Thinking of an outdoor wedding? The scenery of an outdoor wedding is pretty hard to beat. It can create a beautiful atmosphere, wonderful wedding photographs and be very cheap or even free. Unlike most countires, in Australia you can legally get married just about anywhere you wish - on a beach, in a hot air balloon, a yacht on New Years Eve with a city and fireworks backdrop, a vineyard or the family garden.

There are however, some guidelines you should be aware of ;
· Do you need a permit? If you are getting married in a public place you need to check with the local council. Their fees usually range from nothing up to about $200. The larger fees usually apply to things such as rotundas in very popular parks, where the council will allocate you a specific period of time and usually put up a notice to that effect. This stops there being a clash with another wedding party.
· Noise Is the spot you have chosen near a sporting ground or a major road? The very first ceremony I ever did was in Footscray gardens. It was a nice setting, with a lovely pond and lawn area secluded by shrubs and flowers. However, it was also a racing day at Flemington and the race track and stands are directly opposite the park across the river. Half way through the ceremony a race began and tens of thousands of race goers started cheering. At the time we took it as approval for the happy couple, and I’m sure it makes a good story for them to retell. But, you probably don’t want to hear a football match or stream of traffic during your ceremony or be competing for carpark spaces. Its a good idea to check whether your celebrant has a Public Address sytem, even a beach wedding with crashing waves can be hard to hear without one.
· Weather You must have a back up plan for if it is raining or 45 and windy. You and your guests will need shade or shelter. If there is a rotunda or barbie area great, it could also double as a place to serve drinks after the ceremony. Or you could even have a picnic wedding. If there isn’t, have a standby venue, make sure everyone knows where it is (put it on the invitation) and have some one go and put up signs and directions at the original site if you have to change location on the day. And don’t forget to call the celebrant if you do change your local on the day!
· Safety and Accessibility If you are planning on getting married at the top of a cliff, do you have a lot of kids coming to the ceremony? Can elderly, pregnant or disabled friends access the area? Will you be able to carry in a few chairs for those who won’t be able to stand for the whole ceremony?
· How public is the area? Do you feel comfortable having your ceremony with members of the public walking by or watching?
· Table You will need to take a table to sign your wedding certificates on. (I provide one for my clients, check with your celebrant)
· Season Look at the plants and the ground. Will the trees still have leaves if you are having an autumn ceremony, will the ground be a dustbowl or muddy and will the flowers you like so much be flowering then.

If you followthese guidelines you will be able to find the perfect outdoor wedding spot. (If you know a great spot, leave a comment). I love outdoor weddings and think they are hard to beat. We really are so lucky that we can get married anywhere we want. Enjoy!