Dear Reader:
If youre contemplating or already planning an outdoor wedding, then congratulations are in order! Planning any wedding is both a challenge and a joy. While outdoor events present some added considerations, they also provide an opportunity to display your personal sense of style and your unique romantic flair. You cant be overprepared when you include the always unpredictable Mother Nature on your guest list. I planned my wedding for a full moon night, but as insurance against cloudy, starless skies, I had my florist create an indoor moon of golden chrysanthemums surrounded by glitter-painted starfish.
This book will help you decide whether an outdoor wedding is right for you. It also provides inspiration and guidance as you plan your event and offers the encouragement and reassurance you need to design the day of your dreams. I hope Mother Nature gift-wraps a glorious day for you, but remember that it is your love and the magic between you that will truly make your celebration shine.
Best of luck on your special day,
Editorial
Publishing Director | Gary M. Krebs |
Associate Managing Editor | Laura M. Daly |
Associate Copy Chief | Brett Palana-Shanahan |
Acquisitions Editor | Kate Burgo |
Development Editor | Katie McDonough |
Associate Production Editor | Casey Ebert |
Production
Director of Manufacturing | Susan Beale |
Associate Director of Production | Michelle Roy Kelly |
Cover Design | Paul Beatrice |
Erick DaCosta |
Matt LeBlanc |
Design and Layout | Colleen Cunningham |
Holly Curtis |
Erin Dawson |
Sorae Lee |
Series Cover Artist | Barry Littmann |
Visit the entire Everything Series at www.everything.com
THE
OUTDOOR
WEDDING
BOOK
Choose the perfect location, expect
the unexpected, and have a beautiful
wedding your guests will remember!
Kim Knox Beckius
To my parents, and to all who say I do to love.
Copyright 2006, F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.
Published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A. www.adamsmedia.com
ISBN: 1-59337-371-6
Printed in the United States of America.
J I H G F E D C B A
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Beckius, Kim Knox.
The everything outdoor wedding book : choose the perfect location, expect the unexpected, and have a beautiful wedding your guests will remember! / Kim Knox Beckius.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-59337-371-6
1. WeddingsPlanning. I. Title. II. Series: Everything series.
HQ745.B433 2005
395.22dc22
2005026439
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-872-5627.
Contents
Appendix A:
State-by-State Directory of Suggested Outdoor Venues
Appendix B:
Wedding Day Emergency Contact Sheet
Welcome to the EVERYTHING series!
These handy, accessible books give you all you need to tackle a difficult project, gain a new hobby, comprehend a fascinating topic, prepare for an exam, or even brush up on something you learned back in school but have since forgotten.
You can read an EVERYTHING book from cover-to-cover or just pick out the information you want from our four useful boxes: newlywed know-how, rain or shine, piece of cake, and ask the wedding planner. We literally give you everything you need to know on the subject, but throw in a lot of fun stuff along the way, too.
We now have over 300 EVERYTHING books in print, spanning such wideranging topics as weddings, pregnancy, wine, learning guitar, one-pot cooking, managing people, and so much more. When youre done reading them all, you can finally say you know EVERYTHING!
newlywed know-how
Essential information
piece of cake
Quick handy tips
rain or shine
Helpful warnings
ask the wedding planner
Solutions to common problems
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to my parents, George and Carol Snyder, for encouraging me to love words and books at an early age and for reviewing and editing this manuscript.
Special thanks to Mark Sinatro, who answered my questions about insurance, and to Chef Jake Jacobus of Cape Cods Ocean Edge Resort, who chatted with me about food choices for outdoor receptions. Thanks, as well, to the hundreds of public relations professionals and property owners who responded to my requests for information about outdoor wedding venues.
My sincere appreciation goes to my agent, Barb Doyen, and to Adams Media acquisitions editor Kate Burgo for presenting me with the opportunity to write this practical guide for couples hoping to marry outdoors.
My husband, Bruce, and daughter, Lara, cope admirably with a sometimes absentee mommy, and I am fortunate to have their love and support for my creative endeavors.
Top Ten Reasons
to Choose an Outdoor Wedding
1. Celebrate your love in a place that holds special meaning for the two of you.
2. Take advantage of a spectacular natural backdrop for your wedding photographs.
3. Invite spontaneity and unexpected drama to color your event.
4. Host an affair that is as elegant or as casual as you desire.