Whether you have always imagined your wedding to take place outdoors or it’s something you are being forced to consider due to the current circumstances, it can be difficult to think of outdoor wedding décor ideas that will make your big day feel special. We have seen a significant rise in the number of Brides and Grooms exploring an outdoor wedding option in Summer 2020, and want to give you some ideas for how you can make your big day even more magical. Outdoor ceremonies have always been a popular choice, but more and more couples are considering the whole day and evening taking place outside too.

We are experts in planning outdoor weddings, and we want to share some of our best decor ideas with you. These 10 décor ideas are also easy to implement and are great if you’re doing most of the décor yourself or with help from family and friends. You might also like: 5 Things You May Not Have Considered When Planning an Outdoor Wedding

String lights

Festoon, fairy lights or any other string lights are a great addition to any outdoor wedding. They instantly make an area feel intimate and cosy and add a glow to the evening. In our opinion, the more the better! All you need are some ladders and your string lights. Hang these from trees, roofs or pergolas to instantly make the areas come alive. We even recommend draping them above your wedding breakfast table to make the area feel more cosy and intimate.

As the sun fades, string lights work their magic at providing that perfectly lit area and romantic glow which will look absolutely magical in your photographs.

Hay Bale Seating

Hay bale seating is another super easy-to-implement addition to your outdoor wedding. No matter where you live (even in the heart of London, trust us!) you can still get these easily and cheaply. These work wonderfully in the evening for guests to perch on and make for a great relaxed feel. We recommend picking up some beautiful vintage throws in your colour scheme to top each hay bale, which will provide a splash of colour and cosiness, whilst tying your theme together.

Polaroid Displays

This DIY idea is brilliant for making sure the day feels as wedding themed as possible and personalises it to you as a couple. Pick out your favourite pictures of you together and print them in a polaroid style - there are plenty of platforms online which allow you to do this. The only other thing you will need is a piece of string that you can tie from tree to tree. Buy some cute pegs and attach the photos to the string - alternatively, you could wrap the string around a tree which would make a great feature for guests to admire!

This is a great idea for personalising your wedding décor and your guests will love looking through all of your photographs. You could even print these out with years on them to create a timeline of your relationship from your first photo together to your last before the big day.

Long tables and benches

Whether you opt for a full wedding breakfast, a BBQ or an afternoon tea, your guests will need somewhere they can sit and eat. Long, rustic tables and benches are the perfect boho-chic solution and are really on-trend at the moment.

Choosing long tables and benches without a seating plan will create a relaxed, informal vibe to your day. Add tall displays of foliage, candles, beautiful vintage cutlery and colourful glassware or crockery, and you will create a space that looks put together and timeless.

Signage

By choosing to have your wedding outdoors, you’ll be able to pick all of your theming from scratch, rather than having to consider the style of the venue.

Signage is a great low-cost way to add décor to the surroundings. You could choose rustic wood, chalkboards, perspex or even opt for a more glam elegant vibe by choosing slate. These are often cheap to buy or hire, and can often be re-used after your big day for other events.

Chandeliers

This is one of our favourite outdoor wedding décor ideas and is easily one of the best eye-catching décor ideas that you can do.

Chandeliers can be attached and hung from any large trees that you have in the area with the chain they come with and a cable tie. We recommend filling them with battery powered candles which will look really effective.

You can hunt out some amazing vintage chandeliers for a low cost at boot sales and vintage yards. If you don’t fancy hunting them out in person, try looking on eBay or gumtree, especially as people start to spring clean and clear out old unwanted items. Don't worry if they don't match! It will give a relaxed, boho vibe.

Creative Menus

Rather than having a standard printed menu on each place setting, make a feature of your chosen dishes by having one large menu for everyone to view. You could have your entire menu engraved into wood, written on a vintage window frame or chalked onto a slate slab.

Having one feature menu will save you the cost (and environmental impact!) of printing out individual menus and add to your outdoor theme. The great thing about an outdoor wedding is your use of space. You could attach this menu to a tree close to your reception drinks and seating area. If you don’t have a tree close by, easels are easy to find in a style that will suit any al fresco theme.

Mason Jars

Mason Jars are a fantastic way to accessorise your outdoor wedding and can have multiple uses. They fit perfectly with any outdoor theme and are easy to pick up in bulk at a low cost. The great thing about these is that you can repurpose them anytime you have a family BBQ and they won’t scream ‘wedding recycle’.

Not only are they relatively low cost to buy, but they look Pinterest perfect in any shot. Your reception drinks become instantly Instagramable as an ordinary cocktail or fruit juice is transformed into something much more exciting in a mason jar. Alternatively, fill them with flowers or tea lights and dot them around your space.

Pick a destination that is already blooming (or use potted flowers)!

You may already have an outdoor area in mind or even already booked for your wedding, but if not, choose somewhere that is naturally booming or full of flowers as this will save you a lot informal décor.

Flowers look amazing with any setting but don’t last long once they’re picked and cut. Buying some small rose bushes to place around in beautiful pots will look amazing and add to the outdoor theme. You can gift these to guests afterwards as well which will double up as a gift!

You can also use potted flowers and plants as centrepieces on tables instead of flowers and will look beautiful - think small lemon tree or potted lavender for a mediterranean vibe! You can pick up some rustic teracotta pots for these too that will complement your theme.

Use crates as shelving, display units or side tables

These are associated with rustic weddings but can easily be painted white and marbled with gold paint to instantly change the perception and vibe.

Crates can be picked up very cheaply from most crafts shops or second hand sites. They can be arranged in multiple formats and used to display photos or lanterns.

These could even be arranged amongst your evening seating area as small side tables for drinks. If you’re stacking these ensure they are connected securely, the last thing you want is spilt drinks on wobbly tables!

Outdoor weddings can be magical with the right décor and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding on a budget, then these ideas will make your space come to life!

These ideas are low cost and easy to implement yourself or with family and friends meaning that you can focus your time on what matters the cost and know the décor is taken care of. You’ll even have a few showstoppers for the day so that nothing seems ordinary!

If you're looking for more outdoor wedding decor ideas, check out our pinterest page

Looking for more wedding planning tips? Start with: Where Do I Start When Planning a Wedding?

Or alternatively, get in touch with our team if you want to make your outdoor wedding extra special.