Wedding in the Woods

Is it sad that my first thought was "would the guests even be able to get phone service out there?"

Do you have any family members/close friends that have a lot of wooded acreage? That could be different and save costs on an established venue. There are other venues that can usually fit the bill on this but if you've looked in your area then I'm not sure what else I can recommend unless you want to do a destination wedding. One last thing, DIY's can add up to be very costly so just keep that in mind!

1. LOVE your avatar!!!! So adorkable!

2. What about a barn? Maybe you could find a farm type venue that has woods nearby. Then you have an indoor backup in case it rains.

I was thinking of a DIY venue (family owns land, we would rent the tents and tables and chairs and decorate), but I realized that it would be super expensive (now I have a venue that includes tables and chairs!) And be a lot of work. I don't wear make up most days because it takes a lot of work. So I'm super low maintenance.

However, I'm not sure of your area, but you could take a look at state parks? We have a few of those options here. Just be sure to look at their alcohol policy and parking.

Also, just parks in general. Not just state parks. Some have "Wedding packages" (not all).

Look into christmas tree farms! I almost got married at one but it was a little too DIY for me, I'm getting married at a gated park (pay for entry) and they have their own indoor facility plus and outdoor field for receptions under any tree/field you choose.

Look into camps. I'm getting married at a YMCA camp in Michigan and it's actually really nice and deep into the woods on a lake.

Someone mentioned YMCA camps and state parks- also check out 4H camps! A friend of mine had his wedding at a 4H camp in FL. Just be sure to check if they allow alcohol or not. The ones in KY don't, but the one in FL didn't seem to care.

Hi! Fellow Minnesotan here! This is our dream wedding too but our guest list is a bit too large for this kind of a thing, however I have a friend that just did something kind of like this just recently by Duluth. I will link her blog. However, I don't think middle of the woods is so prictical for mismatched chairs and all the decor, but it would be so worth it to pull it off!

www.travelingcouchpotato.com/blog

How many people are planning to invite? What about power, washrooms, temperature control for comfort and rain plan? Would you tent the area? How will people get into the woods? All of these things need to be considered.

So, we are doing this. We have a very small number of close family and friends. We were going to elope but decided to invite some of our closest friends and family under the pretense that it is relatively informal and we are doing it where it is meaningful for us. We went to a spot while we were dating that will be our ceremony site; in the woods. We looked at a few campgrounds and parks and decided to stick with this spot. It's not far from a trail head and flat enough that our older guests can get to it safely. There are a ton of considerations as far as weather etc but we told our family and friends that this is what we desire, and so they move into it knowledgeably.

The thing is, if this is what you want...do it. This is a ONE day that you are making a promise to your person whom you plan to spend your life. It is an important, transformative and initiatory moment. (I would consider it spiritually important as well). So, make it what speaks to you. And If that means you elope in the mountains, or you plan as accommodating as possible and let your guests know what they are in for...then so be it. We are packing in chairs and a pop up as well as everything else for decor.

Find some woods. A park. A small patch of trees somewhere on a trail. A fire pit in a campground or whatever etc

I love the woods idea, but one thing to look out for is distance from parking to the actual ceremony site. We looked at a few State Parks that we loved, but just weren't realistic for elderly guests or those wearing heels.

I can imagine that would be really beautiful if you can find a spot. Just make sure you consider the idea of bugs. I know it seems silly, but as much as I truly love nature, I always end up getting bitten and have such bad allergies that I swell up. Unfortunately, if I were invited to a wedding in a wooded area I would likely be unable to attend. Just something to think about! I hope you find a venue that works with your vision.

The niece of a coworker did something similar. They bought a house and it had lots of woody land.

The family put together an amAzing wedding! I saw pictures and I wish she was in a blog or something, it came out stunning.

They hired a caterer, the uncle built long tables, with old, distressed wood and they only added table runners. The bride and her mother hit all local goodwill and yard sales and purchased a bunch of mismatched plates and wine glasses (the guests took their wine glasses home). They used hanging lights and flowers from either their garden or local grocery stores (flowers placed on high and low mismatched vases). Like I said, it was amazing. Take in consideration the cost for renting everything versus purchasing versus using a regular venue, see what fits in your budget and go from there! Wish you the best of luck!

There is a place near Walker, MN that is a barn and they do weddings. I attended one there, the couple had the service and reception all under one roof. Large lot with outdoor activities too. Not sure about doing the ceremony outdoors, but you could ask. I can not recall the exact location or name but you could Google it I'm sure. Otherwise, consider having an intimate ceremony along one of the many hiking trails with a larger (if you choose) reception somewhere close by. That's all I can think of.

The Woods Chapel in Orono is beautiful!

Try doing a search for the Trestle Inn. It's in the middle of nowhere and you can get married in the woods too!!

View Quoted Comment I agree with looking into summer camps! There are some great Girl Scout camps that rent out their space, you can get overnight packages and your guests can stay in cabins! They also have a kitchen for your food prep and bathrooms. When I spoke with them they were pretty flexible about food and drink as well, so you can do anything you want to!

There is a place in itasca called preachers grove it’s super beautiful(this Forrest wedding is also my dream). It’s too far for me but I hope someone gets married there. Fish camp could be good for reception.