A beautiful and budget-friendly venue is an ideal concept for many brides and grooms, but what may seem to-good-to-be-true can easily prove to be just that unless the wedding couple and the wedding planner are educated about all that is involved when hosting a wedding in a park or other public space. Here are some helpful reminders to keep on file should your next bride and groom announce that they want their nuptials to take place at a local public park.
Location
Outdoor public spaces such as recreational parks or state parks are natural, gorgeous settings for a wedding, however, there can be various things to consider before selecting just any spot to say I do. For example, a bride and groom had their first kiss by the large found in the center of the park. It’s grand, and in the spring has tulips blooming all around so that means no need for flowers at the ceremony. You, as the planner, may want to point out a few questions. What if it is very windy on their wedding day? Is the bride, groom and their wedding party okay with some of the water from the fountain spraying them during the ceremony? Will the sound of the water make it too loud for guests seated in the back of their space to hear what is being said? It may be a good idea to tell them that yes, that would be a great spot for their vows to be said, but to avoid any issues, what about having the ceremony a little ways from the fountain and have it be in the background. They can also take pictures by it after the ceremony.
Make sure you walk around the area with the bride at groom at various times of the day as well so they can see what is going on during different times. Consider where the sun will be during the ceremony time. Will it be directly in the guest’s eyes? Also, it is important to consider public events that take place in the park such as little league or soccer practice. Those could majorly disrupt a ceremony. Being prepared now will avoid any annoyances or regrets on the wedding day.
Who’s the Boss?
Once you’ve determined the perfect place, contact the park’s administrative office and find out if weddings are allowed there. Or, the better idea would be to know this before a couple falls in love with the space, only to be told they cannot use it. Schedule a time with the person in charge of events and ask about rules such as does the site have to be reserved, will it be blocked off by the park on the event day, and what is the fee?
It is also very important to ask about any required permits. The permit will state what is allowed on-site such as seating, facilities, music ordinance guidelines, alcohol, parking, cleanup, etc. If the reception will be held at the same site, a separate alcohol permit will most likely be required as well. It would not hurt to ask what events are also schedule in the area that day to make sure parking will not be an issue for guests.
Mother Nature
Yes, Mother Nature will be the most important guest that day and depending on the time of year and location, unpredictable as well. Make sure that your bride and groom are 110% in love with their wedding site and plan to have the event come rain or shine.
Should Mother Nature let tears of joy fall from the sky onto the bride, groom, and guests, there will need to be a back up plan if the weather is too unbearable to sit through. If the time of year calls for showers, suggest umbrellas at each seat or if it will be very sunny, one fun idea is sunglasses for each guest as a favor for them to have on their ceremony seat. Pinterest is full of weather proofing ideas to check out.
Of course, the bride and groom will also want to make sure their guests know that the events are taking place outdoors and in what kind of setting so they can dress accordingly. For example if the wedding will take place in the middle of a grassy field, stilettos may not be the best footwear for women as their heels would be sticking into the ground with every step they take. It is also important to make sure that the wedding party, while looking amazing, is also comfortable for the weather conditions.
Keeping these details in mind and not leaving any questions unasked will leave much less room for an unsuccessful wedding day. Prior to scouting out locations, get a list of the places the bride and groom are considering and do your own research on the internet or take a solo tour so that you are prepared to point out various details to your couple and be ready with facts and questions.
This is a guest post from Christine Bochniak. Christine resides in Galena, IL where she works as an Author Account Manager for Kendall Hunt Publishing. She also works as a wedding coordinator part-time for her own business Rise Events Planning.
