Living near the coast of North Devon I fully appreciate the natural beauty of the area and wanting to incorporate that in to your Wedding.  Whether its a back drop for photos or the location for your Wedding Ceremony. Here are some things to think about and a few ideas for your outdoors wedding!

On the beach - can you think of anything more romantic than a sunset on a beautifully warm day as you pledge your love and lifelong commitment to one another? I personally feel this is one of the most stunning and romantic locations that we have and a beach wedding is a possibility, but one that needs a lot of thought, planning and a robust plan B!  So what do you need to think about for a beach wedding.
1) Unless you can hire a private beach you do not have exclusive use - therefore you cannot stop members of the public from encroaching on your ceremony, to help minimise this use a part of the beach that is quieter or pick a time of day where you are less likely to see large crowds.
2) Access.  How will you get the guests and bridal party to and from the beach?
3) Tide times.  Do not forget to check the tide times, otherwise there could well be no beach at all.
4) Footwear - heels and sand do not go well together. Make sure the bridal party and guests are all suitably dressed and depending upon the time of year and daily weather changes advise guests to have a jacket with them.
5) You are not permitted to set any structures on a public beach, if you want to have an arch and chairs these will need to be put in place just before the ceremony and removed again straight away - it is not something you can set up the night before (unless on a private beach above the tide line)
6) Weather.  We are used to the rain in the UK but being soaked wet through on your special day is not a look any of us go for - the wind is another consideration and you may have to contend with a sea breeze - not good for hair, veils or your Celebrant as their voice will not carry against the wind (so ask them about their set up for this)!  You will need a 'weather proof' plan B.  

In short, UK beach weddings are incredibly beautiful, they are easiest if you are able to hire a private beach - where you can set up for your entire day.  Pubic beaches probably work best for laid back, small services where everyone arrives together, stands rather than sits and then after a few photos heads off again.  

Inland Outdoor Weddings.  These types of Weddings are gaining in popularity.  Either on the family farm, on in a large garden or on a hired field,  the laid back wedding vibe is becoming increasingly sought after.  These types of Weddings can be elaborate, formal, relaxed or even have a festival feel to them.  So what do you need to consider?

1) Location for your Ceremony.  Avoid steep hills, look for reasonably flat land where you can set out seating and have an aisle if you wish.  Think about whether you will need power for music/microphone as a part of your ceremony. Where will your guests sit and what on? Will you put out chairs, benches or hay bales as seating for your guests during the ceremony? Remember that even in the finest weather we still have morning dew - so it is a good idea to make sure your seating is stored somewhere dry until the day of the service. If you are having hay bales I suggest you cover them with picnic blankets or cloth of some kind as hay really irritates your legs!
2) Weather. We cant get away from the impact the weather has on an outdoor ceremony.  Make sure that you are not holding your service in a wind tunnel and that if the heavens do open, you have some form of shelter or alternative location (quite often a marquee type area). Please do remember that rain can blow sideways so a gazebo is not always enough.
3) Attire. If you do not have any paved areas then heels are a no go.  Ensure the bridal party and guests are aware.  If you like the idea of a really relaxed or festival feel to your wedding then encourage your guests to wear wellies - they look great and you could even go as far as having a glam wellie theme to your day. 
4) Getting to the venue.  If the ground is soft then  cars can quite easily get stuck in the mud.  Look for a well drained area as a car park or you could offer a mini bus service to the site from a better parking site or nearest town/village.  Think also about how the bridal party will arrive.

5) Decoration - do you want the area for the ceremony to be simple or will you want to decorate it?  You can get garden arches (some do come in a kit type form) that you can put up, on their own they are rather basic, but with either fresh or silk flowers on them they can make a beautiful focal point for your ceremony and look stunning in your photos. Bunting through trees/bushes also looks effective, but it really does depend upon your location.  There are so many options I cannot go through them all.  The inside of the marquee is another area you may wish to consider decorating.
With decoration also think about lighting for the evening - and that you will need some form of power to ensure that guests can find their way around the site.
6) Covered area.  You are likely to want some kind of covered area, this can serve as a plan B for the location of the ceremony, (weather proofing)or as a bar area and/or a seating area for your meal. It also serves you well for the evening party when the temperature can drop and the damp can set in.  A lot of couples will have a marquee either with the bar inside or in another gazebo/tented area.  Ensure that caterers can get power to their equipment - (if required) and that you can run a PA/disco system (or for the band if you are having one) you will also need some kind of lighting.  (most marquee companies have a ban on any naked flame - including candles).  Marquee's are one option, others prefer tented areas and you can get some magnificent tipis that can be joined together depending on the size you need. 
7) Gathering areas. Your guest will want to mingle and chat so ensure you leave space for this, you might like to provide some seating areas for the evening and away from the tipi/marquee maybe a fire pit or something similar (not close to hay bales!) where your guests can take time out from the party. (Having some marshmallows and skewers near by is normally a big hit!)
8) Loos.  Don't forget the call of nature!  Porta-loos are the cheapest option, some venues who are 'set up' for weddings will have a toilet block or you can hire 'event toilet units' which are 'proper' toilets and can include baby changing facilities.
9) Flow. Make sure your areas flow and make sense.  You don't want the loos or the bar too far from the main entertainment areas.

I am not a wedding planner and so there are loads more things for you to plan and consider such as entertainment, catering, accommodation (local hotels or camping/glamping on site), where the bride/groom will get ready, etc. but I hope this basic guide helps you to consider how you can achieve your dream outdoor wedding.  

You will not be able to have a Registrar at an outdoor ceremony as they require a fixed structure to be legally binding, so a Celebrant (such as myself) is the perfect option for your Wedding day - with none of the ties of the church or registrar I can help you to create your perfect ceremony tailored to you precise wishes. 

Get in touch for an informal no-obligation chat about your dream wedding day. With Love, Amanda Jane x