The Pros and Cons of Garden Weddings

One of our readers asked us what to take into consideration when thinking of  having a garden wedding. Here is the answer, Zimbo style.

Sarris Gardens

Zimbabwe is a predominantly sunny country and a great place to hold outdoor weddings. Garden weddings are trending more and more in Zim, and because of that, we’ve come up with a short list of the pros and cons of having a garden wedding.

Mystique Weddings

Pros:

·      One stop shop venue

Many of the garden venues in Zimbabwe are big enough for the ceremony and reception to be held in one place.  Photos can be taken there as well, which is great news for us. You know how us Zimbos love our garden photos!

·      Less floral décor needed

The beauty of a garden wedding is that it does not need much floral décor. Using the flowers and plants of the venue to accent your décor is a great way to save money.

·      Unlimited number of guests

    Garden Wedding venues range from open spaces to intimate garden restaurants. Whether you want a small wedding for less than 50 or a huge wedding for more than 200, there is a venue that can cater for all tastes.

Florence Chisholm Park

      Cons:

·      Weather Dependent

Zimbabwe has beautiful weather, but our summer season is also our rainy season. The rain is unpredictable, so if you’re having a summer wedding, make sure you have a back-up indoors plan or you have hired a tent.

·      Ensure Guests are Comfortable

The Zimbabwean sun is brutal, be it summer or winter. Ensure guests have water, fans and an umbrella, or if you can’t provide for all your guests, make sure you include the information on your invitation.

·      Limited Dress Code

Ladies! Garden weddings and stilettos are a no-no! I know, I’ve done it before! It is not comfortable walking around on your tiptoes to avoid having your heels sink into the soft red soil! Wear wedges, stacked heels and chunky heels instead; they are trending nowadays.

·      Experienced Planner Required

A garden wedding is difficult to plan, with the additional expense of hiring equipment such as chairs, tables, and so on. Nowadays the garden wedding venues provide all the equipment needed, but in cases where the hiring is to be done from outside sources, an experienced planner is needed to keep track of all your vendors.

Buxton Park 

Garden weddings are quite difficult to plan, but when executed well, are memorable events. All you need is to keep the above points in mind.

We would love to hear from our brides who are planning a garden wedding or who had a garden wedding. What did you go through? What other pros or cons would you add?