Should I have an outdoor, home reception

[Jas12]

Hi gals

i am new to the bridal section, but have been talking diamonds for a while--now that the ring is sorted out, the stress of wedding planning begins. I have enjoyed reading other posts--someone (i think Dani) claimed to be the WORST at making decisions--i think i would have her beat. I have been engaged now for 8 months and have yet to make up my mind on anything wedding related!!! Colors, dress, flowers, favours, even the signiture drink I want to serve have been obsessed over....but here is the big dilemma....

Here is the deal. I live in a small town in northern ontario--an area of canada known for rugged wilderness, deep cold lakes, pine trees, moose, bears etc. in the summer it is gorgeous and I want my guests to be surrounded by this landscape for my july wedding. Problem is, in a small town i am limited to outdated hotel ball-rooms (windowless) or community centre conference rooms (even uglier and also windowless) with blah food and no originality. I decided long ago that I would only conisider having the wedding here if the outdoors were incorporated.
My FI parents have a new, large home on a lake 20 min outside of town, and they are willing to open their home and even cut down trees to make room for a tent by the lake for the reception. I like the idea but have the following reservations:
1) weather (even with a tent, it makes me nervous)
2) good food (in a small community there is little to choose from in term of caterers, and I have very discerning tastes!)
3) mother-in-law relations: will she want to take over bc it is her property (she has already suggested BBQing the dinner herself on my wedding day!!!!)
4) Landscaping--it will be started this month, but i am worried it will not look great by next summer (yes, i am picky)
5) Tansporting guests to and from the home (we have no access to funky shuttles like trolleys or wagons in this town) but I DO want to provide some sort of shuttle for guests who drink

There are of course other concerns like logistics on the day,set up etc. but these are the main ones. Despite the negatives, I do like the personal aspect of a home reception, and the level of customization it lends its self to.

Fnally, my question is: Has anyone out there attempted and pulled off a stylish, organized home reception. What do u recommend, do you have pictures, was it worth allllllll the extra planning that most brides leave to resorts and hotels....i would love to know. Or, if anyone has been to a outdoor reception what did u honestly think, and what did you as a guest need, like, or notice
I welcome pictures or any suggestions

Thanks a million pricescopers!
Jasmine

 

[laine]

I personally love outdoor weddings. I''ve been to a few, and hope to have one myself. They do bring up a few issues of their own, like bathrooms. One that I went to had fancy porta-potties, they were lighted, with sinks and mirrors, and toilets that flushed like airplane bathrooms, that was great. Another wedding had standard porta-potties, which have no lights. At 9 pm, thats an issue, so go for the fancy. Plan for heaters, or bug zappers, or fans, or whatever would be appropriate for your location and time of year.

As for weather: one outdoor wedding was in VT. She had one small tent with no tables for the cocktail hour and as the rain place for the ceremony, luckily the weather held and the cremony was on the lakeshore. She had a larger tent for the reception. It had sides with plastic windows that rolled down, which we put down when it started to pour. The ground ended up muddy, our table sat in about 2 inches of water as it was at a low point in the yard, but it was one of the best weddings I''ve ever been to. Everyone had a blast. My point is, weather does happen, but if you''re prepared to roll with it, it doesn''t have to be a problem. Other outdoor weddings all had perfect weather.

2 and 3, I can''t offer much advice, but I wouldn''t worry much about the landscaping. As long as the ceremony location looks relatively nice, people won''t notice the landscaping much. They''ll focus on the reception tent and on you.

Transportation doesn''t have to be pretty. Any sort of small bus or van will work. Does the hotel provide a van of any sort? I''ve used that at a few weddings and its worked out well.

Anyway, my point here is you may have to be a little more flexible with an outdoor wedding, but if you think you and your guests are ok with that (ie guests need to know they shouldn''t wear heels, they may have to deal with some dirt, and it won''t be climate controlled), then I think outdoor weddings can be some of the most beautiful, memorable weddings around.

