Choosing Between an Indoor or Outdoor Wedding? Pros and Cons of Each

After you or your significant other pops the question, the preparations for the big day can begin. The first phase of the wedding plans may be the most difficult to decide on, though. You have to decide whether you want an indoor wedding or an outdoor wedding. Each has their own advantages, but they also have their disadvantages as well. Continue on to learn the pros and cons of indoor weddings and outdoor weddings.

Pros of Indoor Weddings

Indoor weddings can be held almost anywhere—provided that your desired venue allows them. This means you have a wide variety of venues to choose from.

If you choose to have an indoor wedding, you won’t have to worry about things like bad weather or limited décor. Planning an indoor wedding often makes things less chaotic, because most indoor venues have done weddings before and know what to expect and how to help you.

Wedding ballrooms offer beautiful architecture and lighting, which sets the mood for a romance. They also offer couples a chance to arrange seating in either intimate groups or spread out to allow for dancing and socializing. Another thing to keep in mind is that wedding ballrooms usually come as part of a wedding package. Often, they have in-house caterers, florists, DJs, or other services that you can use for your wedding. If the ballroom is in a hotel, the package may include overnight accommodations for the bride, groom, and in-laws as well.

Cons of Indoor Weddings

As with all things, where there are positives, there may be a few things that you feel indifferent about. Indoor weddings could offer limited space. While this is considered a pro in terms of comfort and coziness, it could limit the number of guests you can invite.

Indoor weddings are often more expensive than outdoor weddings. If you choose to have an indoor wedding, you should set a budget and stick to it. You should also budget for any overages that may come up, like last-minute guests or menu changes.

Pros of Outdoor Weddings

Outdoor weddings are becoming as common as indoor weddings are. In fact, they can make your wedding day a truly unforgettable one. Having a wedding outdoors provides you with all the space you need, which makes it easier to invite as many guests as you desire. On top of that, outdoor weddings are more scenic than indoor weddings, so you're bound to have some great wedding photos.

This pro may sound funny to some, but outdoor weddings make the need for tons of décor somewhat obsolete. The existing trees and flowers can be used as free decorations in conjunction with what you’ve already prepared. This can help reduce your decorating costs by a lot.

Cons of Outdoor Weddings

Outdoor weddings may invite Mother Nature to your wedding, but she might not be as good of a guest as you thought. Holding a wedding outdoors means facing the risk of dealing with bad weather, like heavy rain or extreme heat. In addition, depending on where you hold the wedding, insects may try to crash the party as well.

Outdoor weddings also require a bit more preparation than indoor weddings. For example, if you live in an area with severe rainstorms, you’ll have to invest in a wedding tent. These tents are used to protect you, your significant other, the guests and all of the equipment from bad weather. However, these can be rather pricey, so make sure you do your research.

At the end of the day, it’s your wedding, so you get to decide whether an indoor or outdoor wedding is best for you and your partner. It’s all up to personal preferences and what your budget allows. Keep these pros and cons in mind as you two make wedding decisions.