- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee Blog
We had a really difficult time deciding whether to have our wedding inside or outside. I jotted down a pro-and-con list for an outdoor ceremony, and it pretty much looked like this:
It was hard to get images like these out of my head:
(both via Elizabeth Anne Designs)
(Elizabeth Messina via the Knot)
In the interest of full disclosure, I wanted to get married under a tree. This might not be a surprise. Arboreal imagery is amongst my favorite types of imagery because (ugh, cheesy) trees remind me of relationships. Or…ours, at least.
See, our relationship makes me feel grounded, but it also makes me feel like I am high above all the muck of life. Like a wide oak tree, we have weathered the seasons of our lives together, evolving through our surroundings. I like that our relationship has developed deep roots and feels so solid. And even as our relationship has grown, metaphorically, into a more aged tree, there is something about it that makes me feel childlike…humbled, perhaps. Our relationship, like a simple tree in a forest, is relatively commonplace. People all over the world are in couples, in relationships, in love. But if you look close enough, if you take the time to notice, it’s pretty incredible—a quiet majesty that almost feels like it’s not totally of this world.
End flowery soliloquy about trees.
Um. Yeah. So…I like trees.
In the end, it was finicky Ohio weather that made the choice for me. My nerves couldn’t handle the unpredictable Midwest climate, and we’ve chosen a ceremony within the stained-glass walls of our beloved church.
But for all those getting married under a tree…take an extra deep breath for me, and enjoy the feel of the metaphor surrounding you. I will take an extra deep breath for you, too, and shoot a prayer into the heavens that any dark clouds hold off until after you are a married woman.
Was it easy for you to decide on an indoor/outdoor ceremony?
Also, if you love trees as well, please confess. I will feel less creepy.
Your post has inspired me! I was tying to figure out a way to center our ceremony and now I think I have it. Thanks!
I heart trees… Especially the climbing kind that have nice little nooks and crannys where you can sit and read books. And trees with fall leaves. And trees with fat little squirrels running around.
I don’t blame you for deciding to marry indoors- hopefully the weather will be lovely enough to get some smashing photos outside by some fancy trees. 
Who could resist falling in love with the symbolism after your description? I wanted an outdoor ceremony as well, but my nerves and my family tradition won that battle.
Given that you love trees, you probably already know this quote about love, but I thought it was appropriate just in case
Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
We decided to bite the bullet and get married outdoors. The wedding arch will be positioned between 2 stately pine trees and flanking the arch will be 6 fully decorated Christmas trees- 3 per side. Um. Yeah… I kinda like trees, too.
We did have to answer all the questions about weather, power, etc. In the end, we hired an electrician to re-wire my parents’ backyard and I made a deal with mother nature that it won’t rain for the 20 minutes of our ceremony. The cocktail hour and reception are in a tent, so I’m not as concerned about that part of the evening.
I researched weather in our area, going back 12 years and no December 11 in history (of those 12 years) ever had rain. Here’s to maintaining that legacy!
I love trees, too. Our venue has this amazing oak tree that they will do ceremonies under, but I think we needed something like 250 people, minimum, to book that area? Or something much higher than we were comfortable with! So just trees to the side, for us.
Don’t give up on the tree! Maybe you can do a post-wedding photo shoot by a lovely tree?
Dude, I thought your post was titled “The Giving Tree” and I got all excited. Also, love that you used the word soliloquy and the explanation of how trees are a symbol for your relationship. I get that! My hubby picked our venue and I found it very symbolic for our relationship. We were married overlooking the New River in West Virginia, which is one of the oldest rivers in the world. It just made me think about how this river has seen it all and still flows like it did back in the day, how it moves trees and mountains with its power, and its constant beauty even when it storms.
I really love your “soliloquy about trees”. I find it so honest, real, and true. Our entire wedding is themed trees (I receieved a bracelet from my fiance that had “The roots of a family tree begin with the love of two hearts” engraved on it, instantly became our theme/quote). The sybolism behind tress is so beautiful and can relate to so many aspects of life.
That being said, we will be married under a tree in his mother’s backyard. Its a gorgeous and full oak that will be perfect. It was not a difficult decision for us to be married outside, I’ve always wanted it and he is very outdoors-y. In the past 30 years (farmer’s almanac) it has only rained once on our date, I’m hoping that no rain continues to be the trend for next year!
Willow Trees are my favorite, they kinda match the story of my life which has been littered with turmoil (i.e weeping) yet they stand so tall and strongth…but there’s a softness to their branches swaying in the air.
I like your soliloquy. I’ve always said my husband is the only person in my entire life who’s made me feel like I’ve got a partner at my side and also like my support lifting me up to reach my goals all at the same time.
if you’re worried about the shoes, you can try these rubber things called “Sole Mates” that stop you from sinking into the ground: http://thesolemates.com/
I do agree that an outdoor ceremony is GORGEOUS.
I’m with you on the trees but, I too am an Ohio bride with crazy fears about our crazy weather. I can’t commit to that kind of instability.
From the beginning we wanted to be married outdoors. We started at the beach, then on to a lawn by an old fort and finally ended up on a golf course. May in Florida is (mostly) sunny (although a few May brides I know faced rain this past year). We were blessed to have a perfectly sunny wedding day. Sure, I had TONS of fears leading up to our wedding day and we had a few back up plans (of which I didn’t like). So I’m happy everything worked out.
I love trees too, for all the reasons you described, and also that verse from Captain Correlli’s Mandolin… Trees are also the reason I love Seahorse’s invitations so much!
Cheer up. I’m of the opinion that the only reason outdoor ceremonies always look so beautiful is that the pictures we see are the 5% of weddings where:
it doesn’t rain
it doesn’t storm
the wind isn’t gale force
the guests arent sweating buckets…
…or freezing
there aren’t flies, mosquitoes and other insects about
the bride/groom/parents have enough money to buy or rent gorgeous tents, gorgeous tables and chairs, indoor/outdoor lighting, a dance floor, and plenty of small/discreet speakers/mics, etc. I saw an episode of Four Weddings the other day that was outside, and NO ONE could hear the vows….
Bahahahahha. My last blog post is entitled “I Heart Trees!” This is hilarious. I will do my best to get married under a tree, and hopefully the weather will cooperate!
Tree Power! 
This is an awesome post! Am obsessed with your tree/relationship metaphor.
@gill84: It is so funny that you mention that. In a day or two, a post will go up that has pictures of my house…that quote is in the frame in the last picture
@Seaside: Thanks for saying so! I try to reign in my purple prose for Weddingbee, but maybe I’ll let it leak out every once in awhile…
Team tree! for a girl who has read “the giving tree” a zillion times over, i don’t think i could be more obsessed with them.
“I wish that I could give you something-but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump.”
“I don’t need very much now,” said the boy. “just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired.”
“Well,” said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, “well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.”
And the boy did. And the tree was happy.”
now that is love.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Mrs. Prairie Dog, Cincinnati Age and Occupation: 24, Program Coordinator Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, PhD/Biomedical Engineer Engagement Date: December 18, 2009 Wedding Date: May 2011 Venue: Glendale Lyceum About Me: I'm a pilgrim soul of a girl with a house full of books and a coffee addiction that could slay Juan Valdez. My life is a whirl of grammar correction, good music, glue-gunning, and two pets named Hazel and Winston Churchill. I'm marrying my high school boyfriend in a formal-ish spring affair, roughly themed: "Elizabeth Bennet crashes a party co-hosted by Jay Gatsby and Cath Kidston, and loves it."
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
Latest Gallery Pics