Though garden setups are irresistibly charming, they also come with pitfalls. For stylish and risk-free celebrations, here are some tips on how to set the mood for a garden wedding.

* Set up tents or parasols for guests. The couple may have their own comfortable gazebo but guests are in for an outdoor adventure, battling either the sun’s rays or rainfall throughout the ceremony. To ensure their safety (and a sure audience for your declaration of love), set up sturdy tents decorated in the wedding’s motif. Parasols may be put up to shade the guests from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

* Strategically position insect repellents around the area. Since garden weddings go hand in hand with flowers and plants, insects are natural antagonists to the affair. To guarantee an itch-free experience for guests, strategically position insect zappers or eucalyptus plants around the area. Also, make sure that the garden is clean before styling so the number of bugs would be minimized.

 * Secure air-conditioning. Humidity and ultraviolet rays are sure adversaries of guests’ comfort. Technology has made this outdoor problem manageable with evaporative air conditioning where cool mist is released to refresh guests. Another option is to rent an air-conditioned garden for a temperature-controlled setting.

* Release butterflies or bubbles instead of confetti. Butterflies and bubbles could greatly contribute to creating a fairy tale wedding. More and more companies are supplying live butterflies and bubbles since these confetti alternatives are safe for release. The wedding’s motif can also be highlighted by uniformly-colored butterflies flitting throughout the area.

 * Charm them with tea lights. These charming mini-candles increase the feeling of solemnity and add a touch of class to any ceremony. Tea lights could be placed on the middle of the table as accents during daytime ceremonies. For nighttime garden weddings, these little illuminaries could do wonders for the mood. Aside from lighting candles on tables, walls surrounding the area could also be lined with lights. Candles could also be hung from trees, seemingly floating, adding a dream-like quality to the festivities. However, make sure that your guests are safe from the dripping, hot wax.

* Set up a wishing well. A wishing well has always been a delightful accent to any garden for it adds an air of enchantment to the affair. Whether or not wishes do come true, wishing wells provide great attraction to guests, especially to youngsters. Still, make sure the well is shallow to make certain children would safe from danger in case some attempt to reach for coins.

* Arrange zen fountains or rock gardens. Nature is relaxing and this can be credited to the soothing presence of water. Zen fountains, with water flowing through stones and bamboos, could supply calm to weddings. Rocks could also be arranged in certain areas to serve as seats during reception small-talk.

* Provide tropical drinks. To quench thirst in style, colorful drinks displayed, readily available to anyone, would be nice. Bottles of water could be given out during the ceremony while slushed teas or fruit juices could be served during cocktail hour. Aside from satisfying thirst, drinks add color to weddings. Drinks could even be customized to fit the theme of the wedding.

* Distribute functional souvenirs. During the wedding, guests could opt to claim functional souvenirs such as hats to help shade them from the sun or fans to help keep them cool. These could be customized according to the theme of the wedding, creating a unified look. Guests could take these home as souvenirs.

* Mark the celebration with a bang. Fireworks would be lovely for a nighttime garden wedding. It could add color and sparkle to an already star-filled sky resulting to picturesque moments on your romantic day.

A garden always has a soft place in the heart of every woman. With the right elements and accents, a wedding celebrated in a garden could make that special day extremely memorable.