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Abigail
Just Said Yes May 2020

Does anyone have any advice for an outdoor wedding?

Abigail, on May 27, 2019 at 7:53 AM Posted in Wedding Reception 0 12

It will be for 200+ guests. We are going to rent three 20x40 tents with drapes and lighting. The floor will be grass but we are making a dance floor. It's going to be November 2nd, we live in California so rain hopefully doesn't happen! I am renting a generator and a few outdoor heaters, we are going to do little bonfires around, and it's at my family members ranch so we are allowed to do anything and have a lot of room. I just really want to make sure I think about everything that I need and that can go wrong, any advice would be appreciated! Or any tent set up advice would be helpful

12 Comments

Latest activity by Judith, on May 27, 2019 at 6:28 PM
  • C
    Super January 2020
    Cassie ·
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    My friend had an outdoor wedding on her family’s property, she had to rent potty’s to accommodate the amount of guests she was having. It’s not something I would of thought about, but places do have nicer ones to rent for events.
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  • Pirate & 60s Bride
    Legend March 2017
    Pirate & 60s Bride ·
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    For 200 guests, are you sure you don’t want a wedding venue? I’m guessing you’ll need at least 3-5 bathrooms (not sure how many are in each rentable trailer), tables, chairs, place settings, heaters, bar, tent if rain or too hot. And that’s all in addition to the regular stuff for a wedding—food, drinks, table decor. 💰
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  • Jessica
    VIP October 2019
    Jessica ·
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    Just be sure to rent your tents early. I live in Charleston SC aand the tent rentals here booked fast. Also, not sure how bugs are in that area, but here they're awful, or can be, depending on the rain, even in October, so were having the area sprayed aand also having bug spray on hand for guests.

    We also had to figure out the aisle runner. My FH really wanted one so we had to devise a way to keep it secured to the ground.

    Also, wedding insurance is a great idea for weddings on family or personal property.

    You can rent wedding port a potties (actually really nice) if needed.

    These are just some of the things we had to consider! Hope something here helps!
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  • Jennifer
    Expert October 2019
    Jennifer ·
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    Along with porta-potties, if you're using disposables, consider trash. Make sure you know what your caterer is going to cover and what they're not. Make sure your guests know about the grass. You also need to consider parking for everybody, and how far the parking area is going to be from the party area.
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  • Abigail
    Just Said Yes May 2020
    Abigail ·
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    We have people helping pay for things, the venues around where I live are not worth the price for us. We live in the central valley where there is not anything but agriculture around. So most are barn type venues, and we figured it would be better to just have it at a family members ranch. My uncle owns porter potties so that is covered too. We rented the tents and drapes and lighting already. Tables and chairs are covered as well, so are the decorations by another family member (almost everything). We are both the babies in our (big) families so we are blessed to be getting a lot of help. Otherwise I would've agreed a venue would've been better!

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  • Abigail
    Just Said Yes May 2020
    Abigail ·
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    I hadn't thought about bugs! Thank you I will definitely spray before

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  • Abigail
    Just Said Yes May 2020
    Abigail ·
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    We have half an acre for parking, but I hadn't thought about the arrangement for it, thank you!

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  • Pirate & 60s Bride
    Legend March 2017
    Pirate & 60s Bride ·
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    Got it. Sounds like you got a lot covered. A lot of couples think a home wedding is cheaper but it's often more expensive and more work than choosing a venue with stuff that does not need to be rented. Carry on! Smiley winking

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  • Jennifer
    Expert October 2019
    Jennifer ·
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    If it's not striped off, you may want to get some stakes and rope to mark lanes, and have a person or two directing traffic. You're probably going to have over a hundred cars to manage. People get dumb quick when it comes to not blocking other people in.
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  • Abigail
    Just Said Yes May 2020
    Abigail ·
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    Agreed! In a lot of cases that is very true thankfully not in ours. I appreciate the help! :-)

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  • Abigail
    Just Said Yes May 2020
    Abigail ·
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    That's actually a great idea! thank you

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  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    Little bonfires, in any place including private property, require permits at times. And many towns require permits for gatherings of over a certain number of people. Permits are often tiny cost or free. Neighbors or towns want to know about big gatherings for police and fire safety, staffing. And small fires in crowds often need have the site identified, and are subject to the wind the day if the event. A lot of places have always had the laws on the books, but are enforcing them more, due to increasing numbers of tragic fires, and law suits directed at municipalities that did not do what is required, and get sued. We have had several weddings, as have our parents, on our respective large properties. These days, town and county cross check permits. No cost for one. But up to $1000 fine added to your property tax if smoke is seen at a gathering you did not notify them about. Country area, narrow roads and a long ways for emergency help. So they will check to see you have or rent fire extinguishers, or supply them for a very small cost. Check to see tents are of non-flammable materials, stuff like that. Times have changed, things people have done freely for years often have regulations enforced for safety.
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