A Union Under the Sun and Stars
Whether you’re a true blue nature lover or a couple just looking for a picturesque venue near your hometown, a lakeside wedding in Orange County is one destination wedding that definitely merits a spot in your wedding venue lists. Who cannot fall deeper in love with the peaking sunrise or the fading sunset as they exchange their vows of a lifetime of commitment to each other? Who cannot appreciate the natural beauty of the outdoors filled with the buzz of laughter and jolly toasts for the newlyweds? Definitely, nobody can resist the charm of a wedding by the lake.
While we all want to look forward to beautiful photos and a tear-jerking video of the epic day that has been, there are some important items in the lakeside wedding that merit much-needed attention. It can be a little more tedious in terms of logistics and setup, but it is definitely well-worth it to go through the trouble. To give you a better picture of how to go about a lakeside wedding, I’ve compiled some suggestions on where to begin and the vital things you need to consider to pull off this one-of-a-kind celebration:
1. Permits, permits, permits
While you and your love have gotten permission from both your parents to go into the roller-coaster ride that is marriage, the park authorities might have a thought or two about this union happening on their turf. Most of the public lakes are managed by the Department of Parks and Recreation or through the OC Parks permitting process. Inquire first about the use of the park and if there are necessary documents that need to be filled out to hold a wedding there. Make sure to route these documents early on and abide by their rules and regulations to avoid any post-celebration disasters.
2. Weather
Outdoor wedding venues provide a certain natural charm, but charm can do nothing for your wedding if you and all your guests are drenched in rain (not to mention your food and your catering staff!) Depending on the season when you plan to hold your wedding, you might need to ensure that place has a covered area or bring sufficient covering of your own like an outdoor tent. This may increase your logistics budget, but it will help you feel more at ease on your wedding day knowing that you all have some shade should nature turn her ugly head.
3. Accessibility
How do you and your guests get to the wedding venue? Is it easily accessible by a paved road or is there a secret rough road leading to your dream wedding location? Whatever the case, make sure to inform your guests about how to get there, where to park, and basically what to expect. The best way to do this is often to include a map in your invitation as well as some reminders if any for road safety or driving precautions. Make sure to also discuss this with your suppliers, vendors, and wedding photographer, as well.
4. Theme
Here comes the fun part! What colors should you go with for your theme? Will you be sticking to color motifs or go for an all out thematic design? Whatever you choose, keep in mind your location and what will work best with it. As a lakeside wedding in Orange County already has the bonus of natural lighting and fresh surroundings, you can almost never go wrong with warm lights around the venue and nature-inspired colors. Don’t just think green and brown. You can go for soft tones of peach, yellow or orange. You can also create a rustic vintage style with wooden chairs, fairy lights and floral arches. It’s all about complimenting what the lakeside already has and simply adding elements to ensure your guests’ comfort and yours as well like chairs, tables and large fans if the weather gets too humid.
5. Time
If you’re an early bird and you feel like your guests can make it to an early ceremony as well, choose the time just a little after sunrise like in between 8 and 9 in the morning. This often provides you with the best light after sunrise without being to hot or too bright. Make sure, though, that your reception is in a covered area as the party will begin by lunch time when the sun’s at its highest in the sky. If you’re a sunset lover and want nothing less than the best sunset to be the backdrop of your ceremony, ensure that your wedding starts promptly at the time of the sunset forecast for that day. Not only will you be able to take home amazing photos, you’ll also be able to say your ‘I dos’ amidst a golden sky.
6. Fireworks and the Great Outdoors
Make the most out of your location and try to have some outdoor fun games like ring toss for your guests. You can prepare some snacks for those who might get a little beat from having too much fun. Also make sure that you have ample provisions of water, insect repellent and blower fans to keep your guests comfortable throughout the night. The thing with the outdoors is you’ll never really know what to expect so ensure that your wedding favors are cute, but functional, like sunglasses, fans or insect repellents. To complete the celebration, if your wedding venue permits, you can light up the sky with fireworks to let the whole world know how much it rocks to be married to the love of your life!
It is truly a great experience to unite with nature and spend the most important day in your life under the sun or the stars. It will require a little more effort on your part to pull it off, but you can always just consider it a dry run for the married life you have ahead of you! There will be challenges, maybe bigger than mosquitoes or the rain, but hand-in-hand with your best friend and your life partner, you’ll surely be able to get through anything.
Now keep these things in mind and just go ahead: enjoy the outdoors!
by Kerry Johnson – Follow Kerry on G+!
