As the weather gets warmer and spring arrives, so do the many wedding invitations that come in the mail this time of year. June is a very popular month to get married, especially if the bride and groom are planning a garden ceremony. While there are many pros and cons to outdoor weddings, the results are usually spectacular. After all, what else would you expect when Mother Nature herself provides the setting? Decorating a garden wedding can be a minimal task or a major undertaking, depending on size and style of wedding desired. In this article, we'll cover some important considerations in planning and decorating the garden wedding of your dreams.

A small personal ceremony is what many couples are choosing today. In a smaller ceremony, the bride and groom can really be the focal point of the event. Often times, decorations for a small garden wedding are very minimal, with the bride's flowers setting the tone for simplicity and color scheme. If you're having your ceremony in a private garden or at your home, you may have the ability to plant some flowers in-ground early in the season, to assure that you have just the right colors and textures for your special day. This is a beautiful and cost effective alternative that only requires a little planning.

If you are planning a larger garden wedding, then the amount of decorating you'll need to do will likely depend on the outdoor location you choose. Some locations require very little in the way of additional decorations, such as a rose garden in full bloom, for example. If you are choosing a public location, you will likely want to add to the existing flowers. Some areas of your wedding to give attention to when decorating include the wedding alter, guest seating area, and the entrance to the event.

Typically, the wedding altar should be the focal point of the event. One great option for decorating the altar would be to include an overhead structure. If your outdoor location has a small gazebo, this can serve your purpose well. A good alternative might be a wedding arbor or pergola, because they are relatively inexpensive and add a lot of visual punch to the altar decoration. If you prefer a backdrop to an overhead structure, consider potted trees, urns of flowers, or possibly a row of free-standing patio trellises covered in flowers or greenery. If possible, try to select decorations that can be used later in your new home's yard or garden. These fixtures will become very special to you over the years and will serve as a memento of your wedding day.

The seating area for your guests should be configured so that the wedding altar is easily viewed from every seat. For decorations in this area, chairs can be adorned with bows or flowers. You can also use ribbons, roping, pots of flowers, or even solar landscape lights to surround the seating area. Outdoor lighting is a particularly nice addition for an evening wedding.

Last but not least, don't neglect the entrance to your wedding. Even a garden wedding must have some kind of entrance, and the decorations here should set the tone for the rest of the event. Create a pathway to your wedding location from the parking area by marking the entrance in an impressive way. An arbor covered with flowers or greenery for your guests to walk through is always a beautiful addition. You can also flank the entrance with pots filled with flowers, free standing trellises, or bubbling fountains. For an extra touch of class, have your ushers escort guests from the entry point to their seats.

Garden weddings are a great option for spring and summer events, and they offer a lot in terms of versatility. Decorating a garden wedding can be extremely simple or very elaborate, depending on the type of event the couple desires. No matter how basic or extravagant you choose to go with your decorating, you can be sure that your outdoor wedding will be nothing less than spectacular.