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20 real weddings / T here's something magical about celebrating love surrounded by the beauty of nature. But holding an outdoor ceremony or reception (or both) comes with its own set of unique challenges. With a little preparation, though, an outdoor wedding can run just as smoothly as an indoor one – and be a truly personalized experience. "An outdoor wedding gives you more room to be creative," says Erin Bishop, principal planner at Filosophi Event Planning in Vancouver. "It's a blank canvas." Lisa Lee, principal wedding planner for Shing Weddings, agrees: "If it's an intimate space, like your parents' backyard, it's your own space, so you can do whatever you want." Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Choose a place you love and šgure out the logistics later. "Everything is surmountable," Bishop notes. "Everything can be dealt with. You can make a wedding happen in a desert. Look for a space you feel comfortable in, that's beautiful, and go from there putting the pieces together." After all, generators, portable washrooms and pop-up kitchens can transform the most isolated of locations into a party-ready venue. Understand the Budget While the needs an outdoor wedding may sound overwhelming, the cost usually isn't much dižerent than holding your wedding at an indoor venue, where many items – dish rentals, staŸng, set-up – are worked into the per- head cost. "Some brides seem to think it's going to cost more to hold an outdoor wedding because there's a billion line items, but it works out about the same on average, just broken up a little dižerently," says Bishop. Being able to purchase your own alcohol can be a big savings, too – an option not always available at indoor venues. Assess What You've Got ¡ere's certainly a benešt to working with established outdoor venues, points out Shing Weddings' Lisa Lee: "Venues that have an outdoor element are prepared for everything already, which makes things easier." But if you're starting from scratch, remember that washrooms, electrical outlets and catering space with power and water are essential elements. If you're setting up ¢ooring outside, irrigation may be needed underneath. You'll have to consider parking, too, adds Lee. "It's not just about where your guests will park, but about just having enough time to park as well and making it easily accessible for guests with disabilities." Plan for Shelter Don't forget to rent a tent, whatever the weather. "You need shelter no matter what; there's no circumstance in which this isn't a good idea to have one," notes Bishop. "Even on a beautiful day, it gets cold out at night and dewy, and a tent cuts that out." Just don't leave it to the last minute. "Some people think they'll just add a tent if it's going to rain," says Bishop, "but they have to remember that an entire city's worth of brides are looking at the weather report that morning, too. Accept that deposit as your peace-of-mind payment and go for it." realadvice An outdoor wedding can be a dream come true – if you expect the unexpected By Stacey McLachlan Illustration by Mandy Lau Get Outside