Exploring Your Options for Outdoor Wedding Glamour

Outdoor garden weddings are taking off this year and it is no secret why. Outdoor weddings are fun and very flexible. You can have any size of crowd you want, you get the benefit of natural and gorgeous lighting especially if the wedding is done early morning or late afternoon, and you get to incorporate gorgeous outdoor scenery in the ceremony. With the popularity of shabby chic and DIY weddings, outdoor wedding venues are definitely making a comeback. However, many brides also want an outdoor wedding that has a touch of formal and glamour in it. Most brides may think that having a formal, black tie affair in the middle of a lush garden requires too much work but that is not the case. Glamorous weddings can be had in any location, even outdoors. 

How to Create a Glamorous Outdoor Wedding 

The main components of a glamorous wedding can be incorporated into an outdoor location with the right planning and the right resources. Of course, the choice of a color theme also plays a large part since there are themes that are just too casual, too country, too beachy or too DIY to pass off as an elegant, formal affair done outdoors. Here are some factors to consider if you want an elegant and glamorous wedding al fresco. 

Colors 

Colors matter a lot. Although the couple has the option to choose the color they want, there are colors that are best suited for glamorous weddings. Black, dark reds, velvety purples and other colors in rich and vibrant hues work best, as opposed to light and pastel colors. Neutrals also work great. Champagne colors and shiny, smooth textures add to that formal and elegant vibe. Colors are best seen incorporated in the decor, the flowers, the lighting and even in the bridesmaids' dresses. 

Lighting 

Anything becomes extra glamorous at night which is probably why the most glitzy events are held in the evenings. A wedding that is planned to go on all night should have the right lighting system installed. Aside from the built in lighting in the venue, series lighting to decorate surrounding bushes and trees, a lighting system that serves as a canopy over the reception area, or a unique lighting arrangement to illuminate the space in front occupied by the bride and groom are popular lighting options that usually work very well. Personal touches, such as a path of candles to guide the wedding revelers as they make their way home, is also a nice touch, as seen in this piece from Martha Stewart Weddings

Wedding venue 

There are outdoor gardens that specialize in giving couples an elegant venue where formal ceremonies can be held. These venues may consist of a large, open courtyard where the ceremony and reception can be held, tall, imposing hedges, classical statues, pavilions, and perfectly-manicured lawns. All these can be transformed into an ultra-glitzy space for a classy and elegant wedding. A great example would be the pavilion of the Miramare Gardens  which offers an elegant, spacious pavilion with classical columns and a cathedral ceiling. Other aspects of the setting such as live piano music, waiters in tuxedos, glitzy centerpieces and a champagne tower will round out everything that is needed to create the glam and glitz of the wedding of your dreams.

Image credit:  ricardodiaz11 on Flickr