Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Our Top Tips for Planning an Outdoor Wedding
There is something so romantic and awe-inspiring about an outdoor wedding. The natural elements always make such a beautiful backdrop for your big day, allowing the opportunity for some more adventurous planning and personal touches.
Whether you’ve dreamed of having an outdoor wedding for as long as you can remember, or you’ve been newly converted by pics of stunning outdoor ceremonies, there are a lot of elements that needed to be considered to ensure your special day runs smoothly. Check out our top tips for pulling off one of the most amazing outdoor wedding ceremonies below…
Beautiful Buffets & Sumptuous Spreads
Arguably, the best part about hosting an outdoor wedding is the freedom it gives you in terms of catering. We recommend banquet buffet-style setups with feasts that could go on for days; or get creative and consider something a bit quirkier, such as food trucks or wood-fired pizzas. The possibilities are truly endless!
Here at Browning Bros, we work with some truly fantastic local caterers to create a feast that is fit for a king (or bride!).
Our recommended catering companies include:
KERB Food – home to over 85 of the UK’s best food trucks and street food
The Aussie BBQ Company – serving the finest spit roasts, BBQ buffets and paella
Blackwells Farm Shop – local produce specialising in tasty gourmet feasts
Hay Hay – Suffolk-based caterers who pride themselves on their local, fresh, and seasonal ingredients
Hogit – the most heavenly hog roasts – need we say more?!
Cha Cha Pizza Co – delicious, wood-fired pizzas served from a converted vintage Citroen HY van
Perfect Day Caterers – bespoke menus to suit your individual preferences, can serve anything from a simple BBQ to a three-course meal
Molly Moo’s Vintage Van – vintage ice cream van with a difference
Hadleys Ice Cream – locally made, scrumptious ice cream
Stuck in a Graze – for all your grazing needs!
(Plus we can recommend many more to suit your different tastes.)
Flirty Florals & Dazzling Décor
When planning an outdoor wedding, consider the natural beauty and aesthetic of the venue, and use this to your advantage. The choices you make with your décor can make your event more or less formal, depending on your preferences. Why not add a personal touch with a simple flower arch that smells as good as it looks, or use the trees as part of a backdrop or prop? The only limit is your imagination!
Browning Bros works with some fantastic florists and prop suppliers to help make your special day a truly memorable occasion.
Our recommended florists include:
Flowers by Cosmos – sustainable and seasonal flowers for any style of wedding
SSAW Collective – beautiful flowers that celebrate seasonality and local supply chains
The Country Garden Flower Company – floral designs with an emphasis on texture, colour, and natural beauty
Grow Wild – stunning seasonal flowers that celebrate the natural and the wild
Our recommended prop suppliers include:
EVO Event Hire – offering games rooms, dance floors, LED furniture, letters in light, PA systems, wedding castles and more
The Prop Boutique – providing mini golf, neon signs, light up letters and numbers, doughnut walls, topiary walls and more
Picture Blast – quality wedding photo booth hire
Anthology Prop Hire – stunning small details and vintage furniture hire
Games 4 Gardens – giant and regular-sized games, providing everything from Connect 4 to Space Hoppers
Island Inflatables – bouncy castles, assault courses, bouncy slides and all kinds of inflatable fun
Gorgeous Glamping Accommodation
One of the huge benefits of outdoor wedding parties is that you can choose to offer accommodation options for your nearest and dearest loved ones. No need for designated drivers or pre-booked taxis! Plus, you can spend the next morning enjoying a quality post-wedding breakfast with your friends and family.
There are tons of glamping accommodation options out there – however, we believe that bell tents are the perfect boho wedding dream. They are incredibly spacious inside and are made from thick canvas to protect against the elements. Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing they look from the outside!
Here at Browning Bros, you can party the night away and then enjoy a night under the stars in our cosy glamping accommodation. We offer a wide array of unique bell tents, ideal for a good night’s sleep after a fantastic wedding party. As a standard, each dwelling features a double bed, linen, towels, lighting, furnishings, matting and rugs. We can provide extra mattresses and bedding for additional guests, with each tent sleeping a maximum of 5. Wedding guests are also welcome to pitch their own tents, caravans and campervans. There are hot showers and toilet facilities on site, as well as a camp kitchen for that much-needed morning cuppa. What more could you possibly need?!
Our Final Tips
We highly recommend mentioning your outdoor wedding setting in your invitations. This will help your guests decide on suitable attire for the outdoors and choose what accessories or extra layers they may want to bring. After all, you don’t want guests turning up in stilettos that will sink into the grass all night!
A personal wedding planner or coordinator is a fantastic investment, to ensure that your big day runs smoothly. Luckily, all our wedding packages include a venue coordinator to help you and your wedding planner plan your special day and make the most of your beautiful outdoor venue!
Outdoor Weddings in the Heart of Essex
Experience an outdoor wedding party with a difference here at Browning Bros. We have two unique and quirky wedding venues to choose from: our lakeside wedding venue, Chalkney Water Meadows, is a large space that accommodates 150 guests; whereas our other venue, Teybrook Orchard, is more intimate, nestled between an orchard and a woodland, accommodating groups of up to 120 guests. Both venues offer a blank canvas to let your imaginations run wild!
Get in touch to discuss your options and start planning your special day!
