Elegant Wedding Magazine Feature

Thinking about having an outdoor wedding? Outdoor weddings are romantic and beautiful. However, they aren't as easy as they may look.  Don’t forget the little decor details.  Here are some tips to help:

1. Take Stock Of Your Location

Do a walk-through of your venue as soon as you're able, noting features to highlight -- a grand staircase or a grove of trees, perhaps -- and areas that need to be spruced up or downplayed.

2. Get Glowing

Lighting can make or break an event, but to create the right ambience, you don't necessarily need to hire professionals to cast patterns on the dance floor. You can set the mood simply by flanking an outdoor walkway with dozens of luminaria or setting dining tables with elegant candelabra or clusters of small candles; you might also replace harsh white bulbs in fixtures with more flattering amber ones.

3. Dress Up Your Entryway

Beautiful front-door decorations, which can be as low-key as swags of greenery, serve as a visual welcome whether adorning a building or a tent and ensure that everyone's first glimpse of the party is from its best vantage point.

4. Work With What You Have

An all-white theme won't do in a hotel ballroom papered in red and gold, nor does it make sense to try to transform a rustic lodge into the Crystal Palace.

5. Choose A Theme

Whether it's a monogram, a color pairing, or a food or flower that evokes a favorite place, a repeated element helps to both personalize and unify your event.

6. Don't Overlook Small Details

A few well-placed touches, such as monogrammed cocktail napkins or an interesting charger, can go a long way toward making your party look extra-special.

7. Think Outside The Box

A silver bowl of sugared fruit makes a stunning and unexpected alternative to a traditional floral centerpiece, and one long banquet table may fit a sleekly modern space better than several round ones do.

8. Size Up Your Centerpieces

Keep floral arrangements and other table decor under 14 or over 20 inches high, so guests can view and converse with each other across the table.

There are dozens of tricks designed to make your planning easier and ensure that you pull off an affair to remember. So without further ado, let's get this party started.