31 Outdoor Wedding Ideas: Outdoor Venues and Decoration Ideas

With the right weather and a beautiful natural backdrop, an outdoor wedding can be one of the most picturesque, beautiful, and fun events to attend! There’s nothing like soaking up the sun outdoors at your wedding, and we’ve compiled a list of the best outdoor wedding ideas to make your outside wedding everything you’ve dreamed of.

Whether you’re planning an outdoor wedding due to safety concerns or because you love natural light and the great outdoors, there are plenty of ideas for outdoor weddings that can turn your al fresco wedding into a dreamy fairytale. Check out our favorite outdoor wedding venue ideas and outdoor decoration ideas. 

Venue Ideas

Backyard Weddings

Throwing a backyard wedding is not only lovely and homey, it also saves you a significant amount of money since you don’t have to rent out a venue!

A backyard wedding may feel like plan B, but it’s a great outdoor wedding idea, especially since you can use the money you saved on the venue to spruce up your backyard. Keep in mind that the size of your backyard will affect the size of your guest list.

Consider getting married at home in your own backyard, or a close family member or friend’s backyard for a special, intimate wedding you’ll never forget. 

Vineyard Weddings

Looking for an outdoor wedding venue that is sure to impress? Look at local vineyards, or consider a destination wedding somewhere like Napa Valley or the Finger Lakes region where there are abundant wineries to choose from!

Getting married on a vineyard means that you’ll have plenty of outdoor space for guests, a lovely backdrop full of grape vines for your wedding photos, and plenty of wine for the reception.

Many wineries are used to hosting events like weddings, so they may also have tables and chairs ready for you to use, as well as other amenities. 

National Park Weddings

If you love the great outdoors or you and your fiancee love to hike, getting married in a National Park is a unique outdoor wedding idea.

America’s National Parks boast some of the most scenic views in the country, and you can get married in one of your local parks or turn it into a dream destination wedding location! If you want to keep your guest list small, a destination wedding is a great way to cut back on the number of guests.

Be sure to look into any permits you may need to set up decorations within a National Park before you plan your wedding. 

Botanical Garden Weddings

Botanical gardens have all the decor you’ll need for your wedding waiting for you! Consider getting married at a local botanical garden for a unique and beautifully floral venue.

You’ll get plenty of outdoor space, plus perfectly maintained foliage to set the scene for your ceremony and reception. Talk to your local botanical garden to see if they can host your wedding! 

Forest Weddings

Some couples prefer to get married completely in the wilderness, so a forest wedding may be perfect for you! Search for local woods or state parks that will work as a venue and seek out any permission needed to use the land first.

For a rustic wedding in the woods, consider a natural color palette and use the landscape to serve as your decorations!

You should also be aware that getting married in the forest means you may have unexpected guests like deer, hikers, or even bears. Be sure to get the full picture of your location and prepare for all possibilities. 

Farm Weddings

The barn wedding venue has become extremely popular in the last few years, so getting married on a farm may be your dream wedding! A rustic farmhouse makes the perfect backdrop, or shelter, for an outdoor wedding.

Consider local farms for your wedding reception – it may be less expensive than traditional venues, and you get the added rustic beauty of a farm, plus farm animals and plenty of outdoor space! 

Tented Weddings

You can turn any open field into a beautiful wedding venue with the right decor and a large tent! If the location doesn’t matter too much, find a field or another outdoor space where you can get married and set up luxury tents to act as your venue (and to provide shelter from the weather).

Any outdoor space can be transformed into an elegant venue with a nice tent, tables, and decorations. Plus, you can save on your venue budget and add it to your decoration budget! 

Beach Weddings

If you love the beach, why not opt for a beach wedding? A wedding on the beach offers guests plenty of space to spread out, plus you have the ocean as a lovely backdrop for your nuptials.

There’s plenty of beach wedding inspiration out there, whether you choose a nautical navy theme or a softer color palette with natural hues.

