Florida, especially Central Florida, has so many amazing outside wedding venues from the white sand beaches, botanical gardens, to even country farms, there are so many options to choose from. However, with the beauty of Florida comes some pitfalls that all couples should be aware of before they make a final commitment to an outside wedding venue. Listed below are some do's and don'ts of having an outdoor wedding in Florida straight from a native who has been planning and coordinating weddings in the greater Daytona Beach area for over 8 years.

DON'T... WRITE 10 MIN LONG VOWS

Keep your ceremony as short and sweet as possible! Your family and friends will be sincerely grateful, trust me. While personal vows are always the best, most sincere route for your wedding consider your guest and the length of time they will be sitting outside, without a/c in Florida before you pen your vows and ceremony service. Keep in mind your guests will usually be seated for up to 30 minutes prior to the bride walking down the aisle. This plays a huge factor in how long a ceremony should be. You will have a lifetime to tell each other sweet promises so advise your officiant to keep the ceremony personal, quick and to the point so everyone can get to some shade.

DO... HAVE A BACKUP VENUE, IT WILL RAIN

Sorry to literally rain on your parade but rain in Florida is inevitable, especially in the spring/ summer months. Florida thunderstorms are unlike any other, one minute the sky is blue with white fluffy clouds and the next lighting and sheets of rain come out of nowhere. It’s crazy and can drive any couple mad especially after all the planning that has gone into their special day. Any good wedding planner will tell you, you need to have an inside option and it needs to be close to your original location so your guests won't get lost. Most venues in Florida offer indoor and outdoor spaces and it would be wise when choosing a venue to look carefully at both spaces so you will be satisfied if your nuptials need to go inside. Typically, the wedding planner, bride and groom need to decide 1 hour prior to the start time of the ceremony if the weather looks impending. This allows the venue and caters enough time to decorate and arrange furniture for the guests at the backup location. If you are planning an outdoor wedding you need to be comfortable with your Plan B becoming your Plan A very quickly.

DON'T... PICK A 1pm START TIME

Florida only has two seasons the hot months and the hotter months. Even October and November weddings tend to make guests sweat so the best way to avoid insanely uncomfortable guests is to be smart about your ceremony start time. 1 pm - 3 pm is historically the hottest parts of the day in Florida so during the early planning process make a point to have your start time either closer to the morning or a late afternoon affair. One great thing about Florida (especially in the Summer) is that it stays light so late. A typical sunset in June is at 8:30 pm so you would have plenty of daylight for your ceremony and reception if you pick a later start time. Alternatively, Sunrise and Brunch Weddings are a really fun alternative to a typical wedding and with East Florida having the most beautiful sunrises in the world it would be a breathtaking backdrop to any wedding (just think of those pictures).

DO... HAVE PLENTY OF DRINK STATIONS

Most weddings provide an alcohol bar during the cocktail hour and reception but if you are thinking of having an outside wedding you should also consider having several water stations positioned around the venue for easy access for all guest to rehydrate. Water pitchers or canisters are a quick and easy solution to keeping everyone happy and cool during the festivities and is a very easy addition for any caterer to set-up. You can personalize the drink stations and even throw in some lemons or limes to freshen up plain H2O.

DON'T... WAIT TO TAKE PICTUREs

While it is traditional to have the groom see his bride for the first time walking down the aisle it has become a very popular tradition to do "first look" pictures prior to the ceremony. This is also highly recommended for outside weddings as well. The wind at a beach wedding is famous for messing up the most perfect up do and the Florida heat will make even the most professional makeup droop a little. You are paying high dollar for professional photography and you should give yourself the very best pictures of your special day. First look pictures can also be a very intimate time between the bride and groom away from family and friends to look into each other’s eyes and remember why you decided to get married in the first place.

DO... HAVE YOUR PROGRAMS DOUBLE AS FANS

It might seem like a simple little thing, but programs can be an extremely helpful cooling device during an outside wedding. While guest can admire your perfectly written program they can keep the air circulating while appreciating the gorgeous bride or groom. An even more thoughtful gesture is to pass out handheld fans for all guest, but if you don't have the budget for that designing your programs to double as fans is an easy solution.

DON'T... GO BAREFOOT

While the idea of walking barefoot in the sand towards your lover conjures up romantic thoughts in reality your feet will be burning! Regardless of the time of day sand and pavement tend to get hot and stay hot for a long time in Florida and standing in one place for 20-40 minutes can get anybody’s feet a run for their money. One wedding I helped to coordinate the bride and her bridesmaids were barefoot during the whole ceremony and the bride’s sister ended up having burn marks on the bottom of her feet after the ceremony. Not a fun memory. You can still achieve a relaxed wedding feel by simply having the bridal party wear Florida's most famous footwear - flip-flops! Flip Flops are a fun and comfortable solution to help your bridal party enjoy your wedding day.

DO... REMEMBER IT IS YOUR WEDDING

At the end of the day this is your big day and however you pictured it is how it should look in real life. Believe me I have seen sweet, touching ceremonies outside in the rain and refused to go under covering because this is how the bride and groom wanted it and it was beautiful. The guest will recover from the heat and precipitation and you will have the day you always wanted and that's really want matters in the end.

I would love to help you make your dream day a reality and offer a wide range of wedding planning packages to fit most budgets! Please contact me today and set up a free consultation to discuss your upcoming wedding or event! ~ Amanda Jayne

Do's & Don'ts of an Outside Wedding in Florida