The rise and rise of the outdoor wedding ceremony

I’ve played violin at countless wedding ceremonies over a span of three decades and I’ve noticed that more and more of these are taking place out of doors. I’d love to conduct a survey to find out why so many people make this choice. Here are some of my thoughts on the subject, from the unique perspective of a wedding musician.

1. Get me to the Church

I suspect some people choose an outside wedding to avoid the statement of getting married in a church. I’ve often bemoaned the fact that churches generally won’t allow non-religious ceremonies, as churches really are an ideal space for all aspects of a wedding. Especially the music! On the other hand, our Adelaide String Duo has played plenty of religious ceremonies outside as well.

2. Great photos

Outdoor weddings often look fantastic in the photos and many purpose-built wedding gardens are like movie sets designed specifically for photogenicity. Natural sunlight brings a vibrancy to photos and videos which can never be replicated indoors.

3. Comfort

Although there’s nothing like an outdoor wedding on a perfect day, the perfect day is rare! Threat of rain, harsh sun and skirt-raising wind can make a wedding day quite uncomfortable for all involved. This is even worse when the bride is late and the guests, musicians and 93-year-old auntie Agnes are left at the mercy of the elements. There are even popular wedding spots which are not in walking distance of a restroom and red-faced guests and groomsmen are seen returning from short bush-walks in their finery. One very popular Adelaide forest comes to mind!

4. Sound

As a musician, the issue closest to my heart is sound. Outdoor settings are usually less than ideal for sound and unfortunately a musician’s work may be blown away in the wind. Likewise the words of the celebrant and of the couple being married are often difficult to hear or don’t get heard at all. The battery-operated sound systems that a lot of celebrants use outdoors are only minimally effective and are often problematic.

At the risk of repeating myself, indoor venues are infinitely superior when it comes to sound and churches are ideal. They are designed specifically for every word and note to resonate powerfully!

5. A new tradition?

Ninety percent of the weddings I’ve played at have been either outdoors or in a church. It would be great if a new tradition of non-church indoor wedding venues could take hold. I think there’s a real place for it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts..