17 Unique Outdoor Wedding Ideas On A Budget

What is the weather like where you live? If you can expect long stretches of sunny (or at least rain-free) weather, an outdoor wedding might be the way to go! You can treat guests to the sound of bird song and babbling brooks while you say your vows against a mountain backdrop. Or maybe you’d like something simpler, like a backyard wedding with close family and friends! Let Peerspace give you a hand; we are experts in event planning and have some unique outdoor wedding ideas on a budget to explore with you! 

1. Host a backyard wedding

Of all the outdoor wedding ideas we have, a backyard wedding is going to be the most budget-friendly. You aren’t paying for a venue to rent, which is a huge chunk of the cost for most weddings. Backyard venues are ideal if you’re having a micro wedding with fewer than 50 guests. You can decorate the space with ease; some string lights, tables covered by white curtains, a floral arch, and flower arrangements go a long way toward transforming your backyard into the perfect wedding venue!

2. Throw a garden wedding party

Garden venues are budget-friendly yet they still provide the touch of elegance you want for a wedding ceremony. From small spaces with a pond and flower beds to local botanic gardens, these spaces can be extravagantly laid out, with multiple gathering areas, fountains, and seasonal flower beds.

Did you know that Peerspace has quite a few garden venues available for your wedding? One of our favorites is this exotic house in Los Angeles, CA, complete with a lush tropical garden for an intimate outdoor wedding!

3. Plan a mountain wedding

You don’t have to host your wedding at a typical outdoor venue, such as a garden or a local park. Why not take the ceremony up into the mountains instead? You can celebrate with the entire crowd at a local or national park in the mountains where the air is freshest and the forest surrounds everything. Guests can enjoy mountain views and the sounds of nature during and after the ceremony!

4. Have a beach wedding

Soft lighting, calm breezes, and the gentle murmur of the ever-present waves make a wonderful backdrop for an outdoor wedding. A beach wedding venue is budget-friendly and it can even be a secluded and intimate space if you choose a spot and time when there aren’t going to be visitors. Plus you’ll have one of the best party spaces around, with room for a fire pit, barbecue, games of volleyball, swimming, and more!

Find the perfect beach rental for your wedding day with our guide beach rentals: how to rent by the day.

5. Open air string lights

If you’re looking for outdoor wedding ideas on a budget for lighting, string lights should be at the top of your list. Many outdoor spaces don’t have much in the way of good lighting once the sun goes down. Especially if you decide to host a backyard wedding; you don’t want to be relying on porch lighting. Get some open-air string lights to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere as the evening fades into night.

6. Set up a tent or yurt

Even if you’re planning a mostly outdoor wedding, it always pays to have a backup plan in case Mother Nature has other ideas. A tent or yurt provides guests with a place to escape the strong sun or a sudden rain shower. And unlike a covered pavilion, large tents and yurts retain the outdoor character you’re likely looking for when planning your wedding!

7. Set up a lemonade bar

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Drinks are as important as food when it comes to wedding planning. Wine is a must-have but lemonade is the perfect non-alcoholic alternative. A lemonade bar is also whimsically delightful, reminding us of the stand we once tried running as a child. Being adults now, there’s no reason not to include hard lemonade as an option here!

8. Use seasonal flowers and produce as decorations

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Celebrate the seasons with flowers and produce that reflect the time of year you decide to hold your wedding. For example, a fall wedding would include an autumn cornucopia filled with decorative squash, pumpkins, and apples. Red and gold autumn leaves can be strewn everywhere and you’ll want blossoms in darker shades of plum, crimson, and burnt orange!

9. Rooftop wedding

Rooftop wedding venues are budget-friendly spaces that can easily fit dozens or hundreds of guests. Plus you get unbeatable views of the city if the venue is downtown or surrounding countryside. The views are as awesome as all of the fresh air and space!

Rooftop venues on Peerspace include dance floors, bars, fire pits, and all of the other amenities you’d expect from a ground-floor wedding space. For example, check out this open–concept rooftop lounge in Boston, MA. The 5th-floor deck offers amazing views and has space for up to 50 people!

10. Glamping wedding

Even folks in love with the outdoors rarely want to rough it in a tent during a wedding. Dirt floors, bugs, and no showers? No, thank you! But a glamping wedding has way more potential. You’ll have a cabin, yurt, or other enclosed space that’s right next to the great outdoors. Glamping venues also have amenities like fire pits, hiking trails, swimming pools, and showers. It’s camping minus the muck!

11. Use wooden benches for seats

Wooden seats offer a rustic touch that’s just the right feel for an outdoor wedding. Benches are easy and inexpensive to rent. Plus they set the tone right from the beginning as guests enter the outdoor venue. The benches are also easy to decorate with wreaths, flower arrangements, signs, and other accessories. Don’t forget a few cushions for anyone who might find a wooden bench too hard to sit on for an extended period. 

12. Have a bonfire unity ceremony

What could be better than a roaring bonfire as darkness falls and the celebration continues? Bonfires are fun for any outdoor occasion but you can make it even more special by including one as a part of a unity ceremony. The bonfire symbolizes the union of two formerly separate souls. By lighting the bonfire together, the new fire blazes as high as your relationship. And like your marriage, the bonfire provides warmth and light for everyone attending!

Check out our unique 4th of July wedding ideas if you want your outdoor wedding to coincide with one of summer’s biggest holidays!

13. Use floral or forest-printed tablecloths

The decorations should be cohesive to the theme of your outdoor wedding. So why not use tablecloths with forest or floral prints? They reaffirm your connection to the outdoors and look beautiful as well. Other outdoor print ideas for tablecloths include birds, autumn leaves, seashells, or insects!

14. Hire a landscaper to tidy up 

Are you hosting a wedding at home? It’s a good idea to have a professional come and make the yard look beautiful before the wedding ceremony takes place. They can remove dead flowers and leaves from your bushes, mow the lawn, plant new living blooms, and trim the trees back. A front or backyard outdoor wedding at home can be as beautiful as any formal garden with a little TLC.

15. Drape white curtains over tables

Pristine white curtains are the perfect accessory to a spring or summer outdoor wedding. You can create arches to let them hang around and over tables. The style is distinctly elegant and budget-friendly while providing some welcome shade in case the sun starts to get strong.

16. Have an ice cream bar

When was the last time you saw an ice cream bar at a wedding? Well, an outdoor ceremony and reception are the perfect chance to include one! Guests can line up to enjoy rich, cold scoops of their favorite flavors, served on cones and cups, on demand. An ice cream station, or even a truck, is the best way to serve up some sweet goodness. You can even have the ice cream provided by a local company known for unique flavors.

17. Give warming blankets to guests

Outdoor weddings can sometimes be a little chilly, especially if you live in the northern latitudes or are planning a fall ceremony. So why not make things easier for your guests by providing some warming blankets? They can be plain or made into keepsakes with custom monograms for the day! Warming blankets and wooden benches are some of our favorite outdoor wedding ideas for a rustic ceremony.

Unique outdoor wedding ideas: conclusion

From beach weddings to ice cream bars, outdoor wedding ideas include some of the most fun ways to get hitched under the sun! We hope you’ve enjoyed our unique ideas. Peerspace provides not only party planning ideas but venues near you for weddings and other special events! While you’re here, feel free to browse some of our spaces for an upcoming celebration! 

Find unique outdoor event spaces perfect for your wedding on Peerspace