedding.

$20,000

for your dream wedding!

Here is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the groom to impress his bride by planning their dream wedding!! Each episode will focus on one couple’s big day. Without input from the bride, the groom gets two weeks and $20,000 to make their big day perfect!!!

APPLY TODAY:

castingchase@gmail.com

Deadline July 6th