Outdoor Weddings:
Outdoor weddings at Sticks are beautiful!! The ceremony 'Cove' (as we call it) is surrounded by mature trees, native Iowa plants, and the beauty of the outside architecture of Sticks Studio.
That being said, there are a few key factors to keep in mind when planning your outdoor ceremony:
Weather: The weather forecast can change daily and even hourly so making 'the call' can be a difficult choice. If it's more then 20% chance of rain it's important to be very comfortable with the plan to have the ceremony inside as it may need to be moved inside. For Friday or Saturday weddings that would like to use the Drawing Room for the ceremony if it's moved inside, Sticks would need to know by noon on Friday for either day. Please email the event director Anthony by noon to let him know if it's inside or outside. The chair delivery company would need to know by noon on Friday too. To save you on a 2nd delivery charge they will often bring the chairs out on Friday. If you wish to avoid a 2nd delivery charge and the chairs arrive on Friday it is your responsibility to clean off the seats of the chairs as needed before the ceremony. Since the chairs will be outside, there will be normal condensation and tree/flower/nature particles that will need cleaned off before guests sit.
If there is rain before the wedding the ground may be soft and muddy. If the chairs get mud on them the rental company will charge a cleaning fee for this ($3 per chair++). Also, since the chairs are left out over night and if it rains on the chairs there will be a drying and cleaning fee for that too (another $3 per chair++) from the rental company to dry/clean the wet chairs. You may request that the rental company come back after the ceremony to pick up the chairs (they will charge a after hour pick-up fee for this). The rental company may require you to pre-pay the cleaning fee and refund the fee if there is no mud. The rental company can refuse to setup chairs outside if there is mud and a cleaning fee has not been arranged before the wedding. Please note, that the rental companies chairs are wedding white and are not outdoor festival products where mud is part of the wear and tear. Mud on the base of chairs is not part of the rental fee.
Sticks, Inc./Out of Box Weddings has no direct input on their pricing or fee's we just mention this here as a courtesy. This is also mentioned in the Terms on the rental companies agreement and in our Sticks, Inc. agreement.
Keep up with current weather forecasts here and let us by noon they day before you wedding if you'll be inside or outside: LINK
Sound: There is no power outside so your DJ will need to make sure to bring at least 150 feet+ of extension cords to run power from the building. It's pulled through the window with extension cords so that the plug is brought to the ceremony area.
Here's a diagram to help the DJ find the plug to draw power from: LINK
Diagram:
Here is a link to our most popular setup for outside weddings (Option 1 - East/West): LINK
Here is our second most popular setup (Option 2 - North/South): LINK
*Please note that the North/South option can be more muddy.
Moving Inside: If you end up moving the ceremony inside we suggest draping the south end of the drawing room.
Please contact Anthony from Sticks/Out of Box for a drape quote from our approved rental company. Here is a link to photos of the drape: LINK
Rehearsal: Please schedule your rehearsal 2 months before your wedding to ensure that staff will be available. If a new client wishes to book Sticks the night before your wedding you may need to adjust your rehearsal time. Here's the link to schedule it: LINK
Bugs: Sticks is next to a forest reserve so having bug spray on hand is a very good idea! We also suggest spraying for Mosquitos, the cost from our vendor is about $55 and would be paid to him directly. If you wish to have this arranged please email the Sticks event director. EMAIL
Grounds: Please remember to assign someone to pickup the grounds after the ceremony, water bottles, fans, bells, paper programs, tissues, etc. You may use real petals on the grounds without picking them up but not fake ones. The following may not be used fake rose pedals, confetti, bird seed, glass beads, plastic beads, silly string, or any other item that you may throw toward the wedding couple. If you have something not listed in mind please email your Sticks/Out of Box contact to request approval. If items not approved are used there will be a cleaning fee charged.
Ushers: You want to make sure that you guests do not enter the building (unless the need to use the restroom), but rather head directly to the ceremony site as it is a challenge to get them out of the building once they are in. They best way to manage this is by using 4 ushers. One at the main parking lot directing guests on-to the lawn rather than coming up the main walk-way, another one by a guestbook/gift/program table, a third one at the end of the aisle of chairs directing guests to seats, and a fourth one on the east side parking lot directing guests to the gift/guestbook/program table.
Here's a list of key duties from the usher/host/helper:
1 person in the main parking lot guiding guests to the guest book/gift table.
1 person at the guest book/gift table taking their gifts and instructing them on the guestbook and explaining how to enter the ceremony cove.
1 person at the end of the aisle directing guests to their seats (is there a bride groom side? where are the reserved seats? etc.) and passing out programs if you are providing them.
1 person at the back parking lot guiding guests to the guestbook/gift table.
Walking: Here's a diagram of what the above usher details would look like and how the guests will walk to the ceremony site: DIAGRAM
Checklist: Here's a link to the Outdoor Ceremony Checklist, this should be completed 1 month before the wedding: CHECKLIST
Rentals: Please contact Anthony to place your rental order for ceremony chairs, outside DJ table, outside guestbook/gift/card table, arch, etc. Please note that no Sticks furniture items may be taken outside of the building and placed on the grounds. Your guests will need a place to sign the guestbook and to drop off their gifts and cards. You're DJ may need a table and chair.
If the ceremony chairs are being used outside and then again inside for dinner please remember that this must be pre-arranged with the rental company at least 2 months before your wedding and is subject to their staff availability and they do charge a trip charge and transfer fee. Sticks Studio, the caterer, nor Out of Box transfers chairs from one place to another this is something that would need to be arranged by the rental company or by ushers, family, and friends.
