Those of you having an outdoor ceremony

I've been a guest at two outdoor weddings. One had a contingency plan of an indoor alternative and the others contingency was large umbrella's! Neither needed them though. The second one was on a farm, the first one at a hotel.

We are getting married at a farm/ woodland. We have a huge marquee and two smaller marquees. We are not sure exactly which we're going to use yet as we'd prefer everyone mainly outside with straw bale seating etc and then join the two small marquees together for an informal bar/ buffet area. But if it's looking like rain closer to the day we'll probably put the big one up and have all the tables and the stage in there. We're fortunate to be able to borrow all the marquees from a friend who organises events, otherwise you're looking at having to hire.

before settling on our venue we looked specifically for farms with barns we could use as well as a field, and campsites with some kind of indoor alternative like a bender x

Planning for an outdoor wedding -- and having to make alternative arrangements if things have to move indoors -- can cause you needless worry and expense trying to cover for all contingencies. What works outside may not work if it all has to be brought indoors. Even if it doesn't rain on the day, the ground might be muddy, and even if it doesn't rain, don't forget about high winds, cold or hot spells that would make it uncomfortable. If you've ever watched "Four Weddings UK or US" on TV, you can see what can potentially happen, and to date, I've never seen a wedding brought inside that worked as beautifully as it could have been outside.

Maybe look for somewhere that gives the feeling of being outdoors, such as a large conservatory or a facility with floor to ceiling glass that can open completely to the outdoors, or covered patio or pavilion.

Check out these ideas:

http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/weddings-at-waddesdon/the-dairy/the-dairy.

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hilliergardens/weddings-at-hilliers/hilliergardens-weddings-pavilion.htm

http://www.hambletonweddingphotography.co.uk/cheshire-wedding-venue/stephanie-and-jonothans-cheshire-wedding-at-peover-golf-club-a-preview.html -- The barn at Peover Golf Club looks

Just so that you know that in this country you can only get legally married in an approved premises and if outdoors it has to be in a permanent structure with a fixed roof,so no marquees.It can be a small building just big enough for you two and the registrars and may the witnesses but everyone else do not have to be under the roof like the picture, which has a fixed metal roof. But the way around this is to do the "paper work" in the register office before hand which is what I believe MellieMoo is doing.Then you can do what you like.

Yes we're doing the legal bit at the registry office. I couldn't imagine having our special 'real' ceremony indoors though, no amount of dryness and comfort makes up for being under the sky with bare feet on the grass while all your lived ones watch you join together in nature

Thank you all for your replies.

I had heard about the 'permanent structure' thing but that has really clarified it so thank you for that ?

That's a good idea to do the legal part in a registry office and then we aren't so restricted. Will definitely keep that in mind and talk to H2B about it.

Thanks ladies!

We're planning an outdoor ceremony with the legal bit done a few days before at the registry office- no thrills, vows rings etc.

Our Plan B is...well there isn't a plan B, we'll just get very wet! We're keeping everything crossed that it'll be a lovely day, or at a push just not raining too hard!

As mentioned above, the roof has to be deemed permanent although the structure can be open around like below....

Peter

This! Although we have an oast building for the meal/ reception, the ceremony will be outside, just with brollies if needed!

I was MOH at a wedding in May and the ceremony was supposed to take place outside the venue (a barn) under a wooden pagoda. Unfortunately it rained in the day but the venue was completely ready to move everything indoors. This was Kingscote Barn in Gloucester. Try having a look for venues with similar options perhaps?

As it turns out I'm going to be getting married outside myself, on the beach in Ibiza - I don't think we have a contingency plan!!

Only in England and Wales - in Scotland you can marry anywhere as long as you have a registered minister (not a registrar) and a humanist wedding is legal too.

We are getting married at High House in Althorne and the registar decides on the day if we are able to get married outside. If not the venue has a barn where they will set up instead