 

[FireGoddess]

I had an outdoor wedding, at the same place as the reception (though the reception was indoors). It think it adds a nice touch if you can do it! In California I didn''t have to worry about rain whatsoever (since it never rains during certain months of the year) but you do want to have a contingency plan.

A good friend of mine had an outdoor wedding in her aunt''s backyard and it was gorgeous. They did spend a few months doing landscaping, and it really paid off.

As for transportation, you could rent one of the fancy black buses they sometimes use for weddings. They can fit a lot of people and still look elegant, have tinted windows, etc. One wedding I was a BM in the bride had one of these buses instead of a limo. It was so great because we didn''t have to worry about wrecking our dresses trying to get into the bus as opposed to squeezing into a limo.

 

[labbielove]

Hi there,
I am relatively new here also, but I know there was a fairly recent, absolutely gorgeous home wedding.
HouMed Gal? Or something like that.
Houmed, if you''re out there sorry if i''m butchering your username!

I''ll see if I can find one of the threads

 

[Fancy605]

I''ve been to a very nice, simple, yet elegant outdoor wedding. It was in the groom''s parent''s yard, and the only problem was that it did get a bit cold (in october!). She had great food and an open bar and a live band. Outdoor weddings can really be quite lovely! And you don''t need much in the way of decorations.

If you have concerns about weather, the BEST thing you can do is have a back up plan in case of rain. Maybe you could postpone it (eww, but that would be a whole lot of trouble in itself), maybe you could have a backup indoor site.

I am SURE you can find some place to cater your wedding. If there isn''t anyone in your small town, maybe you will be able to find someone in a near by town or city.

You''ll just have to be firm with your inlaws. Make sure your fiance has your back on any decisions you make that they disagree with.

and as far as transportation goes, my friend who had hers outdoors had a shuttle service because there was really no parking at the site. She had a small bus shuttle guests back and forth from the church to the reception all night. It can work well.

It is definately a great possibillity, but it can probably be stressful...

I have a professor who just had his daughter''s wedding at his house, and he said it was just a nightmare to plan (they re-landscaped and had problems with pipes bursting AND a tornado came through the week before the wedding) needless to say, he cancled class frequently to deal with his yard. But in the end it turned out beautifully.

 

[KimberlyH]

I think home receptions are a great idea. If my husband and I hadn''t been in the process of moving I would have had our wedding and reception at our house.

I was MOH in an outdoor wedding. My friends were married in his parents yard with 300 people in attendance and afterwards his cousin and uncle cooked the meat. Her MIL made all of the side dishes and the cake (she has been making wedding cakes for 30+ years). This is much more casual than what you seem to be aiming for, but it was a nice day and I''m sure you can make yours nice as well with special touches. They did have to landscape a bit, but I don''t think that is what people focus on at weddings so much as the bride and the groom and the company they are surrounded by. And it sounds like the grounds next to a lake are gorgeous!

It may be a lot of work, but if you can''t find what you are looking for at a venue it''s worth exploring.

 

[Jas12]

Thanks for the thoughtful advice everyone

I was at the house tonight, and although I could immediately feel my blood pressure rise, it was not all stress this time, but some optimism and excitment--thanks to your words of encouragement! I am a very detailed oriented person and a bit of a perfectionist, which is a blessing or a curse depending on the circumstance.I think it is necessary when constucting your own wedding site, but will also lead to stress. I would never demand my in-laws make changes to their home for my wedding day, but i can not help constructing a massive (would like) to do list in my mind. My struggle for the next 10 months will be in choosing what details to let slide....

For those that have been to an outdoor wedding, do you think the tent (with walls) and a wood floor will be sufficient if it does start to pour?
And, do you think that guests will be satisfied if i provide a few vans (that will come and go from the home throughout the night) and drop guests off at a central place in town? The house is 15min outside of town and I think it would be too time consuming to shuttle people to their door, so I was thinking it would just go downtown and locals could get a cab from there.

keep the great advice coming

Jas