Who doesn't love an outdoor wedding? It looks great in photos, it feels like a vacation, and oh those pretty little lanterns you can use! If you want to have an outdoor wedding, before spending hours on your outdoor venue search, there are a few things you'll want to consider.

To get some tips on planning your outdoor wedding, we spoke with Dina de la Vega, an event planner with Gourmet Advisory Services in New York and a consultant for AllSeated, a free collaborative event planning platform and network that helps couples, venues, planners and vendors together create a successful event.

What is the first thing couples should think about when they consider planning an outdoor wedding?

I always advise couples to have a Plan B! Brides tend to fall in love with the fantasy of the sunshine-perfect outdoor wedding day, but that is not always realistic. It is most important to not only have a backup plan in place, but to love it as much as your first choice should the weather interfere with your planning.

When selecting your venue, be sure to consider the indoor options should the weather not allow for your outdoor affair. You will want to make sure that the indoor event space does not sacrifice any of your details and that it can accommodate your guests and floor plan.

Can planning an outdoor wedding be an added stress for brides?

Yes! It certainly can be. The weather is always a variable that cannot be controlled or determined in advance. If you know that you cannot deal with the unknown aspect of the weather forecast for the day of your wedding or the need to make a last-minute change in plans, then an outdoor wedding may not be the best option for you.

What if the bride really had her sights set on an outdoor wedding?

If you cannot reconcile your dream of having an outside wedding with the comfort of your guests, season, or venue availability, consider planning an outside photo shoot instead of having the entire wedding outdoors. Even though weather can also play a role here, you will not be stressing about moving the entire event or making your guests less comfortable because of a sudden rain storm. If an outdoor photo session is something you would like, then choose a venue with beautiful grounds.

If having an outdoor wedding is you ultimate dream, regardless of the potential stress, go go for it, and have a solid back up plan. In the meantime, see below for some fabulous outdoor wedding ideas!

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