Here's to great weather and a beautiful ceremony!
That being said, there are a few key factors to keep in mind when planning your outdoor ceremony:
Weather: The weather forecast can change daily and even hourly so making 'the call' can be a difficult choice. If it's more then 20% chance of rain it's important to be very comfortable with the plan to have the ceremony inside as it may need to be moved inside. For Friday or Saturday weddings that would like to use the Drawing Room for the ceremony if it's moved inside, Sticks would need to know by noon on Friday for either day. Please email the event director Anthony by noon to let him know if it's inside or outside. The chair delivery company would need to know by noon on Friday too. To save you on a 2nd delivery charge they will often bring the chairs out on Friday. If you wish to avoid a 2nd delivery charge and the chairs arrive on Friday it is your responsibility to clean off the seats of the chairs as needed before the ceremony. Since the chairs will be outside, there will be normal condensation and tree/flower/nature particles that will need cleaned off before guests sit.
If there is rain before the wedding the ground may be soft and muddy. If the chairs get mud on them the rental company will charge a cleaning fee for this ($3 per chair++). Also, since the chairs are left out over night and if it rains on the chairs there will be a drying and cleaning fee for that too (another $3 per chair++) from the rental company to dry/clean the wet chairs. You may request that the rental company come back after the ceremony to pick up the chairs (they will charge a after hour pick-up fee for this). The rental company may require you to pre-pay the cleaning fee and refund the fee if there is no mud. The rental company can refuse to setup chairs outside if there is mud and a cleaning fee has not been arranged before the wedding. Please note, that the rental companies chairs are wedding white and are not outdoor festival products where mud is part of the wear and tear. Mud on the base of chairs is not part of the rental fee.
Sticks, Inc./Out of Box Weddings has no direct input on their pricing or fee's we just mention this here as a courtesy. This is also mentioned in the Terms on the rental companies agreement and in our Sticks, Inc. agreement.
Keep up with current weather forecasts here and let us by noon they day before you wedding if you'll be inside or outside: LINK
Sound: There is no power outside so your DJ will need to make sure to bring at least 150 feet+ of extension cords to run power from the building. It's pulled through the window with extension cords so that the plug is brought to the ceremony area.
Here's a diagram to help the DJ find the plug to draw power from: LINK
Diagram:
Here is a link to our most popular setup for outside weddings (Option 1 - East/West): LINK
Here is our second most popular setup (Option 2 - North/South): LINK
*Please note that the North/South option can be more muddy.
Moving Inside: If you end up moving the ceremony inside we suggest draping the south end of the drawing room.
Please contact Anthony from Sticks/Out of Box for a drape quote from our approved rental company. Here is a link to photos of the drape: LINK
Rehearsal: Please schedule your rehearsal 2 months before your wedding to ensure that staff will be available. If a new client wishes to book Sticks the night before your wedding you may need to adjust your rehearsal time. Here's the link to schedule it: LINK
Bugs: Sticks is next to a forest reserve so having bug spray on hand is a very good idea! We also suggest spraying for Mosquitos, the cost from our vendor is about $55 and would be paid to him directly. If you wish to have this arranged please email the Sticks event director. EMAIL
Grounds: Please remember to assign someone to pickup the grounds after the ceremony, water bottles, fans, bells, paper programs, tissues, etc. You may use real petals on the grounds without picking them up but not fake ones. The following may not be used fake rose pedals, confetti, bird seed, glass beads, plastic beads, silly string, or any other item that you may throw toward the wedding couple. If you have something not listed in mind please email your Sticks/Out of Box contact to request approval. If items not approved are used there will be a cleaning fee charged.
Ushers: You want to make sure that you guests do not enter the building (unless the need to use the restroom), but rather head directly to the ceremony site as it is a challenge to get them out of the building once they are in. They best way to manage this is by using 4 ushers. One at the main parking lot directing guests on-to the lawn rather than coming up the main walk-way, another one by a guestbook/gift/program table, a third one at the end of the aisle of chairs directing guests to seats, and a fourth one on the east side parking lot directing guests to the gift/guestbook/program table.
Here's a list of key duties from the usher/host/helper:
1 person in the main parking lot guiding guests to the guest book/gift table.
1 person at the guest book/gift table taking their gifts and instructing them on the guestbook and explaining how to enter the ceremony cove.
1 person at the end of the aisle directing guests to their seats (is there a bride groom side? where are the reserved seats? etc.) and passing out programs if you are providing them.
1 person at the back parking lot guiding guests to the guestbook/gift table.
Walking: Here's a diagram of what the above usher details would look like and how the guests will walk to the ceremony site: DIAGRAM
Checklist: Here's a link to the Outdoor Ceremony Checklist, this should be completed 1 month before the wedding: CHECKLIST
Rentals: Please contact Anthony to place your rental order for ceremony chairs, outside DJ table, outside guestbook/gift/card table, arch, etc. Please note that no Sticks furniture items may be taken outside of the building and placed on the grounds. Your guests will need a place to sign the guestbook and to drop off their gifts and cards. You're DJ may need a table and chair.
If the ceremony chairs are being used outside and then again inside for dinner please remember that this must be pre-arranged with the rental company at least 2 months before your wedding and is subject to their staff availability and they do charge a trip charge and transfer fee. Sticks Studio, the caterer, nor Out of Box transfers chairs from one place to another this is something that would need to be arranged by the rental company or by ushers, family, and friends.
Here's to great weather and a beautiful ceremony!