How to Plan a Desert Ranch Wedding

Desert ranch weddings are a unique and fun way to celebrate marriage against a stunning natural backdrop. There are so many fun things you can do in order to incorporate a western ranch theme into the decorations, dress, and venue of your wedding. If you are a city slicker looking to escape the city for a picturesque wedding, or a local who wants to celebrate their roots and personality, a desert ranch wedding is an excellent choice. In order to plan a desert ranch wedding, you will need to choose a venue, appropriate clothing, food and drinks, as well as decorations that reflect the ranching theme.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Choosing a Venue

  1. If you are planning a rustic desert ranch wedding, the best venue may be a working ranch. Ranches provide the perfect backdrop for a desert wedding because they have plenty of barns, horses and cattle onsite to create authentic photos. Although these venues can be picture perfect, they may have some shortcomings. Before booking your wedding at a working ranch ask the following questions: [1]
    • What time of year do you host weddings?
    • How many guests can you accommodate?
    • Do you provide accommodations for guests?
    • Do you provide wedding packages that include food and drinks?
    • Will you provide tables, chairs, plates, silverware, and glasses?
    • Some of these amenities may not be provided and will cost extra to hire outside caterers, servers etc.
  2. Try and find an event venue that has been made to look like a ranch, but is actually used primarily for hosting events such as conferences and weddings. These types of venues can be found in Texas and Arizona and will likely offer packages that include all of the wedding essentials. [2]
    • Before booking, visit the venue to make sure that you like the atmosphere, environment, and staff.
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  3. If you have settled on a rural ranch wedding then it may be difficult for your guests to find suitable accommodations. Try and find a venue that can provide lodging for your guests, or look for a place off-site that can accommodate them. If you have to find off-site accommodations, provide your guests with transportation to and from the venue. [3]
  4. Having a desert ranch wedding likely means that the venue will be outside in order to take advantage of the natural beauty. Whenever you are planning an outdoor event, you must consider the weather. In the desert the weather will likely be very hot. [4]
    • Provide your guests with lots of shading, air conditioning or fans, and water.
    • Ask the venue if they have a tent or barn available incase of rain.
    • Consider providing your guests with bug spray at dusk if the bugs are bad in the area.
    • Have blankets available for guests to use in the evening when the temperature cools drastically.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Dressing the Part

  1. An outdoor desert wedding is likely going to be hot. As a result, you should consider a wedding dress that uses light flowing fabric. This will keep the bride comfortable and cool throughout the day. Lace also looks fantastic in a western setting and will echo back to the 19th century and the days of the wild west. [5]
    • Regardless of the style make sure that the bride is comfortable and feels beautiful in the dress of her dreams.
  2. The groomsmen may look slightly out of place in full tuxedos on the ranch. Instead, opt for more casual suits and light colours. Try a light grey or navy blue suit. You could also remove the jackets and just have the groomsmen wear dress pants, a dress shirt, and a fun bolo tie and western belt buckle. [6]
  3. The wedding party can also amp up the ranch wedding theme by accessorizing with a western style. The possibilities are endless and it is up to the personal taste of the bride and groom to determine how far they want to take the western theme. [7]
    • Consider wearing cowboy boots or cowboy hats.
    • The bridesmaids could wear a cute horseshoe pendant.
    • The groomsmen could wear bolo ties and large belt buckles.
  4. Although long bridesmaids gowns are gorgeous, they may look too formal for a ranch wedding. Instead, pick shorter bridesmaids dresses which are more practical for walking around the dusty barnyard and desert. Shorter dresses will also show off the bridesmaids footwear. Short dresses pair nicely with cowboy boots and provide the perfect look for a ranch wedding. [8]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Providing Food and Drink

  1. In the heat of the desert, you should always have water and refreshments available for your guests throughout the day. During the reception, you could have cold water bottles and sodas available for your guests before they take their seats. You could also have lemonade, punch, or iced tea served in pitchers during the cocktail hour and reception. [9]
    • You could also create a signature cocktail for the guests to try.
  2. You can even carry the ranch theme throughout the reception. Try serving classic ranch food, such as steak, fish, or wild game. If you want a more casual dining experience, you could opt for burgers or barbecued meats and veggies.
    • A fun dessert option would be to serve a variety of homemade pies from a local bakery, instead of the traditional wedding cake. [10]
  3. Weddings are increasingly offering additional food and midnight snack tables. Give your appetizers and snacks a southwestern feel by offering a selection of Tex-Mex favourites. For example, nachos, tacos, and quesadillas make excellent snacks. You could even create a taco bar, where guests can order a chicken, beef, or veggie taco and then add their own toppings.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Decorating to Complement the Western Theme

  1. Succulents and cacti make excellent simple centrepieces that complement the western theme of the wedding. Cacti are local to the region and are relatively easy to care for. You can even use a small plant, such as a succulent, for place cards. [11]
    • For example, buy miniature potted succulents and paint the name of the guest on the pot. This will act as a place card as well as a wedding favour.
  2. To give your wedding a true barnyard feel, seat your guests at long family-style rustic tables. This seating arrangement works well for a casual barbecue meal. It also looks nice in a big barn reception hall. This allows guests the sit together and get to know each other, rather than separating everyone at smaller tables of six to eight people.
  3. Mason jars are very trendy and will give your wedding an elegant rustic feel, perfect for a desert ranch wedding. Serve cocktails and refreshments in mason jars. They can also be used to hold bouquets and floral arrangements on each table. Tie a colourful ribbon or piece of twine around the mason jars to complement the colour theme of your wedding.
    • For example, if rose pink and light green are your wedding colours, you could tie a pink ribbon around each mason jar.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      2. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      3. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      4. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      5. ↑ https://www.clazyu.com/blog/weddings/planning-the-perfect-rustic-ranch-wedding/
      6. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      7. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      8. ↑ https://www.clazyu.com/blog/weddings/planning-the-perfect-rustic-ranch-wedding/
      9. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/how-to-ranch-wedding-style
      1. ↑ https://www.clazyu.com/blog/weddings/planning-the-perfect-rustic-ranch-wedding/
      2. ↑ http://greenweddingshoes.com/dreamy-ranch-wedding-tenaya-mike/

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