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Without a doubt, outdoor weddings are dreamy! There is something so romantic and beautiful about letting the scenery of the outdoors be the backdrop for your special day. Aesthetically, outdoor weddings produce some of the most beautiful wedding images I've ever seen. And the Texas landscape has no shortage of locations to set your wedding stage -- from beaches to botanical gardens, and even hilltops.
However, planning an outdoor wedding in Texas is not for the weak! It can be a downright logistical nightmare. For starters, you need to consider the weather on your wedding day. All of your efforts to plan an outside wedding will go down the drain if it suddenly rains, and you're left without any backup plans.
But if your heart is set on having a gorgeous outdoor wedding in Texas, fret not because there are many ways to battle the weather and other unforeseen outdoor elements.
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1. Planning Your Outdoor Wedding's Plan B
It may never rain in southern California (cool points if you get the song reference!), but this is Texas! When planning an outdoor wedding in Texas (or anywhere in the country for that matter), you MUST have a backup plan. Between heat waves, cold fronts, hurricanes, floods, and baseball-size critters, Texas is no place to just wing it. Thus, having a "Plan B" is a must if you want your outdoor wedding in Texas to succeed.
What If It Rains on Your Outdoor Wedding?
The ideal solution would be to choose a venue that has an indoor area or areas where your wedding ceremony and reception can take place in case of inclement weather. If you were planning to have an outdoor wedding ceremony and an indoor wedding reception and the weather precludes you from going outside, you can see if the venue has an indoor space to hold your wedding ceremony.
Alternatively, you could use the indoor reception area to hold your wedding ceremony. Reception tables can be scooted to the back of the room to create a dedicated space for the wedding ceremony. Or you could leave the tables in place with guests seated at their designated places and have the ceremony in an open space, such as the dance floor.
Utilizing a tent is another option. However, this solution is only suitable for light to moderate rain storms. A heavy rain could soak the ground underneath, leaving guests with soggy and muddy shoes. Make sure any tent you rent or buy is sturdy so it won't flip over, and that it has thick and weighted sides.
Rain is never pleasant on your wedding day, but with a little pre-planning, the presence of rain does not have to ruin your wedding.
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2. Planning Around Weather and Picking the Best Time of Year to Get Married Outside in Texas
When planning an outdoor wedding in Texas, be sure to pick a date and time where the temperature does not leave your guests melting in the sun or freezing their bums off.
What Is the Best Time of Year for an Outdoor Wedding in Texas?
When holding an outdoor wedding, it's best to schedule it during the spring months of March and April and in the fall months of October and November. These times of the year provide ideal temperatures (65 to 80 F) suitable for an outdoor wedding.
What Is the Best Month To Get Married in Texas?
Since the heat is unbearable during summer in Texas, the spring and fall months are your best options. You can also choose to get married in January because the winter months are usually mild in Texas (depending on where in the state you are located). Additionally, few social events take place in January, allowing you to score discounts from wedding suppliers.
What Is the Best Time of Day For an Outdoor Wedding?
The best time of day for an outdoor wedding is late in the afternoon, around 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM, depending on how long the ceremony will take.
Morgan Lamkin Photography
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3. Too Hot to Handle
Even with choosing an ideal time to have your outdoor wedding in Texas you have to be prepared for unseasonable weather changes.
How Hot Is Too Hot for an Outdoor Wedding?
If a heat wave swoops in and the temperature reaches 80 degrees or higher, it may be uncomfortable for guests. But you don't have to let unplanned weather changes ruin your outdoor wedding dreams. Be prepared with the following tips:
Have your ushers give guests ice-cold bottles of water as they are seated.
Don't forget to have plenty of sunscreen on hand as well.
Consider printing your wedding program on a fan so that guests may cool themselves.
For a very warm location, look into renting or buying high velocity electric fans (don't forget about that generator!) and/or a tent to shade the sun's rays.
Check out these amazing ceremony program fans. These are guaranteed to keep your guests cool.
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4. Too Cold to Hold
In that same vein, if a cold front cools down your outdoor wedding plans there are steps you can take to make you and your wedding guests comfortable.
How Cold Is Too Cold For an Outdoor Wedding?
Wedding planners caution that temperatures below 65 degrees are too cold for an outside wedding in Texas. Fortunately, you can keep your wedding party and guests warm by offering complimentary wraps or shawls to shield them from the cold. In addition, consider renting or buying heat lamps so that your guests can dine and dance in comfort.
These gorgeous shawls come in multiple colors to coordinate with any wedding color scheme. Be sure to check them out if you're considering shawls for your wedding party or wedding guests.
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5. Gone with the Wind.
Many outdoor weddings in Texas suffer from windy conditions. Avoid windy wedding day disasters by incorporating these tips:
Tell your hairstylist that you'll be having an outdoor wedding so s/he can plan a style that won't leave you looking like Cousin It!
If you're wearing a veil, make sure that it is securely placed in your hair. You do not want your veil to fly off in the middle of the ceremony only to have one of your bridesmaids start running frantically to catch it. Don't laugh, I have seen it!
If using tablecloths on your reception tables, be sure to add tiny weights to them to prevent them from blowing away in the breeze.
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6. Keeping the Bugs Away on Your Wedding Day
Making sure that the weather isn't too hot or too cold on your wedding day is just one element when planning for an outdoor wedding in Texas. Once you've addressed all weather-related issues, you'll have to address another Texas staple--bugs! Keeping bugs away on your big day is a must as you don't want your guests to spend most of their time swatting critters rather than focusing on the wedding ceremony, right?
