What you need for a wedding ceremony on location

A wedding ceremony away from a permanent venue needs more than chairs and flowers. You need to bring the equipment for the ceremony itself, plus enough tableware, serving tools, cooling and shelter for the reception afterwards. Use the guest count to calculate plates, glasses and seats, then add a small reserve for breakages and unexpected guests. Check deliveries, power outlets, toilets and the weather plan before anything is loaded into the vehicle.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentqty 2
Folding tableqty 8
Chairqty 70
Ceremonial chairqty 2
Buffet tableqty 3
Tableclothqty 8
Standing tableqty 4
Coat rack

Tableware

Dinner plateqty 80
Dessert plateqty 80
Cupqty 70
Coffee cupqty 70
Water glassqty 80
Wine glassqty 80
Champagne glassqty 70
Coffee spoonqty 70
Table knifeqty 80
Table forkqty 80
Serving spoonqty 12

Kitchen

Cutting boardqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Serving platterqty 10
Serving tongsqty 8
Food warmerqty 6
Thermosqty 6
Cool boxqty 4
Ice cube trayqty 3
Cake knife
Cake spatula
Dishpanqty 3

Equipment

Bluetooth speakerqty 2
Wireless microphone
Microphone stand
Extension cordqty 4
Power stripqty 4
Rechargeable power bankqty 2

Lighting

String lightsqty 6
LED lampqty 8

Decorations

Ceremony arch
Artificial flower arrangementqty 8
Vaseqty 8
Table runnerqty 8
Menu card standqty 8
Welcome sign
Guest book
Pen setqty 2
Program bookletqty 70
Name badgeqty 70
Table number setqty 8
Balloon archqty 2
Confetti-free scatter materialqty 4

Cleaning

Broomqty 2
Floor squeegee
Bucketqty 3
Microfiber clothqty 10
Trash binqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Tonic - 3 bottles
- Ginger ale - 3 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 10 bottles
- Spa Rood - 6 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 5 cartons
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Pilsner - 72 bottles
- Rosé - 8 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Red wine - 8 bottles
- Prosecco - 10 bottles
- Sparkling juice - 4 bottles
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Limes - 12 pieces
- Fresh mint - 4 bunches
- Ice cubes - 12 bags
- Ice lollies - 40 pieces
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Herb butter - 6 tubs
- Hummus - 6 tubs
- Cream cheese - 4 tubs
- Young cheese - 2 kilos
- Brie - 1 kilo
- Parma ham - 1 kilo
- Cervelat - 1 kilo
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Strawberries - 3 kilos
- Melon - 4 pieces
- Cucumber - 8 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Carrots - 2 kilos
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salty sticks - 4 bags
- Mixed nuts - 3 kilo
- Olives - 6 jars
- Pickles - 3 jars
- Salsa - 4 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Barbecue sauce - 2 bottles
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 1 jar
- Garlic powder - 1 jar
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Pasta - 5 kilos
- Rice - 4 kilos
- Pasta sauce - 8 jars
- Pesto - 6 jars
- Vegetable stock - 2 boxes
- Mixed salad - 5 kilos
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Arugula - 1 kilo
- Parmesan cheese - 1 kilo
- Feta - 1 kilo
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilo
- Sandwiches - 80 pieces
- Vegetarian burgers - 20 pieces
- Chicken breast - 5 kilos
- Beef - 5 kilo
- Vegetarian meal portions - 10 portions
- Vegan meal portions - 5 portions
- Cake - 1 large cake
- Whipped cream - 4 aerosol cans
- Mini pastries - 80 pieces
- Brownies - 60
- Chocolate - 2 kilos
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper straws - 100 pieces
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Hand gel - 4 bottles
- Toilet freshener - 2 pieces
- Sponges - 10 pieces
- Rubber gloves - 4 pairs

Tips

Plan one chair per guest, plus the ceremonial chair and at least two spare chairs. Set out the ceremony seating before guests arrive so you can still change the layout if the ground or weather causes a problem.
For tableware, count one dinner plate, dessert plate, fork, knife and water glass per guest, then add 10% extra. Wine and champagne glasses should be counted separately according to whether both drinks are being served.
Keep cold food and drinks in cool boxes until serving, and prepare enough ice for the first service as well as refills. A practical starting point is 0.5 to 1 kg of ice per 10 guests, depending on the temperature and how long drinks must stay cold.
Set up serving equipment before catering arrives: buffet tables, serving platters, tongs, spoons, food warmers and thermoses. A missing serving spoon or cake knife is harder to replace at an off-site ceremony than at a venue with a kitchen.
Bring shelter and weather supplies at least one day before the ceremony if possible. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for party tents, tables and chairs, and check the bad-weather layout before guests begin arriving.

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy for a wedding ceremony on location?: Plan for ceremony seating, a ceremonial chair, tables, tablecloths, tableware, serving equipment, cool boxes, ice, thermoses and food warmers. Add shelter such as a party tent if the location has no reliable indoor backup.
How many plates and glasses do I need for an outdoor wedding?: Start with one dinner plate, dessert plate and water glass per guest, plus 10% spare. Count wine, champagne and coffee cups separately; for 50 guests, that means at least 55 of each item used by everyone.
How much time do I need to set up an outdoor wedding ceremony?: Allow 60 to 90 minutes for chairs, tables, the ceremony area and a party tent, then add another 30 minutes for tableware and catering equipment. Bring non-perishable supplies the day before when the location allows it.
How much ice do I need for a wedding ceremony reception?: Use 0.5 to 1 kg of ice per 10 guests as a starting point for chilled drinks. For 50 guests, prepare about 2.5 to 5 kg, and use more if drinks must remain cold outside for several hours.

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