You may have already read the article 5 Reasons to Have an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony. It is true, I prefer photographing outdoor weddings. However, I will admit there are some issues with celebrating outside. So here are the 5 Reasons to Not Have an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony.
5 Reasons to Not Have an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony
1. An outdoor wedding ceremony is subject to the weather
Weather is by far the biggest trigger for couples to choose to not have an outdoor wedding ceremony. Why? Because the weather will do what it does, can change quickly and we as humans just cannot control it! Whew – we can be a little bit of a control freak sometimes. So, if you choose an outdoor ceremony, have a backup plan in case of inclement weather or your day could end up wet. Of course that’s not a problem for everyone but I suggest that you ask your venue what their back up plan is for bad weather or just have an indoor wedding and not worry about it at all.
I have photographed several outdoor wedding ceremonies and only one time has it rained enough to cause a problem. The solution was tents, but they were not put together in time to fully resolve the issue. The wedding did turn out wonderful after the early disappointment of the downpour. As an outdoor photographer, I am prepared with umbrellas for the wedding party and protective gear for my camera.
Temperature is another potential downer to an outdoor wedding. It could be extremely hot or frigid cold. Again, if your wedding is not indoors, have a backup plan to provide shade or heat.
2. Light
Available light is a huge plus for an outdoor wedding however, it can be too strong. When the ceremony is closer to midday and in direct sunshine, you can count on very high contrast pictures and quite a bit of squinting. Of course there are solutions: have the ceremony in the evening or find a shady place to have your wedding. One helpful tool would be to look at a sun angle overlaid on your venues site map to see how to best position yourselves at the particular time of day. If you just don’t want to worry about it, this may be your reason to not have an outdoor wedding ceremony.
3. Venue closing times
Frequently, outdoor wedding venues are in the country, provided by families and often have neighbors fairly close by. As such many outdoor venues have to close earlier than some prefer. In Spokane for instance, our county wedding venues are mandated to close by 9pm. It’s all quite possible to have a wedding end by 9 or 10 and not the biggest deal in the world, but it is something to consider.
4. Nature
Yep, if you are outside, you will likely encounter some of nature’s critters. Sure a moose is not likely to walk through your reception but bees and mosquitoes can be a bothersome guest. A neighbor’s dog may keep barking or you might see a spider. Of course none of these are a real threat and mosquitoes can be managed but you may choose to not have an outdoor wedding ceremony for these reasons.
5. Allergies
A lot of people have allergies. That venue filled with blooming flowers may look beautiful to you but could look like an allergy nightmare to some. Keep in mind this is your wedding day and your RSVP will have announced your wedding location so guests can be prepared. If you do have a close family member with seasonal allergies, consider times of the year with less pollen or don’t worry about it by moving your wedding indoors. My yeah but, is that some people have allergies to things they are exposed to in the indoor environment as well.
Concluding the 5 Reasons to Not Have an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony
I have shared 5 reasons to not have an outdoor wedding ceremony. If you have not yet read it, read 5 reasons to have an outdoor ceremony. Searching for a wedding photographer? Check out my wedding page!
