A sunset on the beach with the waves lapping lazily against the shore. The fresh smell of mountain pine trees and the songs of birds. The rocks of the desert lit by the sun's rays as you exchange vows, and candle wedding favors glowing in your guests' hands. Yes, all of these settings sound incredible, but what if your outdoor wedding goes wrong? A storm could hit the beach, mosquitoes could harass your mountain guests, and it's often far too hot for a desert ceremony. A beautiful wedding can be just as beautiful indoors, and there are a number of reasons why.



As mentioned before, weather can be unpredictable. All the forecasts in the world will not help you if an unseasonable weather pattern decides to strike. Granted, you could get tents or other temporary shelter just in case, but they won't be much good if a hurricane hits or a heat wave is at its peak. Rather than risk getting rained out or blasted by the sun, going indoors is the best option.

There are indoor facilities and backgrounds that would be extremely difficult or impossible to have outside. As fantastic as a campsite wedding might be, where will your guests relieve themselves in the middle of nowhere? Try getting a stained glass window to your mountain wedding, or a pipe organ out to the beach chalet—that might be beyond the limits of the best maid of honor. On the other hand, such things would be part and parcel of an indoor wedding.

Decorations can also work better indoors than out. Bows and ribbons, while also used outdoors, were originally designed for indoor use, and that is where they truly shine. Candles can be used indoors to provide mood lighting, and they won't have the same restrictions as outdoor locations. In fact, many parks and other places will not allow lit candles at all. If you want to use candles but would rather not incur the wrath of the fire marshals, feel free to give them out as candle wedding favors instead . They make very elegant wedding favors and are useful as well.

Let's be honest here. One of the main concerns for a bride and groom is their budget. You may look at a park and think it's cheaper than holding your ceremony in a local hall, but in the long run, indoor weddings are cheaper than outdoor ones. The reason for this is because a lot of the things that you'll need for an outdoor wedding may already be included for an indoor one, such as seating, some decorations, and sometimes the person overseeing the ceremony. In certain situations, the venue for the reception and the vows are on the same property but two different buildings, and you get both for the price of one.

There are certain situations in which you can have the best of both worlds. Some halls will have a lawn or other outdoor area attached to them; the ceremony can be performed outside, and the reception can take place indoors. Or a section of the indoor area can be reserved in case of a weather emergency. With a little planning, you can cover yourself on all fronts.

Indoor weddings can be just as wonderful and awe inspiring as outdoor ones. You don't have to miss out on beauty and inspiration; it simply becomes a matter of man made over nature. An elegant wedding favor instead of a waterfall—why not? And either one will create memories that will last for a lifetime.