Ah, the perfect sunset wedding. It’s been a pleasantly warm day. The air starts cooling down. The sun barely dips below the horizon. Everything couldn’t be more perfect. Until the bugs come out. Nothing is attractive about a huge mosquito covering your body in all your late-night wedding pictures. Your guest certainly doesn’t want to stay for the cake-cutting when they seem devoured. As beautiful as a sunset, an outdoor wedding may seem in our minds, and an abundance of uninvited pests will crash the party quickly.
Never fear, though. We’ve done a little research. So before you make the switch from June to January, here are a few tips to keep the bugs at a minimum:
1.) Stay away from stagnant water. Bugs breed in still pools of water, so avoid having your ceremony right on the bank of a pond or lake. You’d be swatting your way through the vows. Moving the ceremony several hundred yards away might be your best move yet.
2.) Choose a breezy spot. If you were to move up a hill a few yards to a more breezy location, do that. Besides the bugs, Maine refers to as its state bird. Most insects aren’t strong enough to fly in windy conditions. So they avoid them. Besides, having a soft wind blow the hair back from your face would work wonders for your wedding pictures.
3.) Offer bug repellent in your gift favors. Small little bottles of bug-repellent lotion will certainly come in handy later. Allow to choose the DEET or non-DEET option and leave a few extra areas around the ceremony and reception area. Even a little station with bug-repellent wipes will give guests a quick fix should they start to feel a little nibbled on.
4.) Use plants to your advantage. Believe it or not, mosquitos despise the smell of marigolds. Thai lemongrass can also have the same effect. Tie some with pretty ribbon and hang it from a couple of trees. Put a few potted marigolds in the doorway of your tent or spread them around the border of the reception area.
5.) Take advantage of bug-repelling candles. Citronella candles can work fairly well in deterring bugs, just as long as you’re okay with the smell they put off. Take a whiff before buying them in bulk and then spread them along the border with your marigolds or even have them in hanging lamps.
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