Outdoor Wedding: Planning One for The Spring Bride

It is a day women have dreamed about, sometimes since they were little girls. It is a also a day perhaps you have imagined over and over again – when your little girl gets married, how will you ever walk her down the aisle and let go? As a stepdad, you have played an important role in her life. Now that her big day is approaching, you and her mother want to give her the fabulous outdoor wedding she has always dreamed about. Here are some ideas on how to help plan a memorable big day for your little girl.

Blended Family, Blended Wedding

If you have lived with your stepdaughter for most of her life, then it is only natural you would play an important role in her big day. When planning the wedding, keep in mind there is no right or wrong way to do it. Many times people get caught up in what is “supposed” to happen at a wedding based on tradition. But, the reality is we live in a more non-traditional world than ever before.

What makes up a family is considered to be “a group of people who live together, love each other, and take care of each other, unconditionally.”

As part of a “non-traditional” family, you, your wife and your stepdaughter should decide what feels best for everyone involved. If she also has a good relationship with her biological father, perhaps you can both walk her down the aisle. For example, her dad could walk her the first half of the way, symbolizing the fact he helped bring her into the world. Then, you could meet them and take your stepdaughter the rest of the way to her groom, symbolizing your entrance into her life when she was a child, and continue to be there for her as she grows up and moves forward.

The Logistics of an Outdoor Wedding

In the movie, Father of the Bride, the bride decides that having an outdoor wedding at her parents’ home would be a dream come true. If your stepdaughter decides that as well, don’t panic as Steve Martin’s character (the father of the bride) does in the movie! With organization and pre-planning, you and your wife can proudly open up your home and yard to caterers, extended family and wedding guests to make it an absolutely fabulous day for everyone.

Get Help!

You don’t have to do it ALL yourselves. If you begin in advance, you can have a simple, yet beautiful backyard wedding. You may want to begin by enlisting the services of a professional lawn care company like www.arbor-nomics.com or another company in your area. Even if you have kept your lawn nicely maintained, consulting with a professional landscaper on how to trim existing shrubs and plants, as well as getting advice on things such as creating a uniquely landscaped aisle of flowers to walk down, could really add that extra personal touch to the big day.

Additionally, you can get the most out of your money by asking a landscaper to give you ideas about the best way to select plants and flowers that will serve their purpose at the wedding and will then remain as part of your new and improved yard for years to come.

Plan Ahead to Save Money

For the best rates on caterers, photographers, musicians and party rentals, begin contacting them as early as possible. Ask if they offer discounts for weddings taking place on Friday evening or Sunday afternoon. Since most weddings take place on Saturdays, some wedding service providers offer discounts for their less busy days.

No matter what style of wedding your stepdaughter chooses, with some advance research and planning, everything will fall into place for her beautiful day. And in the long run, your family’s home may even reap the benefits of all the improvements you made, long after you have walked your little girl down the aisle.

Writer LaGeris Underwood Bell extends her heart and her hanky to all step daddies who are struggling to work up the courage to walk their precious daughter down that long, long aisle and then give her away! She hopes these tips will make the journey easier, as will the use of a landscaper like www.arbor-nomics.com who can make your lawn as beautiful as the blushing bride.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheriejphotos/5253328796/

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