By David Burrows

The beauty and elegance of an outdoor wedding can be accented by the addition of music to fill the air.  With so many venues like a hotel, beach, yacht, or even a park, there is a special feeling that the guests will remember for years to come. 

Outdoor weddings generally offer less musical restrictions than venues located adjacent to residential areas with sound restrictions.  The outdoor setting can inspire the type of entertainment to choose. The music options will set the tone, mood and feeling of the ceremony.  The natural open-air environment gives way to many possibilities.  However, there are specific issues related to the performers or musicians that need to be considered.

When you select the perfect outdoor spot at a hotel, select a hotel that you would use, even if the event had to be moved indoors.  Even in sunny southern California, events sometimes have to be moved to a ballroom, because of weather.

Once the location is set, you may want to give some consideration of where you want to place the musicians visually.  Do you want them up front as part of "the shot" or on the side?  You may have more room to place them behind your guests.  You may also want to judge how much separation you will have outdoors with any other activity at the hotel.  Be aware of fountains, swimming pools, auto traffic, and other hotel events nearby, that can dilute the sound of the music and the ceremony.

If you are considering a beach wedding, certain instruments may be more appropriate than others due to sandy conditions.  Also, some musicians do not want to place their delicate instruments in the area of the sand or possible moisture elements. Your preference may be to use amplified performers.  However, if a power source is not available your options are limited to acoustic performers.  String or wind instruments, like a guitar, violin, cello, or flute might be easier to place on sand than a harp because of its size and surface requirements.  A bagpiper may be your choice to lead the processional or perhaps a Caribbean-style band might add excitement to the ceremony.  

A wedding ceremony on a yacht offers a unique type of elegance for the bride and groom as well as the guests.  Ceremony music can be performed on the yacht via an instrumental soloist, or even a classical or jazz ensemble.  If the ceremony is to be performed while the yacht is in motion, care should be taken to place the musicians in an enclosed or shielded area so that the wind does not affect their performance.   If a keyboard player or disc jockey is utilized, their equipment will probably be utilizing the power from the yacht’s generator.  Performers usually have a concern with the use of a generator because a power surge can occur and cause damage to their equipment.  Make sure that the entertainment is aware of the electrical provisions on the yacht.

A park can be a very nice natural setting for the wedding ceremony amongst the beautiful green lush setting of the landscape.  Most often a special permit will be required to have the event in a designated area on a specific date.  If there is no available power source for the performers, this may dictate the use of acoustical music, unless a generator is provided.

Other issues to consider are: having the availability of a tented or enclosed area as backup, in the event of inclement weather; a shield or canopy may be required to protect the musicians and their instruments, if the event is in direct sunlight; the addition of lighting for the performers should the event occur in the evening.

Finally, be aware that some performers may not work in an outdoor setting.  It is important to discuss the outdoor setting of your wedding with your entertainment agency, performers or musicians so that they are aware of all of the circumstances in advance.  This will insure a successful ceremony for your outdoor wedding experience!