Thing that can be negative about having a garden wedding or reception.


• You will want to have the wedding somewhere at least semi-private. If you choose to host an outdoor reception at a public park it isn't always ideal, because public parks are just that: public. It can be hard to control who ends up wandering around and eating the hors d'oeuvres.


•  The biggest factor that you can not control is the weather. Outdoor receptions are always at risk of being caught up in a storm. You will need to set up plenty of sheltered space to ensure enough respite from the elements. This way even if the weather stays clear, your guests will appreciate large canopy tents that offer some relief from the sun. In addition even if the weather is beautiful keep in mind that any open space is subject to surprise gusts of wind. You must assume that anything that can blow around will. You will need to have someone keep a special watch on things like tablecloths, napkins, disposable cups and plates, centerpieces and seating arrangement cards.


•  Wedding planners all strongly advise visiting your potential site at the time of day you want your wedding to be since this can help prevent having your wedding invaded with the scent of a nearby farm as they move animals or any other unplanned scent or noise ruining your day.


•  You will need to supply your guests with whatever they need to combat the elements. An evening wedding will have to put up preventive barriers against bugs while a sunny beach wedding may have to supply their guests with sun block.


•  There are always food concerns for any outdoor event. Everything from the simple logistics of how to get the food outdoors to keeping hot food hot and cold food cold will have to be addressed in detail long before the actual date of the wedding.

Things that are positive about having a garden wedding or reception.


• You can host almost an unlimited number of guests.


•  You get a unique feeling that would be hard to duplicate at an indoor venue. Garden weddings and receptions can easily be personalized to fit the styles of the bridal couple.


•  Having a garden wedding/reception can be a great cost-saving move if you own a great garden or can borrow someone else's fabulous garden. It usually is even cheaper if you are renting someone else's private land for the event than most any other indoor venue. Keep in mind there is plenty of private acreage for rent just about anywhere that is perfectly suited to a large outdoor wedding reception.


•  Decorating for a wedding or reception often makes up a huge part of the wedding budget. Having your wedding or reception in a garden can lead to having to spend less on decorating.


•  You can have games and entertainment that would not be possible indoors. For example outdoor games like horseshoes and croquet can help keep the younger guests out of trouble.


•  Wedding photography can be simply stunning when done in an outdoor location.