One of the services we provide at Venus Pest Company that people don’t think about is pest control for outdoor weddings or other outdoor events. We cannot control that “forever hold your peace” pest, but stopping fire ants, mosquitoes, wasps, or flies from ruining your event is not a problem. A couple wedding chapels use us for rodent control as well, because the last thing you want are rats running across your wedding party! Typically, we can treat the week of the wedding and get control of all the pests, so the guests are relaxed and comfortable.
We invited Amy McKay Rodriguez, owner of All Things Planned in College Station, Texas, to write a guest blog on outdoor weddings. These tips really are amazing and could save your outdoor wedding…pay close attention to #3! If you or any friends or family are planning an outdoor wedding or any other outdoor event (BBQ, pool party, birthday), please give us a call or share our blog with them and help save the day! And now, a word from Amy McKay Rodriguez with All Things Planned…
The Great Outdoor Wedding
Living in the great southern state of Texas, chances are you’ve been to an outdoor wedding or you may even be planning one yourself. Down here, we love the outdoors and our beautiful landscape can make the perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding. However, there are things you must consider when planning the great outdoor wedding. Below are five tips to ensure that your outdoor affair will be one to remember….
1. Consider the Season: Texas temperatures can hit so high during the summer months it will make you want to simply stay inside. If you want to have a June, July, August wedding during the day, do just that! The worst thing you can do is make your guests (and yourself) uncomfortable. If you must marry in the summer months and want an outdoor wedding, consider a romantic candlelight ceremony in the evening so that your guests are cool and comfy. On the other hand, you don’t want your guests freezing on your big day either! November – February can get downright freezing so you may want to avoid having your guests endure the elements during those months as well. The best months to wed outdoors are March-May and September-November.
2. Consider all the Extras: Outdoor weddings can be simple and easy but even the most laid-back wedding requires a few necessities! If you will get married at an outdoor venue that is designed to host weddings and receptions you are probably pretty safe in this department. However, if you’re getting married in the middle of a pasture out on your grandpa’s farm, you’ve got some things to consider! You’ll needrestroom facilities, electricity for lighting and your band/DJ, probably have to bring in a dance floor if you want some boot-scootin’, and all the other little details that must be considered for your outdoor affair. Many times couples see themselves saving money when they plan an outdoor wedding that will be “free” to host on family land or even in a backyard. The reality is, those weddings tend to be much more costly because of all the extras necessary to put on an outdoor production.
3. Consider Pesty Pests: If you do decide to get married out at grandpa’s farm or even at an outdoor venue designed to host weddings, you’ll most certainly want to have a professional pest control company come out and look at the area and spray for whatever is there. The last thing you want is Aunt Sally stepping in an ant pile or swatting mosquitoes all night! Even the most perfectly planned wedding can be ruined by pesty pests…think ants, wasps, mosquitoes, flies, and rodents.
4. Consider Comfort: Many of your guests will dress appropriately and comfortably when they know it will be an outdoor wedding but they must know it will be an outdoor wedding before they can make that call for comfort. Make it known on your invitation, enclosure card, or direction card that it will be an outdoor wedding and they can and should dress appropriately. Your Aunt Sally shouldn’t show up in her favorite pair Manolo Blahniks if you’ll be hosting her in a pasture. Same thing goes for you! If you’re outdoors, you can be more casual and comfortable… wear a pair of boots under that gown rather than a pair of stilettos!
5. ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: The weather in Texas can be tricky and unpredictable. It can be beautiful one day and dreadful the next. Always, always, always have a backup plan for an outdoor wedding! If that means having an alternate indoor venue reserved for inclement weather or just a covered tent, you must always plan for the worst case scenario. Many times your vendors will not refund deposits or money paid toward their services should you have to change the date due to weather. If there is not an indoor alternative in the case of bad weather, you could be out a lot of money (not to mention time and the inconvenience to your guests). When planning the great outdoor wedding, always consider the great indoor alternative should you need it!
