Garden Wedding Reception Ideas

Garden weddings are a great option for many reasons: nature is magnificent and requires little embellishing, most garden venues can accommodate large gatherings, and they are cheaper to rent than an indoor ballroom. Your location options range from your very own backyard, a public city park, or at a private estate or garden. While your own yard is a good option for the homely feel it provides, a private piece of land is great for the privacy and landscape, though if cost is a factor, you can make a public park work too. The only disadvantage here is the possibility of strangers waltzing in and snacking on the hors d'oeuvres. While each venue comes with its advantages and disadvantages, the one settled upon is usually the one that fits into the budget and caters to the space requirements. Once your venue is decided, you can use these garden wedding reception ideas to help create a truly memorable occasion.

Ideas for a Garden Wedding Reception

Coverage: One of the primary concerns at an outdoor wedding reception is the possibility of the entire event being a washout. Your solution lies in a tent, not just for the protection it provides but for the ambiance it creates. Here are a few garden wedding reception tips: place your tent on an even ground, preferably at a high level, install subflooring (plywood/vinyl) if the terrain is uneven, and water accumulates after a shower, and ensure that there are no utility lines overhead. Coming to the size of the tent, it will need to be based on the number of guests, and whether there needs to be space for dinner seating and dancing. Your tent options include the traditional pole tents, or the sturdier, albeit expensive frame tents.

Lighting: Lighting is another very important factor and can add to the romance of the occasion. A contemporary option is the using of different color palettes, that alternate during the course of the night. Certain colors are advised depending on the mood you wish to create. Reds and oranges render excitement and energize your guests, whereas blues and purples create a tranquil, relaxed atmosphere, where conversations flow with ease. If your focus is beautiful pictures in which your décor and guests look their best, golden and amber tones will help you achieve this. For warmth and comfort, use shades of pink.

Décor: Garden wedding reception decorations are best if they are minimal, for nature provides you with ravishing ready décor. However, flowers are the perfect compliment to any natural setting, and can be used as table centers or suspended along with curly-willow balls over tabletops. Large arrangements can be placed on tall pedestals or English garden-style urns, between tables. Rose petals can be strewn in fountains, down grassy aisles, or placed in pockets of tulle. Candles placed all over the venue can create an enchanted atmosphere, so be creative in the manner in which you use them.

Other garden wedding reception ideas include setting up a romantic photo table with pictures of couples in your family (siblings, parents, grandparents etc.). You could also hang festive paper lanterns from branches or the canopy roof, and tie ribbons at different places, where they can flutter in the breeze. Beautiful table covers are an important component of wedding decorations. Use elegant, floor-length under-tablecloths, over which you can place sheer or lace fabric of your theme color. Similarly, your chair covers can be a basic white, with a piece of sheer or satin fabric tied in a bow around the chair back.