outdoor weddings for the brave bride {san antonio wedding planner}

*blog by amy thompson, country sugar events

As we quickly approach the heart of wedding season, we thought it would be fun to bring you the good, the bad, and the {hopefully never} ugly of an outdoor ceremony + reception!  The best source we could find?? Well the bride herself, of course!  I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with one of our most recent brides, Katie Evans.  Katie and her husband Dusty held their wedding ceremony + reception at Rustic Gardens Wedding & Events in Adkins, Texas.  Their wedding was beautifully rustic, relaxed, and fun… Just as Katie and Dusty dreamed it would be.  Let’s see what Katie had to say about their big day…

AT: What made you decide to have an outdoor ceremony/reception?

KE:  My husband, Dusty, and I decided on having everything outdoors because we wanted it to feel very relaxed.  We are always doing things outdoors, so it only felt right to us.

AT:  Was there anyone involved in the wedding planning who disagreed with your decision? If so, why?

KE:  We had a lot of family try to convince us to not have it outside because Texas weather is very unpredictable.  Dusty and I stuck by what we wanted because at the end of the day, it was our wedding.

AT:  Did your venue have a ‘Plan B’ option for bad weather?

KE:  Yes, they had an indoor hall that we could use in case of an emergency.

AT:  Did you keep a close eye on the weather conditions in the days leading up to your wedding?

KE:  Yes!  I was crazy about checking the weather the week of the wedding!  I downloaded every weather app and looked on weather sites countless times a day!

AT:  Was there a chance of bad weather on your wedding day? If so, how stressful was this for you?

KE:  Yes.  There was a 30% chance of rain on our wedding day.  I started to stress a little the morning of, but I figured there was nothing I could do about it, and if it rains, oh well…

AT:  What, if any, precautions did you take to ensure your wedding day went smoothly?

KE:  I knew from the beginning that I was going to need a wedding coordinator to make sure everything was done and ready the day of.  I needed someone who could handle anything and everyone.

AT:  What was the weather actually like on the day of your wedding?

KE:  In the morning and early afternoon we had a few showers.  When it came time to take pictures and begin the ceremony, it was VERY windy! After we ate dinner the wind died down and the weather was nice!  Thank God it didn’t rain!

AT:  Were there any mishaps due to weather conditions? If so, how did you handle them?

KE:  Yes… The wind broke a few flower vases before the reception started, but I didn’t find out about that until after the wedding.  During the reception, a tree blew over on one of our guests; thank God she was okay!!

AT:  Are you happy with the way your wedding day went?

KE:  Yes! I couldn’t be happier!  Everything looked just as I wanted, the feel was relaxed, and everyone seemed to have a great time.  I wanted our wedding to be fun and I think that was accomplished.

AT:  Now that your wedding is over, what are three words you would use to describe your day?

KE:  This is so hard for me to answer, but my three words would be… windy, romantic, and fun!

AT:  Do you have any advice or pointers for future brides who are planning an outdoor ceremony/reception?

KE:  A ‘Plan B’ is a must!  You never know what Mother Nature is going to throw your way.  I would also advise all your bridesmaids to wear their hair up somehow.  You never know if it is going to be windy or not, but hair flying in their faces and all over the place doesn’t make for pretty pictures. But it is funny to see their facial expressions in pictures because of their crazy hair!  That is one thing I wish I would have thought of.

Katie and Dusty wanted to make sure everyone had a blast at their wedding.  So much so, that they gifted their guests with koozies that read ‘have yourself a HONKY TONKIN’, SOUL SHAKIN’, good ol’ WESTERN TIME’… And as Katie said, that was accomplished!

We leave you with a few shots of their fun-filled wedding day…

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

photo courtesy of Al Gawlik Photography

Here’s wishing Katie + Dusty a lifetime of love, fun, and happiness!