How Do I Keep Flies Away From My Outdoor Wedding?
One of the easiest tactics to keep flies and other bugs away from your outdoor wedding is to place citronella candles around your entire event venue.
Bug spray is also another effective tactic for keeping bugs off your skin and clothes. If you're having an outdoor wedding and are concerned about bugs pestering your guests, you can provide individually sized bug sprays to your guests by placing them in their welcome baskets or passing them out as wedding favors before the ceremony.
Finally, you should also be careful when picking flowers for your outdoor wedding because some varieties attract bugs more than others. To ensure that your wedding venue is bug-free, incorporate lemon balm, lavender, citronella, and marigolds in your floral decor. These flowers repel insects and will keep your wedding venue free from them.
How Do I Protect My Wedding Cake From Bugs Outside?
To protect your wedding cake from bugs, hang fans in your tent or place the food in areas where guests will be eating. You can also light citronella candles and tiki torches where the food is served.
7. Informing Your Guests About Your Outdoor Wedding
A final piece of advice about holding an outdoor wedding in Texas is to inform your guests ahead of time that you're holding the event outdoors. The sooner you give out details about your wedding, the easier it'll be for your guests to find the right attire for your outdoor wedding.
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Planning an Outdoor Wedding in Texas May Seem Risky, But it is Worth It!
Planning an outdoor wedding in Texas is challenging, but with a few key planning tactics, you can make it a success! If you're eyeing to hold an outdoor wedding in Texas, bookmark this article and come back to it over the planning process to ensure you're covering all of your bases.
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Comments (19)
It was really helpful that you suggested informing your hairstylist that you will be having an outdoor wedding to make sure that they can give you a hairstyle that won't get messed up because of wind. My fiance and I are planning a garden wedding ceremony. I want to make sure that I will look as radiant as possible all throughout the celebration, so I will make sure to consider all your tips. Thanks!
I am so glad the tips were helpful!
I like that you suggest having a plan b for your wedding reception. I feel like all outdoor activities are cursed with last minute rain. Having a backup wedding reception venue makes a lot of sense.
So, my wife's friend is thinking of having an outdoor wedding. I'll be sure she looks at your tips for help. Also, we'll look at getting an event tent for the occasion, in case it rains or is way too sunny.
Thanks for Sharing informative ideas. It is very helpful for me to take care of all the key points in planning the outdoor function. Keep Sharing.
Great! your wedding ideas are really amazing. I just read your post, You have done a great job and your post is really awesome!
It's good to know from this article that we also have to prepare an indoor wedding venue just in case a sudden weather change occurs and renders our outdoor ceremony impossible. Although my husband and I both prefer a farm wedding, we realized we also have to look after our guests' well-being. Aside from tents, we also want to rent portable toilets that they could use if we decided to continue with an outdoor wedding.
I liked that you pointed out that it might be smart to have sunscreen on hand for an outdoor wedding. That is great to know because my sister wants to have an outdoor wedding this fall. It might also be smart for us to find a bathroom situation that will accommodate all of her guests.
I like how you mentioned finding a venue that provides electric fans or tents for shade. My sister is planning on getting married in September and she wants to find an outdoor venue for her wedding reception. I'll be sure to share this with her so she knows what to look for in a venue.
My sister wants to do an outdoor wedding this upcoming summer. I liked your suggestion about wondering what she will need for warm weather. it does seem like it might be smart to get a tent that can allow for a fan inside. That does seem like it would help keep everyone cool.
I'm glad you mentioned that you should pick a wedding day where the temperature won't be too hot or too cold. Another thing to consider is onsite amenities that are going to be available at the wedding venue. If there aren't restrooms available, you should probably rent portable units for people to use.
I never would have thought about telling my hairstylist about how my wedding will be outdoors so they could better plan my hairstyle. That's a really good tip. My fiance and I would like to get married lakeside, so we are trying to prepare as best we can. We will have to look at venues so that we know more about what to expect and make sure to take all these tips into account once we do.
Thanks for the reminder to plan for bugs at outdoor events. Additionally, you should rent portable toilets if necessary. These tips together will help keep guests comfortable.
It stood out to me when you talked about the time and temperature. My sister is planning an outdoor wedding. I'll help her rent wedding tents in case the weather's hot.
Love all these tips, particularly the very first one. Not just in Texas, but anywhere I think having a plan B always makes the planning effective and give the couple peace of mind.
My fiance and I would like to have an outdoor wedding since we live near some great scenery. I appreciate your tip to consider renting a tent for shade if you are in a particularly sunny location. We'll have to look into that so we can make sure everyone will be comfortable and have a good time.
I love how you mention little things to fix that can make or break a wedding. My friend wants to have an outdoor wedding so he's trying to plan it all to make sure everything goes smoothly. I will definitely have to tell him about little things like keeping bugs away and decorating for the wind.
Thanks for mentioning that you need to give out information about your outdoor wedding sooner rather than later. My fiance and I are planning to get married outdoors next April. One thing we really want to make sure we nail down is getting the right portable toilets.
It sure was helpful when you informed us that it's best to consider having an outdoor wedding late in the afternoon, around 3:30 to 7 pm, depending on the length of the ceremony for the ideal temperature. My cousin is getting married early next year, and I'm helping her choose the venue for the ceremony. I'll be sure to share this with her while I help her shortlist private outdoor wedding venues.