8 Fabulous Outdoor Wedding Venue Ideas

by in , — Updated January 26, 2015

Deciding where to have your wedding is perhaps one of the largest factors in how all the other planning will proceed. If you know you want an outdoorsy wedding but are in the beginning stages of planning and just aren’t sure where to start, take a look at these 8 location ideas. They make for wonderful settings when planning a wedding with a natural feel. Chances are there will be plenty of vendors in your area that are excited to work with you at one of these types of venues and the scenery will add plenty of beauty to your photos!

Arboretum
This might not be the first place that comes to mind, but there are several around the country that are happy to host weddings. An arboretum, by the way, is essentially a collection of trees but more commonly these days is also a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partially for scientific study. Check out the navy + pink arboretum wedding we featured last year.

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Jerry Yoon Photographers

Garden
Romantic, beautiful, classic. Similar to arboretums, if you enjoy botanical beauty and a classy yet natural atmosphere then a garden wedding is an elegant and timeless choice. So many botanic gardens now offer wedding packages. Of course there are all sorts of gardens out there … probably just as many as there are personalities who designed them. Some may have greenhouses that you can use for photos, or even your reception, while others you might have to bring in a tent. See the many garden weddings we’ve featured here.

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Sarah Tew Photography

Backyard
If you or someone in your family has a large and beautifully kept backyard then why not! You won’t have to pay a venue rental fee! Backyard weddings have the advantage of being a little more relaxed (fun lawn games!), and can have added meaning if it’s a special place to you. We’ve featured many backyard weddings here on Sweet Violet Bride.

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Pepper Nix Photography

Barn / Farm
The barn wedding is becoming a rustic chic classic and for good reason. There’s no place for a party quite like a barn lit with pretty lights, and the stars in the sky above. Whether you opt for a classic New England barn site or a one with rugged western charm your wedding is sure to be at least one thing: fun. Most consider barns for their reception venue, though this couple actually got married in one! More and more barns across the country are now available to rent out for weddings and events. You can check out several barn weddings we’ve featured here.

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Ember Photography

Vineyard
There is something so romantic about vineyards. Plus, if you love wine there’s really no better place to cheers to your new life together. You might even be able to get wine specially bottled with custom labels for you and your guests. Most vineyards have a natural style but are more elegant instead of whimsical if you know what I mean. You could add to this category any type of orchard also. See our featured vineyard weddings here.

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Evan Chung Photography

Lakeside
Often times a venue will combine more than one of these categories, like this lakeside forest wedding. But lakesides, whether they’re near a forest or not are a tranquil place with a watery view that may be less crowded than a beach on the ocean (unless of course you have access to a private beach). Also, you don’t have to live near coastline to find this type of venue and you can enter or exit your ceremony by canoe or kayak, which is just plain cool!

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Ampersand Wedding Photography

Forest / Woodland
Perhaps one of my favorites in theory, though this type of venue can be harder to orchestrate than others due to the fact that there may not be any structures nearby. Typically a woodland ceremony takes place at the edge of the woods or just inside the forest where there is a reception venue (lodge, house, or pavilion) within walking distance or a short drive away, though you can also set up tables among the trees! There is no doubt that a woodland wedding is undeniably enchanting. When done right you and your guests should feel transported to a magical world of woodland whimsy. See some of the woodland weddings we’ve featured here.

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Brilliant Imagery

Mountain / Wilderness Lodge
If you and your partner have a spectacular sense of adventure and spending time in the outdoors is something core to your relationship then a mountain wedding is right up your alley, er trail. Ski resorts or wilderness lodges often have the space to comfortably host a wedding and the proximity to mountain views. You don’t need to bring much ceremony decor into a location like this. See the many different mountain weddings we’ve featured here.

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Modern Romance Productions

I hope you enjoyed this post and got some ideas for where to have your outdoor wedding. If you’ve been married in the outdoors let us know where you tied the knot in the comments below!

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