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Picnics are one of the delights of summer, so why not incorporate a picnic into your wedding? Picnic wedding receptions are fun, quirky, and a great way to save money on your reception costs. I was honoured to officiate a wedding ceremony in 2012 for two close friends, who had a picnic reception at Fort Takapuna in Auckland. After the ceremony, guests were instructed to go and choose a blanket and a basket and find a spot on the lawns for their picnic. It was a beautiful day and a truly memorable reception! Here are some ideas on hosting your own picnic wedding reception:

Invitations and Organisation

A picnic reception is still a pretty novel idea, so you’ll need to make it very clear on your invitations what is going on so people aren’t surprised or confused.  A great idea would be to create “treasure maps” or handwritten invitations directing your guests to your picnic location. Figure out exactly how your picnic reception is going to work. Where will your picnic be…

Whether inspired by vintage glam, Mori Girl nature ceremonies, or Alice in Wonderland – you know you want a tea party wedding reception. And why not? Tea parties are a great way to get all your wedding guests to dress up and experience a unique and fun wedding day. A tea party wedding reception will also save you money, as you’ll be supplying simple finger foods and a selection of teas and juices, instead of a full sit-down dinner and a fully-stocked bar. So how do you pull off such a unique event? Here are our top tips for creating a tea party wedding reception

Décor

The decorations for your tea party will set the tone for the whole event, so take the time to make or source decorations that will inspire and delight. First, every guest will need a teacup and saucer. Scour second-hand shops, antique fairs and your grandmother’s china hutch for any sets you can find. Don’t worry that none of them match – it’s part of the fun (and that way, guests can choose their…