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Traditions regarding weddings have changed quite dramatically in the 21st Century and as the summer months, namely May to August is the wedding season, it makes sense to have a garden wedding. Conventional wedding venues are falling by the wayside as couples opt to get married in their parents’ gardens, national parks, beaches, vineyards and even the zoo.

Long summer afternoons provide the perfect excuse to have your wedding out of doors. You never know, you might be one of the lucky ones who gets a sunset on your special day. Having your nuptials blessed by the unexpected arrival of a sunset, would be the absolute perfect backdrop for your wedding day.

Keeping things simple for a garden wedding will ensure that it is elegant and everyone has a good time. Out of doors settings don’t require a load of expensive d?cor, they are already beautiful. Center pieces and flower arrangements with fruit and vegetables in them work very well and even a simple centre piece of sunflowers contained in tin watering cans look great when you place it on a table laid with gingham table linen. Lighting in your garden setting can be accomplished by means of candles, fairy lights or lanterns.

If the garden setting you use is in full bloom it is hardly even necessary to purchase flowers for d?cor. Garden weddings are elegant in their simplicity however a plan “B” must be in place for inclement weather. This is easily achieved with the hire of a wedding marquee, or the erection of temporary gazebos for the event. It is necessary to have some kind of shelter available as it can rain, even in the summer time.

Also make sure that you are prepared for the invasion of garden wildlife, this includes mosquitoes, flies or bees. These can be easily controlled by lighting citronella candles around the garden and the light from these will add to the special ambiance of your setting. Incense sticks, especially for the garden can also be used, and these actually do work to keep away pesky flies and other insects.

A summer wedding in a garden, in the evening is delightful, there are no strict dress rules for your guests, however the trick is to dress elegantly without being too casual. The bride’s dress should never be longer than ankle length as this may be difficult to manage in a garden setting. Trains are not a good idea either as they may become soiled or even worse, torn. Leave the beads and sequins at home and dress simply.

Bear in mind the summer heat and humidity if you are in a humid climate and remember that this will also affect your hair. Fighting with your hair and trying to get it into a style that is not natural, may result in failure. One of the best bets for long hair is a professional up-style, as it will hold and look elegant too.

This also goes for the bridal gown too, the hot weather means that the a traditional wedding dress does not have a place and the dress should not be too bulky. Use of light summer fabrics is recommended, and silk, organdy, chiffon, crepe and georgette are recommended.