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Weddings, ceremonies al fresco A Toast to Weddings with Sharon Carfora

Location, Location, Location: An outdoor wedding ceremony and or reception has a quite an appeal to many prospective brides. We have all been captivated by those pictures in the bridal magazines of the pristine settings of receptions in the middle of a meadow captured in the perfect light on a beautiful sunny summer day.

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Spring Hills Farm in Dalton has been the setting for casual wedding celebrations.

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Courtyard at Nichols Village for the al fresco setting with all of the conveniences of an indoor banquet room.

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Your reception should reflect the two of you as a couple. Some ideas for choosing such a place could be a park, beach, vineyard or a location as simple as your backyard. You can recreate a formal reception out of doors, or forget about the rules for a typical wedding reception and have an informal affair such as a barbecue or simple luncheon. A non-typical location will require a bit more homework during the planning process. You may need to select a wedding coordinator who will take the burden of all of the troubleshooting off of your shoulders and, of course, an experienced off-premise caterer.

You do not want to have to worry about any of the last minute details on the setup or the food on the day of your wedding. Tents should always be rented, regardless of the forecasted weather for your special day. An unexpected shower that could creep up out of nowhere could spoil what would have been a perfect day. Rule of thumb for tent size is typically 12 square feet per person needed for round tables.

Party rental firms can furnish everything for as simple or as elegant of an affair that you decide upon. Boulevard Rental locally, at 613 Northern Blvd., South Abington Township, can help with most all of your party requirements. They can be reached at 570.586.2232

Keep in mind, that you will also need a plan for parking and restroom facilities to accommodate larger numbers and don’t forget to let your guests know on the invitations that it will be taking place outside so they may plan their wardrobe appropriately.

An outdoor location may also be the setting for your ceremony. You may investigate local parks, college campuses, hilltops or area tree farms. Spring Hills Farm in Dalton has been the setting for more casual wedding celebrations. You can reach them at 570.563.1871.Your photographer may also have some ideas for a unique ceremony location that he or she previously photographed. Local government officials can be invited to officiate the civil ceremony. I have referred his honor, Mayor Harry Kelly, of Clarks Summit to my clients who needed an officiant for their event. Mayor Kelly has been very gracious in accommodating many happy couples in the area. The most recent event officiated by Mayor Kelly at the Inn at Nichols Village was the wedding of Karla and Claudio Calvo in May.

At the Inn at Nichols Village, we have many options for the prospective bride to choose from for ceremony and reception settings. Our Courtyard area can be the perfect location for an outside ceremony, coordinated with an outdoor cocktail reception and an indoor dinner reception. This setup gives the bride the best of both plans for the Spring, Summer or early Fall reception. The Courtyard at Nichols Village can also be the setting for cocktails, followed by the dinner reception for that total al fresco setting, with all of the conveniences of an indoor banquet room. Your out-of-town guests and bridal party will also have the convenience of the guest rooms at the hotel on the property as well. Planning a wedding at such a facility also provides you with the services of the hotel wedding coordinator, namely, yours truly!

Outdoor wedding receptions have the potential for an unforgettable aesthetic experience that will long be remembered for its natural charm. The sky is the limit for themes and ideas for this venue. However, planning an outdoor wedding reception may not be for the bride who is a worrier. If you can remember that it isn’t how the day turns out, but rather about the love and best wishes that will surround you and your spouse on that day, the outdoor wedding may be the perfect venue for you to consider.

For questions or comments on the information provided in the article, or for additional information on weddings, email me personally at scarfora@nicholsvillage.com or call my direct line at 570.585.2740.