Our Favorite Outdoor Wedding Venues

An outdoor wedding can be one of the most romantic events there is. When you have the perfect scenery such as a beautiful mountain view or a beach sunset, you have the best backdrop for your guests to admire as you take your vows.

These days, there are all types of outdoor wedding venues available for any type of budget as more couples have realized how beneficial these venues can be. That is why we have put together a list of all our favorite outdoor wedding venues for you to consider while you are planning your big day.

The 12 Very Best Outdoor Wedding Venues You Need to Check Out

Indoor weddings may be more traditional, but if you want to make your ceremony even more memorable than you could imagine, consider booking one of these outdoor wedding venues to host your special day.

1. Beaulieu Garden – Rutherford, CA

Image: CC by 3.0, Bob Linsdell, via Wikimedia Commons.

An outdoor wedding venue inside a beautiful garden is possibly the very best option that you have for a spring or summer wedding. Beaulieu Garden located in Napa Valley features breathtaking views and towering sycamore trees that come together to create a massive canopy all around the venue area.

As guests drive to the venue, they will take a quarter-mile drive that is completely lined with more sycamore trees that guide them to the main venue area. This amazing location has a reception area, plenty of seating for all your guests, and scenery that only comes second in beauty to the bride herself.

2. Vista West Ranch – Dripping Springs, TX

Another beautiful southern location for an outdoor wedding venue is Vista West Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas. This venue combines rustic charm with southern beauty to create a romantic environment that everyone can enjoy.

The large barn in the background will add an authentic touch to your wedding photos. You can have your reception on site, indoors, and take amazing photos all throughout the ranch. The wedding packages offered at Vista West Ranch include all the essentials such as decorations and food so that you can focus on the things that truly matter most.

3. Camp Wandawega – Elkhorn, WI

Image: Public Domain US, Sa magnuson33, via Wikimedia Commons.

If you are going for something rustic and completely outside the norm, then hosting your wedding at Camp Wandawega in Elkhorn is the perfect option for you. This outdoor venue is located inside an actual camping retreat where you and your guests can camp out in tents before or after the big day.

Nature lovers and eco-friendly brides alike are sure to love this venue and all its natural resources. Along with staying in a tent, you and your guests may also stay in a log cabin, teepee, treehouse, or lodge. Make your wedding as rustic and outdoorsy as you want by booking your special day with Camp Wandawega.

4. Blackberry Farm – Walland, TN

Tennessee is home to one of the most enchanting farm wedding venues in the country at Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN. Enjoy luxurious accommodations for yourself and your guests at the quaint and beautiful Blackberry Farm inside the old farmhouse which is built out of reclaimed wood.

The location is sure to give your wedding a rustic feel with plenty of southern charm added in. The farmhouse or the enchanting wooded area make two great backdrops for your ceremony or wedding photographs. It’s easy to see why this peaceful southern farm is one of our top 10 favorite outdoor wedding venues.

5. The Ruins at Barnsley Resort – Adairsville, GA

Image: CC BY-SA 3.0, Hellohowareyoudoing, via Wikimedia Commons.

Barnsley Resort is a beautiful and unique place for couples to hold their wedding ceremony. The amazing scenery that lies among the ancient ruins is sure to add a romantic touch to your special day.

The impressive old-style architecture of the ruins will add the perfect background to your wedding photos. And the wooded area creates magical decorations that are all-natural. This outdoor wedding venue offers a refreshing change from the typical southern wedding ceremony. If you are looking for a change of pace, be sure to check out this special location.

6. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens – Miami, FL

Image: CC BY 3.0, Averette, via Wikimedia Commons.

This outdoor wedding venue is unlike many others in the Miami area. While most couples in Miami will choose the beach for their outdoor venue, the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is a great alternative located near the docks in the heart of Miami.

Among the massive skyscrapers and palm trees, you will find this open-air venue that will give your ceremony a European feel without ever having to leave the United States. This venue is a pleasant and serene location among the busy streets of Florida’s hottest city.

7. Thorncrown Chapel – Eureka Springs, AR

Image: CC BY 2.0, Clinton Steeds, via Wikimedia Commons.

Add an artistic touch to your outdoor wedding when you hold your ceremony at Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. This amazing glass cathedral is located deep in the woods of Arkansas and features a unique architectural design that creative couples are sure to love.

While the chapel may make it an indoor wedding, the view is definitely all outdoors. It seats around 100 guests inside the 6000-square-foot glass building that features an impressive 425 windows. This one-of-a-kind, modernized wedding venue will help you create fantastic wedding photos to celebrate your special day.

8. Dunton Hot Springs – Dolores, CO

If you are interested in having a rustic outdoor ceremony, look no further than Dunton Hot Springs in Dolores, Colorado. The surroundings of this area are simply stunning. One of the best things about this outdoor wedding venue is that you can rent out the entire town for your big day.

