Early fall or spring can be a beautiful time for an outdoor wedding at Tara. With the lake as the background, we have ample seating space, beautiful scenery, onsite lodging and dining, and a conference center for your reception.
To make sure that your wedding day goes smoothly, here are some of our best tips for an outdoor wedding:
Plan ahead in case of bad weather
Mother Nature doesn’t always comply with our outdoor plans, so it’s a good idea to plan for bad weather – whether it be rain, high winds, or an unexpected heat wave. At Tara, we can plan to move the wedding indoors into Tara Lodge, if the weather turns bad.
Make sure your guests are comfortable
If your wedding is on a warm day, try to keep your guests cool. Canopy tents can provide shade on hot, bright days and is especially important if guests will be sitting or standing for a while. You might also have cold bottles of water available for guests accessible from their seats. Remember those paper fans from church? Put one of those at every seat for guests to create their own breeze.
Keep in mind that there might be annoying insects around. Strong outdoor fans can discourage insects from staying in the area. This will help keep guests cool too. However, it will make it harder to hear the ceremony, so a sound system may be required. Citronella candles are another option, but be careful with open flames.
In seasons when the weather may still be cool during your wedding, you might supply blankets or wraps for guests who get chilled. Keep this in mind when picking out your bridesmaids dresses too. You might want to go with long sleeves or provide a matching shawl that they can put on before and after the ceremony.
Make it easy for everyone to hear
Acoustic music and voices don’t carry too far in the great outdoors. Guests came to hear you give your vows, so help them out by using a sound system to reach the ears of the guests even in the back rows.
With the lodge and conference hall so close to the courtyard at Tara, access to electricity won’t be an issue.
Make it easy for everyone to get there
Some folks have difficulty walking on grass or uneven stones and some guests must use a walker or wheelchair. Make some provisions to get these guests to their seat easily. A golf cart can be an easy way to transport guests – but make sure you have enough carts to accommodate everyone. Be sure that you address the accessibility of the ceremony site on your invitation and remind guests to wear sensible shoes.
Guests won’t have to walk far at Tara to reach your reception or location for the ceremony. However, if anyone needs extra assistance, just let us know.
Keep your décor rustic
You picked an outdoor setting for your wedding to showcase its beauty, so match your wedding décor with the setting. Use materials that help create the feeling of the outdoors – things like mason jars for vases, barn doors for a background to the vows, metal tubs for holding drinks, and flowers, plenty of flowers, can all add to the ambiance.
We’ll make sure the landscaping at Tara looks good on your wedding day, so that your decorating touches stand out.
Let us know if we can help you with the plans for your outdoor wedding at Tara. Give us a call, we’d be happy to discuss it with you. 601-279-4261. Learn more about our wedding package.
