Indoor and outdoor weddings both have their advantages. Regardless of which venue you choose you’ll always be faced with common aspects that have to come together. Here our experts take a look at how the elements play out in both scenarios to help you narrow down your venue choices.
Music
Regardless of whether your wedding is indoor or out your basic choices for music are live bands or DJs. DJs tend to be your safest bet for a few reasons. They have a far wider selection of music, can generally set up anywhere, and you can work with them to set the tone for your reception. As a bonus, they tend to be more affordable. On the flipside (lol) you can face a world of hurt if your DJ is a dud.
If you go with a band, your playlist will be greatly reduced. As well, a band’s rendition of popular covers might be a far cry from the version your guests will expect. Live bands can be challenging for outdoor weddings as they might require more space for set up. Some landmark or residentially parallel areas have bylaws that prevent live or loud music. So, if you want a live band, they might not be as suited to an outdoor wedding.
Wedding Date
The wedding season tends to be the summer, which is also the most popular time for outdoor weddings. Although many couples choose to brave less predictable weather in the spring, fall and winter, realistically if you want to reduce risk, outdoor weddings are limited to the summer. You really have to plan ahead if you want to snag the best outdoor wedding venues in the summer due to demand.
Remember, there’s no guarantee summer weather will cooperate. Your outdoor summer wedding also brings unwanted guests, namely bugs. In general, indoor weddings are your safest bet if you don’t want the stress and worry of pests, rain, high winds or oppressive heat.
Wedding Photographs
A big bonus to outdoor weddings is wedding photographs can really benefit from that natural light. As long as you position the ceremony/head table properly for the time of day and the location of the sun, you can really add drama, romance and natural soft lighting to make your wedding photographs extra special. Let’s not forget outdoor weddings tend to have beautiful natural features creating idyllic landscapes and backdrops for truly romantic photos – weather permitting.
Florals and Aesthetic Aspects
As mentioned, outdoor weddings usually come with built-in décor features and flowers courtesy of nature. However, what you see is what you get. An indoor venue might be limited to its basic appearance, but you have a blank canvas to create any theme you choose. The aesthetics can also depend on the venue itself. You have multiple choices for indoor venues from chic hotels to museums and art galleries to rustic barns and country manses.
Costs
Outdoor weddings tend to cost more, depending on the venue. You are often responsible for add ons including:
– Tents
– Portable restrooms
– Dance floors
– Tables, chairs, and lounge furniture
– Specialty lighting
These basics tend to be included with your indoor venues or you don’t need them at all! All in all, indoor venues are safer, but the allure of the outdoor wedding is often what dream weddings are made of!
Let Save the Date® Help Plan Your Wedding
Save the Date® understands that finding the best wedding venue and planning your dream wedding can be overwhelming. We’ve helped thousands of couples create the perfect day with our full wedding planning service.
Call us at 212-333-3283 to learn more about how we can make your wedding perfect.