Dunton Hot Springs is a fully restored ghost town, so treat your guests to a stay in the Old West complete with an authentic saloon and bathhouse, and a Pony Express location. The open-air chapel is the perfect location to exchange vows among the trees. And there are plenty of amenities for you and your guests to enjoy such as the spa treatment cabins.

9. Malibu Rocky Oaks – Malibu, CA

Share your vows while on top of the majestic hills of Malibu when you book your ceremony at Malibu Rocky Oaks in Malibu, CA. This location will provide you with the most breathtaking backdrops for your treasured wedding photos. You and your guests will be surrounded by vineyards and nature as you hold your ceremony on a helipad, which works great as an outdoor venue.

Enjoy a 360-degree view of the Santa Monica Mountains with a reception dinner by the pool after the ceremony when you have your wedding at this location.

10. Treehouse Point – Issaquah, WA

Host your wedding ceremony at an outdoor location that is outside the ordinary. Treehouse Point in Issaquah, Washington is an enchanting location that is perfect for the adventurous couple. Exchange your vows in a real treehouse found inside a lovely forest area located just outside of Seattle.

You will be one with nature as you are surrounded by towering trees and forest life. The Treehouse offers overnight accommodations so that you can start your wedding day off up above it all. It is an experience that the couple and their guests will not soon forget.

11. Bear Flag Farm – Winters, CA

This outdoor wedding venue has everything you could possibly want for a truly unique wedding venue. Bear Flag Farm in Winters, California is a beautiful, lush location filled with beautiful trees, wide open spaces, lavender fields, and even a Ferris wheel.

No matter what you are looking for in an outdoor venue, chances are you can find it at Bear Flag Farm. The venue is located on 30 acres of land covered in wild flowers, fruit trees, and various vegetable crops. There is a small vineyard on site that produces 300 cases of estate-made Syrah every year. If you love this location, be sure to make your reservations early because only a few weddings are held at the farm each year.

12. Race + Religious – New Orleans, LA

Race & Religious is known as one of the most distinctive outdoor wedding venues in all of Louisiana. This location can host up to 300 guests inside the romantic and historic compound. This indoor and outdoor area is made up of two masonry homes that were originally built in the 1830s.

These old-style buildings provide you with the ideal backdrop for your ceremony and your wedding photos. Enjoy celebrating your big day with plenty of NOLA charm when you book your wedding at this unique location.

The Benefits of Using Outdoor Wedding Venues

There are tons of benefits associated with using outdoor wedding venues to host your wedding day. So many in fact that more people are choosing to use an outdoor venue for their wedding ceremony than ever before.

If you are looking for a great way to cut your overall costs but still have the extravagant wedding of your dreams, an outdoor venue is the way to go.

1. You Have as Much Space as You Need

Unsure about your guest list? Do you have a lot of people to invite but don’t want to pay for a larger indoor venue? No problem.

In most cases, you can invite as many guests as you want to an outdoor wedding. You may have to bring along some additional chairs, but there is really no minimum or maximum number of guests that you can have at a beach or on a large sprawling country ranch.

2. The Wedding Photos Look Amazing

Most couples will take several wedding photos outside even if they have an indoor wedding. You have a beautiful, natural backdrop to work with and you have plenty of space to create some memorable photos.

When you have your wedding ceremony outdoors, all your wedding pictures turn out great with amazing scenery and beautiful backgrounds as you and your significant other take your vows or light the unity candle.

3. It Usually Costs Less

Planning a wedding on a tight budget? An outdoor venue will generally cost much less, if anything at all, to use for your big day. You don’t have to have as many decorations because the venue itself is a decoration. Renting an outdoor venue will often cost much less than renting an extravagant indoor venue.

4. You Can Schedule Your Wedding Whenever You Want

If you had your heart set on using the large ancient Catholic church nearby for your wedding, only to find that it is already booked for the entire summer, you will appreciate the fact that there are plenty of outdoor venues to host your wedding on the date that you originally picked out instead of having to change the date.

5. You Can Have the Reception at the Same Location

Some indoor wedding venues do not have a place to host a reception on-site. Therefore, you must book yet another indoor venue to host your reception. Guests will have to drive to a new location and those who are out-of-towners could end up getting lost along the way.

Outdoor wedding venues have plenty of space available, so you can host an outdoor reception or dinner party at the exact same location. You may even want to host a backyard barbecue to feed your guests and add a personal, low-key touch to your wedding plans.

Which Type of Outdoor Wedding Venue Do You Prefer?

Would you like to get married standing by the majestic ocean? Or you would prefer a beautiful garden area filled with spring flowers? There are also some non-traditional options for outdoor wedding venues such as a theme park, ranch, or even your own backyard.

Regardless of where your wedding ceremony may be held, remember that it is your big day and you have the right to celebrate it any way you choose. If you want to get married on a farm, then do it. Make the day as memorable as possible so that you can always look back on it and smile.

Keyword: outdoor wedding venues

Featured Image: CC BY-SA 3.0, BostonBaby19, via Wikimedia Commons.