20 Fresh Ideas for Bringing the Outdoors in at Your Wedding

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)!

Overhead Installation

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.

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

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. 

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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

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

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

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

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.

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. 

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

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.

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.

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

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.