Choose a local beach or turn your outdoor wedding into a destination wedding at a beach of your choice! Enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing and the sand between your toes while you say “I do.” 

Estate Weddings

Do you like the idea of a beautiful backyard wedding, but your yard just isn’t big enough? Consider getting married at another estate, country home, or manor!

Renting out another home to get married gives you the power to create the best backyard setting that you want, and you can take advantage of historic houses in your area or other cool estates!

Research properties in your area that would make for a picturesque outdoor wedding venue and inquire about hosting your wedding at a lovely home that matches your style. 

Decoration Ideas 

If you’re getting married outside, your plan for outside wedding decor is probably different than in a traditional venue. Use these outdoor wedding decoration ideas to turn any outdoor space into your dream wedding! 

Wedding Arches

Set the stage for your outdoor ceremony with an arch that matches your style and theme. You can make a DIY flower arch from real or fake blooms, make a rustic wooden arch, or have one constructed out of other materials!

A wedding arch makes a lovely focal point to draw attention to the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. For an outdoor wedding, consider natural materials like wood, vines, or even tree branches.  

Bridal Outdoor Entrance

Find unique entrance ideas to hide the bride at an outdoor wedding. One great look is using vintage doors to create a dramatic entrance into the wedding ceremony!

String Lights 

Light up your outdoor wedding with string lights! Once it starts to get dark, fairy lights offer an ethereal glow that is sure to make for a beautiful outdoor wedding.

Choose from tiny twinkle lights to larger industrial bulbs and string them around trees, along the tent, overhead, or anywhere that makes sense to set a warm ambiance for your wedding. 

Photo Backdrops 

Many al fresco weddings already have scenic backgrounds, but you can also set up a photo station for another photo option! Create a backdrop that fits in with your colors or theme and encourage guests to take pictures.

This can also serve as a ceremony backdrop before the wedding reception begins. You can use cloth draped over branches, wooden backdrops, flower walls, and more. 

Picnic Tables 

Need an easy seating option for your outdoor wedding? There’s nothing wrong with good, old-fashioned picnic tables at the wedding reception!

Since you’re already outside, picnic tables should match fairly well with your aesthetic. Make sure you spruce them up with tablecloths, centerpieces, and much more.

Hay Bale Seating

Looking for cheap and easy ceremony seating or for your wedding reception tables? Consider using hay bales for a rustic outdoor wedding look!

If you opt for a barn wedding, hay bales may be easily available. Add some blankets to the top of the bales and they make a comfortable seating option that will match the theme of your farm wedding.

Mason Jars

If you’re planning a rustic outdoor wedding, you can find many uses for mason jars. Serve cocktails, use them as vases for your flowers and centerpieces, or even hang them from trees with flowers, candles, or other goodies inside.

Get crafty with bell jars for a cheap outdoor wedding decoration! 

Floral Displays

Getting married outside means you’re probably a fan of nature, at least to some degree, and no wedding is complete without flowers. Lean into your natural setting by adding even more floral displays to your decor!

Flowers look beautiful at any wedding – indoors or outside – and they’ll blend wonderfully with your outdoor venue. Your wedding photos will pop with plenty of florals adding color and beauty to your big day.

Add floral centerpieces to tables, drape flowers and vines across tables and around trees, or hang floral displays from trees, fairy lights, and more. 

Bar Carts 

Make sure your loved ones stay hydrated by placing bar carts around your outdoor venue. You can set up rustic ice buckets full of beers and soft drinks, set up stations with pre-made or make-your-own cocktails, or hire bartenders to man your bar stations.

You can even use wheelbarrows as bar carts on a farm or at any outdoor setting. Get creative and search for movable bar carts or drink stations that match your decor. 

Blankets, Fans, or Parasols 

An outdoor wedding means that you’re at the mercy of the elements. Pray for good weather, but prepare for everything by providing guests with blankets if it gets cold, or hand-held fans or parasol umbrellas if it’s hot.

