If you are thinking about getting married outside, you are having a great idea as there are few things that are as romantic and pleasant, whether the chosen venue is the courtyard near your local place of worship or a secluded spot in a natural park.

Notwithstanding, there are lots of pitfalls that you need to take into account if you want to get married outdoors. Many things can happen differently to your plan, so toy need to be as prepared as possible.

1) You should put the utmost care into ensuring that your guests will be comfortable before, during and after the ceremony. Of course, this applies especially to older guests, but you should also think about children, who could become unruly if bored. Don’t forget to take the weather and season into account, and to provide protection against the elements, such as a biting winter wind, or a hot summer sun.

2) Make sure that there are enough liquids for people to drink, especially water, and hot drinks such as tea or punch if it’s winter. If you want to make some alcoholic drinks available outside before or after the ceremony, a selection of cocktails is a good alternative to the usual champagne.

3) Decoration is key to every successful wedding. While outdoor locations will need less refurbishment than indoor ones, you should still provide plenty of flowers, and a nice backdrop to the wedding ceremony. If you are getting wed in a garden, make sure beforehand that the lawn has been cut and the plants tended to!

4) Dedicate special attention to the nose and sound situation. All the guests want to hear the ceremony unfolding, so heavy surf or some other background noise are unwelcome. Use a microphone and loudspeakers if necessary.

5) Do something against insects, if there is little wind in the area. Especially so at sunset. Repelling candles are great, and giving guests lotions to drive away the critters is also a possibility.

6) Check that you have all the permits necessary to hold the wedding in the chosen outdoor location, and make sure that you are not breaking any rules with matters such as waste disposal, vehicle parking or photography.

7) Have an alternative. The weather may turn sour, so you need to be able to hold the ceremony indoors if necessary. If you are in a somewhat built-up area you should have a hall available nearby, while if you are celebrating in a faraway place it makes a lot of sense to erect a big party tent, for all occurrences.

More cool stuff onoutdoor weddings is available at OutdoorMarriage.com – the right place to start for all outdoor marriage related queries.