How to Plan an Outdoor Wedding Ceremony in the UK
Outdoor weddings are great for so many reasons. From the stunning backdrops to the photography opportunities, the possibilities for creating a romantic and magical wedding day are endless.
If you’ve got your heart set on having a legally binding outdoor wedding ceremony, we hope to help you achieve just that. Whether you’re dreaming of a fun-filled garden wedding party or a romantic outdoor wedding ceremony in front of a significant landmark, learn how to celebrate your wedding the way you want with this helpful guide to planning an outdoor wedding ceremony in the UK.
In this blog, we’ll explore essential tips for planning an unforgettable outdoor wedding ceremony in the UK, including choosing the right outdoor wedding venue, navigating the unpredictable British weather and incorporating decorations for an outdoor wedding that reflect your unique style.
Choose the Season
First up is deciding which season you would like to tie the knot. Each season has its own unique charm from the forest greens, crimson reds and sparkles of winter, the falling leaves of autumn, the fresh blooms of spring to long evenings of summer that are perfect for twilight weddings.
Ultimately, choosing the best month to get married is a totally unique decision that will depend on your own priorities and preferences. Those who get married during peak wedding season, which falls between May and October each year, may have warmer weather (though there is no guarantee) and experience beautiful natural lighting that will elevate your wedding photographs. If you’re stuck, our advantages and disadvantages of weddings by season blog is a great place to start. And for some seasonal wedding inspiration, check out our best wedding flowers for each season blog.
For an outdoor wedding, such as a garden wedding or an outdoor marriage ceremony, the advantage of a summer wedding is that the average monthly rainfall in lower. This means that the chances of having rain that lasts all day are lower than at other times of the year. The daylight hours are also longer during the months of June, July and August, meaning your guests can be comfortable outside for longer.
Select Your Outdoor Wedding Venue
Next is searching for wedding venues and places to get married outside. This is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning a wedding (so choose wisely!) When visiting potential outdoor wedding venues and outdoor wedding locations, you should consider the number of guests you want to invite, your wedding budget and vision for how you want the venue to look on the day. Once you make a final decision on your wedding venue, you can start planning all the finer details that will come together to turn your dream wedding into a reality.
Plan Your Outdoor Wedding Décor
It’s a good idea to sit down with your partner and decide on an overall theme for your wedding in the early stages of wedding planning as this will inform later decisions on your outdoor wedding decorations. Outdoor weddings have the advantage of already providing a stunning natural setting which you can use to your advantage by enhancing what’s around you with beautiful decorations for an outdoor wedding. We advise spending some time at your chosen wedding venue beforehand to get an idea of what you will need and how you would like to place things, as well as what is possible.
Some of our favourite outdoor wedding decorations include strings of fairy lights, decorative chair sashes and floral arrangements, but you can check out our guide to choosing your wedding décor for more outdoor wedding decoration inspiration.
Things to Consider When Planning an Outdoor Wedding
Weather
It’s fair to say that the weather in the UK is unpredictable and even a summer wedding doesn’t guarantee the possibility of clear skies blessing your special day. So, when it comes to planning a wedding ceremony outside, it’s understandable to feel a little apprehensive. Don’t worry though – there are plenty of ways to work around the weather on your wedding day, you just need to have a plan in mind. Speak to your wedding venue early about whether there’s an indoor space to move to and have a plan B just in case the heavens decide to open (fingers crossed they don’t!)
Accessibility
When choosing your outdoor wedding venue, it’s important to take into account the different needs of your guests. Distance and access over uneven or unpaved ground is a serious consideration for attendees with mobility issues. If a wheelchair, pushchair or an elderly guest can’t make it to your outdoor wedding location, it could be worth considering another option. Prioritising your guest’s comfort and needs will ensure that everyone will be able to relax and enjoy the day. You should discuss accessibility concerns with your wedding venue to ensure all your guests needs are met.
Logistics
Weddings take a lot of time and effort to arrange, which you can read more about in our ultimate wedding planning timeline, and outdoor wedding locations may present a few extra challenges when it comes to the logistics of the day. This could be anything from the audio and visual setups, including music and lighting, the outdoor wedding décor and seating, to transport and accessibility for your guests. This is a particularly important consideration if you plan on having your wedding ceremony outside and then moving to an indoor area of the venue for your wedding reception.
Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Laws in the UK
In July 2021, temporary measures were introduced to open up a wider range of locations for outdoor civil wedding ceremonies in the UK. This was largely to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but it also tied in with a long-running review into the buildings-based system for civil weddings. These measures were due to expire but, following a public consultation, were made permanent under the Marriages and Civil Partnerships Approved Premises Amendment which came into force in April 2022.
This law change applies to wedding venues in England and Wales that already have an indoor civil ceremony licence. It doesn’t apply to venues without a licence, such as private gardens, or fields, woodlands or beaches without a permanent structure in place. So, if the venue has a civil ceremony licence, then you can have a legally binding outdoor ceremony anywhere within its boundary. Prior to this change, the outdoor area itself would have needed to hold a civil ceremony licence.
It’s worth mentioning here that you can really get married anywhere outside, but its only official in a licensed wedding venue’s outdoor space. Therefore, you could get married at the side of a river, on a mountain top or in a family garden, so long as you have the official marriage ceremony before or after at a local registry office.
Couples should bear in mind that outdoor wedding laws in the UK differ depending on country. In Scotland, a civil wedding ceremony can be held anywhere if this has been agreed with the registrar and permission is granted by the landowner, giving couples complete freedom to choose their perfect wedding ceremony spot. Outdoor civil ceremonies in Northern Ireland on the other hand can only take place in locations that have been licensed as an approved premises by the council.
Weddings at The Lawrence
The Lawrence is a charming wedding venue in the fairytale village of Padiham in the heart of the Lancashire countryside. Our versatile wedding venue offers an array of facilities to cater to wedding parties big or small including a charming outdoor space for romantic outdoor wedding ceremonies.
With us, every wedding is distinct, and we promise you the creation of an unforgettable experience, ensuring your day is a unique reflection of your love story. Our helpful team will work with you to plan and arrange a beautiful outdoor setup, creating the perfect backdrop for your vows. So, what are you waiting for? Your dream wedding is just an enquiry away – we can’t wait to hear from you.
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