Q: We are planning on having our wedding at my parents farm this spring. The house is a fairly nice size but the yard is where everything will take place. We are renting a large tent to house the reception. What are some special considerations we may have overlooked?
A: There are a few things to consider when planning an outdoor wedding or a wedding that is not at a "regular" wedding venue. If your parents' farm house does not have a large enough kitchen for the caterers to serve out of, you will either need to rent a smaller tent just for food prep and serving or find a caterer that is capable of working out of their own trailer or truck.
Another thing that you will have to consider is furniture and dish rentals. Hotels and other reception venues typically provide you with tables, chairs, dishes, flat and stem wear and linens. Unless your parents have their own stock, all of those things will have to be rented and that can be an incredible bill if you don't expect it.
The last thing, and possibly the most important detail that can be overlooked when planning an outdoor wedding is restrooms. If your parents house does not have sufficent restrooms for ALL of your guests, both male and female, you may want to consider renting a "port-a-potty" and, boy, do they have some fancy ones!
Aside from these commonly overlooked issues, there are all the "regular" wedding considerations: flowers, cake, decor, photography and videography, transportation, etc. We know that your wedding will be beautiful and go off without a hitch! Good luck! Until next time...
~Pearl (and Ruby) Thomas~
~*The lovely ladies of R&P*~
~The Lovely Ladies of Rubies & Pearls~