Question from Sheryl:
My fiance and I are really not sure what to do for our wedding. It will be the second for me, the first for him.
We own a nice little acreage with lilac bushes, a fish pond, an archway covered in vines, a big lawn, etc. We even have an ‘extra’ building that used to be an old schoolhouse with hardwood floors and a fireplace that could be used in case of rain.
We would like to have a simple wedding and reception, with less than 75 people, but we are not sure what to do for a reception. I don’t know that a traditional reception and dance would be all that successful; we can’t really see having a DJ or a band or even a dance. We thought of having the wedding outdoors and then just having a BBQ or firepit, but are not sure how to go about it so it is enjoyable for everyone.
Any suggestions would be very welcome!
Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:
Hi Sheryl, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Your acreage sounds so perfect! Archways, lilacs, fish pond. Wow!
I was at an outdoor wedding where they put up a tent and actually built a wooden platform for a band, and they built a wooden floor for a dance floor. It was very successful, and it is an option for you. I’ve also been to outdoor dances where the guests just danced on the grass—but it is difficult if ladies are wearing heels.
Since you are leaning towards a more casual reception, I would suggest the following. Have a BBQ and use the school house for your guests to sit and eat. Some tables, chair or benches would be appropriate, and you might be able to borrow them from your church or a local facilitiy that has some available. Plan a nice "picnic" menu with BBQ, potato salad, and so forth. Being a country wedding, any home cooking is highly valued.
As for music, well it is VERY important to have good music. Statistics show that music and food are what people remember the most about a wedding! Instead of the traditional band or DJ, how about hiring a "campfire" musician or duo. They could be one or two members of a band who aren’t booked that weekend. They could be playing in the background for part of the evening—maybe even unplugged—depending upon the space. Sound disappears outdoors, so a small amplification system would also work. Later in the evening, everyone could gather around the campfire and have an unplugged sing-a-long.
You might want to decide on the kinds of songs you want for your sing-a-long, and make up some songbooks. If the musician you hired knows a lot of 60s, 70s rock music and your crowd is mostly 80s 90s country music fans, it could be a problem—-so choose wisely. Make a list of songs so there is no confusion between yourself and the musician. If you aren’t that musical and don’t know a lot of songs, ask a musical friend to help you. They are sure to know what will work for your crowd. If you have a good musician, they too will be able to advise you on the music suitable for your guests age group and tastes.
Fireworks at the end of the evening would be a great touch. Make sure you check with your local fire department for any regulations about fireworks.
In between you can do things like ice cream cones for everyone—two people go around with cones and a bucket of ice cream. I was at a reception that had that, and it was a big hit a few hours after the meal. Also, think about lighting—especially if you have books to sing-a-long with. Lots of seating that is easily moveable is also great.
So, those are some ideas. I’m sure you can come up with more now that you have this direction filled out a little more.
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