You can match the blankets, fans, or parasols to your colors and theme, and set them up in cute displays for everyone to access. Outdoor weddings are typically intimate affairs, so let your guests get comfortable with cozy blankets or lightweight fans. 

Sparklers

Take advantage of the outdoors by lighting up some sparklers! You can ask guest to light these all at once for a great picture, or even ask them to hold sparklers as the bride and groom exit the wedding.

Sparklers will make for some amazing photos, and they’re a fun way to add some spark to your wedding day. 

Lawn Games

Keep your guests entertained with fun lawn games! Consider classics like corn hole, ladder golf, and more to scatter around your outdoor wedding.

If you allow kids on your big day, this will help keep them entertained, but adults love games as well! Just be sure to keep any games away from the bar, dessert table, or anywhere where a stray corn hole bag could break something. 

Fire Pits

For an outdoor night wedding, set up fire pits. This is a great way to light up the night, and it allows guests to gather around in smaller groups to mingle and keep warm.

A few fire pits will make for a cozy end to the night as your wedding winds down, and it’s a special addition that only an outdoor wedding can indulge in. 

Wooden or Chalkboard Signs 

Use chalkboard signs or even painted wooden signs to label amenities and direct guests to where they need to be. Signs can share details like your wedding’s social media information or fun slogans. 

A chalkboard with a rustic wooden finish looks great at an outdoor venue, and they can be used to direct guests to their seats, to share information about the food or drinks, or they can be used as fun photo props! 

Balloons

Balloons are a cheap, easy, and classic way to decorate any wedding. Get balloons to match your color scheme and tie them to chairs, tables, centerpieces, and more to add some color to your outside decor.

You can also get letter balloons or other specialty balloons to further decorate or to create a focal point for a photo backdrop. 

Vintage Props 

For a countrified outdoor wedding, vintage props can step up your decor! Consider renting an old pickup truck, use old bicycles with baskets to hold party favors, or search for other vintage props to decorate your outdoor space.

Your wedding photos will look amazing with the right furniture rentals adding a unique touch. Go thrifting or check out antique shops, and don’t be afraid to get creative! 

Hang Decor from the Trees

If your wedding is in an area with plenty of trees, use them to help decorate! You can create a photo wall on a tree by stringing polaroids around it, or you can hang photos, vases, or string lights from trees.

Get crafty and hang recycled wine bottles to create a cool glass wall for pictures, hang signs from the trees, or come up with your own unique decoration ideas. 

Candlelight 

Nothing is more romantic than candlelight, so consider lighting your outdoor wedding with candles! For safety reasons, you may want to keep candles in glasses like mason jars, wine glasses, or some kind of container so that they don’t tip over and ignite anything.

For a summer wedding, consider using citronella candles to keep pests like mosquitos at bay. As long as you keep safety in mind, candles can make for a lovely ambiance under the stars. 

Create a Dance Floor 

Finally, don’t forget about a dance floor just because you’re outside! Indoor wedding venues tend to have a space for the dance floor laid out, and just because you may be on grass doesn’t mean you can’t still have dancing at your wedding.

Dance directly on the grass, or consider creating a dance floor out of wooden pallets or other materials!

Ice Cream Truck

Food truck weddings are all the rage, and an outside wedding makes it easy for a food truck to pull up. If you’re getting married during the warm summer months, consider renting an ice cream truck.

Loved ones will enjoy a cool ice cream cone and the unique dessert experience.

Barrels

Use barrels to create a rustic wedding look! Repurposed bourbon barrels make for great mingling tables during cocktail hour, or they can hold appetizers, escort cards, flowers, and more.

Rustic Wedding Cake

Keep guests well fed, and step up your outdoor wedding decor with a gorgeous wedding cake and dessert display! Naked, unfinished wedding cakes will fit well with a rustic look, or you can add florals and greenery to your desserts for an outdoorsy theme.