Natwerk Designs

Troubleshooting outdoor wedding and tented reception?

I have my heart set on a outdoor summer wedding with a tented reception but I'm running into some issues. During the ceremony how exactly does the bride hide before the walk down the aisle? I wonder if it would kill the mood to see the bride walking across an open space before reaching the aisle. Also during a tented reception how are foods heated and stored if there is no kitchen facility? Are there any other hurdles I should be aware of when hosting an outdoor wedding?

Public Comments

1. I think you just arrive at the ceremony location well after everyone is seated. Find an area with trees, so they cant see you coming. A caterer can handle the food issue. A tented reception is a beautiful idea, the only things to worry about is weather, and bugs.
2. You can have a small tent (cabana) just for you and bridesmaids. The caterer will cook the food, store it in insulated containers and transfer to chafing dishes to keep hot.
3. First of all, you can set up a partition, or have the bridal party seated not facing where you would walk, so that they cannot see you if you wish. I did go to a wedding where the bride had to walk a bit, but it wasn't bad, just a little awkward. The tented reception, there are things called chafee dishes, and hot plates, that keep your food warm, and they should serve chilled items on plates under ice. Your cater can set that up with you. Weather is about your only problem, if it rains have a back up plan. People have been planning outdoor weddings forever, if they can do it, so can you.
4. You could have the tent set up close by to a pretty venue, where you would be able to get dressed as well as wait there until the wedding. You could also just arrive in a limo after all the guests have arrived and are seated, waiting for you.
5. You can wait in another location and ride over in the limo just before the ceremony. You can also have a sperate tent set up for the bridal party to "hide" in until the ceremony. At the outdoor wedding I was a part of, there was some gardens with higher bushes and trees. We arrived there after waiting off at the sides until the guests were seated. As the music started we emerged from the gardens one by one. Was very pretty. As for the food, there are heated buffet servers. Best of luck to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. Maybe you can use a tent with walls so no one will look out and see you coming. As for the food you would heat them up before you get there and then use these things called chaffing dishes and sternos to keep the food warm. Here are some tents and sternos http://tentsource.com/tentparty.htm I really like this one personally because the tent has a sliding wall so you can open the wall for your big reveal https://www.tentnology.com/product-catalogue/index.cfm?ProductID=63&do=detail http://www.dutchesspartyrentals.com/buffett.html
7. I have a similar problem with people seeing me walk all the way over there. I saw in a magazine that a bride had all the members of the bridal party hold big white sheets up all the way around her. It covered her while she was walking and no one could see her. They only did this until she was in the nearby reception tent and then they all came out. I think this is what I am going to do. As for the food, you can get little propane burners that go under the chafing dishes to keep the food warm.
8. Have a nice car or a horse & carriage drive you up to the aisle. Have the food delivered and set up in chaffing dishes (with lids! bugs!) Be aware that outdoor interference (cars, animals, people, planes, weather) are all a part of the deal. You have to be really easygoing to have an outdoor wedding, be ready to roll with the punches. Good luck!