Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg VA

Congratulations!  You are newly engaged and planning for an
outdoor wedding reception!  Washington DC provides endless
opportunities: lovely weather, spring and her abundance of flowers and
blooming trees; summer with the balmy breezes; fall with the spectacular
array of fall foliage.  Today I suggest 10 Tips to assist you with your
planning.

1.  The Tent.  This is no small consideration.  Use a reliable
tent company, not necessarily the cheapest deal you can find.  Setting
up and securing a tent takes skill and expertise, not an inexpensive
part of your budget.  Talk to several rental companies if you want to
compare (always a good idea for ANY vendor category).  A company we at Catering By Teatime has been using in recent years is Sammys Rentals www.sammysrental.com 

2. Don’t Skimp.  As mentioned in #1, tents are not cheap, so do
not skimp with the sidewalls or the lighting.  If your event is during
the day, you may easily do without the lighting, but the sidewalls are
another matter.  (sidewalls are pictured in above photo).  Ideally your
wedding reception will be 78 degrees without a drop of precipitation. 
In the event that the weather gods don’t cooperate, you want to protect
your guests from driving rain. Weather happens. Look at it this way.  If
you purchase the walls and it’s sunny outside, you just pull them back
and let the sunshine in.

3.  If you are considering tenting a private residence backyard, 
do your research.  The plot needs to be level.  It needs drainage.  It
may LOOK awesome, but is one corner so muddy from the previous weeks’
rain everyone’s shoes will sink like quicksand?  

 4.  Many venues already have a semi permanent tent established on
the property.  These venues can easily provide additional heat or AC. 
In the DC area heat is not so much an issue, but in the dead of summer
AC is a very real option to consider.  Think about all those black
tuxes.


5.  If you are doing having the ceremony outside as well in the
same locale and the weather becomes iffy, consider simplifying the
logistics and have the ceremony with your guests seated at the tables
and the ceremony in the center of the room for best viewing.


6.  Consider your restroom options – can you provide covered walkways?  Can you provide at least a basket with large umbrellas?


7.  The caterer will need either an additional caterer’s tent, or
preferably access to a space/kitchen with running water and
electricity.  Think through the logistics if there is distance between
where the food is being prepped and where the buffet is placed.  A
buffet style meal works best in a tent scenario.

Hendry House in Arlington VA

 8.  Even if you are having a catered wedding reception inside, 
weather permitting you can celebrate the ceremony outside with nature’s
background as shown in the photo at the Hendry House in Arlington VA.http://parks.arlingtonva.us/locations/hendry-house/ 
The cocktail hour was held outside, dinner inside, and then the guests
danced the night way under a smaller tent in the front of the venue with
the dj set up on the porch. Best of both worlds!!

Lodge at Little Seneca Creek

The Lodge at Little Seneca Creek you can also combine inside and
outside for the best of both worlds.  Little Seneca also provides a very
large tent as part of their rentals. Little Seneca is in Boyds, Md. www.montgomeryparks.org/event_centers/seneca.shtm

9.  If your heart is set on an outdoor wedding, be sensitive to
the climate.  Getting married in Washington DC in August outside can be
brutal.  Probably the most popular month in the area for wedding
receptions  is October.  The weather is fairly stable, the colors are
optimal, the precip is light.  Of course I’m partial to this month as
it’s when I got married 25 years ago!!

10.  Keep an Open Mind!  This of course applies to any aspect of a
wedding  and reception.  Weather happens!  Several years ago the DC
area got nailed with the tail end of an October  hurricane. We were in
Leesburg VA at the time, in a tent with sidewalls, and it the rain was
relentless.  It truly was an adventure and the bride and groom will have
tales to tell for many years to come.

Rain Rain Go Away!!!

 For more information about catering menus and photos visit our website at www.cateringbyteatime.com