It’s hard to think of any positives that came out of 2020, but for me, a new found appreciation of nature was definitely something that I gained. With walking being pretty much the only thing we could do for many months, and with indoor social gatherings a thing of the past, I spent a lot of time thinking about and looking back over some of the outdoor weddings that I have photographed. Pre-Covid, these were quirky, unique events, with a fun and relaxed feel to them, almost like a festival – remember them?! But now, after a year of adapting to socialising outside – despite the weather! – I think outdoor weddings could become more and more popular. If you’re considering making the most of the great outdoors for your big day, if you want to relax, mingle with your guests, soak up the sun and have a massive party to celebrate your newlywed status, then read on for ideas from decoration to entertainment and let some of my previous couples inspire you.

The best thing for me about outdoor weddings is the SPACE. Without silly things like walls, you can let your imaginations run wild when it comes to creating your perfect day! You could really capitalise on being surrounded by nature by having wildflowers literally everywhere. Add some fairy lights to that in a secluded woodland clearing and you would create a truly magical, enchanted setting. Speaking of lighting, how about having some tiki torches and a fire-pit with blankets for when the sun has gone down and your musical entertainment is blasting out your favourite tunes into the wee hours? Although it’s not impossible, it is a bit trickier to create that sort of festival vibe when you’re restricted by being inside.

I’ve selected a few fairy-light-adorned, wild-flower-covered, woodland and lake-side tipi images to illustrate how nature can be the perfect backdrop for your wedding.

All the space and all the details

I think another excellent advantage of an outdoor wedding is the ability to create different zones for your guests to enjoy throughout the day. Having a designated games area could provide hours of fun for all ages. Whether that’s a genteel game of croquet, a traditional coconut shy or perhaps giant Connect Four, making use of all of that outdoor space is sure to bring a fun, festival feel to your wedding.

But being in such an expanse of space doesn’t mean that you can’t create a beautiful, intimate setting for your wedding ceremony. Shady, woodland areas with huge trees can be completely transformed into the most cosy and romantic of venues with lots of green foliage, hay bales and candles, the perfect spot to say “I do.”

Natural photos of you two

My favourite part of photographing these outdoor weddings was being able to capture some beautiful portraits of my couples, just them together for a few moments before re-joining their guests and the party. Being outside in such natural and relaxed settings, it makes for photos that reflect exactly those sentiments, as I hope you can see.

Get in touch

If you are thinking about an outdoor wedding with a boho, festival feeling to your day then it would be marvellous to hear from you. You can look at some more of my work in my portfolio and drop me a message to find out my availability here. Looking forward to hearing about your gorgeous wedding plans!

Venues: Dummer Down Farm / Park View Fram