20 Fresh Ideas for Bringing the Outdoors in at Your Wedding

Overhead Flower Installation
Photo: Ryan Ray Photography

Embrace nature, rain or shine.

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Overhead Flower Installation
Ryan Ray Photography

Some couples fall in love with an indoor venue, but don't want to sacrifice an earthy vibe. Other couples want an outdoor wedding, but weather gets in the way. Regardless of the details, there are plenty of ways to satisfy your nature craving, and we know just how to help you bring the outside in. When it comes to incorporating organic beauty into your wedding, there are tons of ideas to tap into. Ceremonies and receptions alike can reap the benefits of nature-made décor. So before you plan your special day, take a peek at these outdoorsy ideas from real weddings. Rain or shine, summer or winter, getting your all-natural, nature-inspired fix has never been so easy (or beautiful)!

Here, a trellis of blooms hangs above a reception dance floor—just one of the many ways this couple surrounded their guests with flowers. Though the event took place under a tent, the fresh accents made for a garden-like escape.

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Greenery Trellis

reception table
Aaron Delesie

This couple designed their dinner tent to resemble their favorite restaurant in Capri. The décor included green shrubbery and foliage-covered trellises.

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Vibrant Wreath

nikki-kiff-wedding-firstdance-004737015-s112766-0316.jpg
Tec Petaja

Saipua combined peonies, tulips, delphinium, and passion vine to form the breathtaking wreath above this couple. Pine and floral scents floated through the venue, too.

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Tent Trees

joyann jeremy wedding tent trees
Christian Oth Studio

Potted trees (imagined up by Easton Events) made this rainy-day getaway a fresh and airy alternative to the outdoors.

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Cake Decorations

addie alex wedding cake cacti
Tamara Grüner

Decorate more than just the venue—a wedding cake can be nature-inspired, too! Addie Cakes adorned this simple vanilla confection with cacti and flowers that matched other details from the wedding.

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Industrial-Chic Centerpieces

moira-dustin-real-wedding-centerpiece-place-setting.jpg
Cambria Grace Photography

Fern fronds in clear glass vases softened the man-made vibe of this industrial venue.

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Indoor Garden

jess todd wedding seattle secret garden ceremony
Belathée Photography

For this wedding, Steven Moore aimed to create "an amazing secret garden," and that's exactly what this couple got. The stunning ceremony tent featured green-and-white flower arrangements, plus six 12-foot maple trees that are now planted at the bride's parents' home.

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Pretty Petals

federica-tommaso-wedding-pool-079-s112330-1015.jpg
Catherine Mead

Can't decide between an indoor or outdoor venue? Combine the two by choosing a location with a courtyard. This one featured a beautifully-tiled pool which Boutique Souk made even prettier with colorful, floating petals.

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Overflowing Foliage

breelayne-hunter-wedding-california-reception-barn-0111-s112849.jpg
Sylvie Gil Photography

This wedding began in the woods and ended in a barn. Based on the décor, however, you could barely tell the difference. Eucalyptus leaves and smilax vines were wrapped about the building's rafters and chandeliers.

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Potted Plants

Overhead Flower Installation
Harwell Photography

Tables at this reception held an array of potted plants, including anemones, spray roses, and locally-grown dahlias.

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Wood Display

Larkin & Eric's Tennessee wedding - escort card
Natalie Watson Photography

Here, The Left Handed Calligrapher escort cards sit on pieces of mossy bark, which were used to convey a natural setting at this wedding.

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Dimensional Details

Overhead Flower Installation
Corbin Gurkin

Above these receptions tables sat horizontal trellises, and beside them hung vertical floor-length "curtains" made of orchids.

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Leafy Backdrop

Overhead Flower Installation
Liz Banfield

Have you ever considered the more subdued cousin of a flower wall? This boxwood backdrop looked ultra chic in this wedding's lounge.

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Thematic Venue

kristen-steve-flowerhouse-wedding-couple-6155-s113059-0616.jpg
Heather Saunders

This wedding took place in the Flower House—a creative, temporary, sustainable art installation in an old abandoned house in Detroit. Florists from across the country came together to fill the location with fresh flowers, creating a truly one-of-a-kind venue for this lucky couple. Though the installation's property has since been re-purposed, a similar end-product could be achieved somewhere else.

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Small Accents

glara matthew wedding ring box
Heather Waraksa

This couple chose to house their rings in a moss-filled box, bringing a little touch of the outdoors to an intimate piece of their wedding.

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Floral Archway

Unkempt Willow Branch Wedding Arch with Pink and Orange Flowers
Ryan Ray Photography

The Southern Table used flower-filled urns to anchor an archway made of greenery at this indoor ceremony.

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Natural Runner

Long Reception Table with Red Flower Arrangements
Adam Barnes

Sweet Root Village skipped the florals and used lush, trailing eucalyptus to make table runners for this reception. In addition, the tables were placed in a room adjacent to a portico, so that guests at this wedding could spend time inside and outside.

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Planted Aisle

Overhead Flower Installation
Judy Pak

When it comes to outdoor weddings, always have a backup plan. When this ceremony faced a summer storm and was forced indoors, Nicolette Camille thought quick and decorated the aisle with floral arrangements. The wedding was designed to have a secret-garden vibe, which the foxglove, nicotania, abutilon, huechera, allium, ferns, hyssop, and smilax preserved.

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Spruced-Up Structures

Overhead Flower Installation
Charla Storey Photography

Here, lush greenery trailed down this wedding manor's staircase—it appeared in other aspects of the big day, too.

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Floral Garland

head table
Heather Payne

The head table at this wedding was framed by a full, floral garland, which was made to look as though it were growing up the wall. Elaeagnus, ornamental pear branches, and smilax vines were chosen because of their durability, while dahlias and garden roses added a finishing touch.

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