By April Kabbash

Imagine an amazing azure sky overhead, birds singing, and a gentle breeze blowing through your veil. If you have been dreaming of an outdoor wedding, you're in luck. From your own backyard to state parks and campgrounds to miles of sandy beach at the Shore, the Garden State offers too many options to count. And while it will take a bit more planning on your part, you'll likely end up with a day you'll never forget. “An outdoor wedding by its very nature tends to be more unique,” says wedding planner Toni DeLisi of Memorable Events in Ramsey (201-934-9979; www.memorableeventsinc.com) and the New Jersey State Coordinator for the Association of Bridal Consultants. “People who choose this option are really looking for something special, but they also need to be very flexible.”

Hiring a wedding planner for an outdoor wedding can really help. “An outdoor wedding is a big project with a lot of details to be managed,” says DeLisi. “The day of the wedding, the bride and her mother will not want to manage everything. That's where a professional can really help.”

DeLisi also cautions that an outdoor wedding will generally cost 10 to 20 percent more than an event held at a reception hall. “An outdoor event will include costs you wouldn't have at a reception-hall event, like furniture rentals, tents, etc.” In addition to rentals, make sure your venue has enough electricity to run everything you'll need, from deejay equipment to coffee urns, without blowing a fuse.

Also be sure you check with the venue on set-up procedures, because tents and other rentals will often arrive a day or two before the wedding. Make sure someone is available to take delivery, and be sure you know how early you will be able to set up—if there's another event the night before yours, timing will be tight.

And make sure you visit the site a day or two before the wedding, to make sure everything is in order. One recent bride had chosen a beautiful spot next to a lake for her ceremony. When she arrived for the rehearsal, though, she realized that in the six weeks

since she had last visited, a flock of Canada geese had decided to call the place home. The groom, groomsmen, and wedding coordinator spent the next morning, shovels in hand, cleaning up before the guests arrived. Luckily, that was the only hiccup in an otherwise perfect day.

One final tip from DeLisi: “The one thing you have no control over is the weather. Have a backup plan and make sure you are comfortable with it.” And, of course, enjoy your day.