For some, an outdoor wedding is the perfect choice for their big day. Unfortunately, bugs can easily invite themselves to the festivities. With a little bit of planning, you can help ensure pests don’t bug you or your guests. Check out a few tips to prevent bugs from crashing your outdoor wedding.
Choose Your Venue Carefully
When choosing a venue, you need to find the right fit for you. However, you want to make sure bugs don’t find the space too appealing. Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water including ponds and lakes. Dense vegetation can provide bugs with potential hiding spots. Be mindful of this when choosing the event space. If you’re having a backyard wedding, you’ll want to minimize moisture build-up and keep your lawn and vegetation trimmed.
Check for Nests
When looking at venue options, keep your eyes open for nests. Stinging insects often build nests in trees and shrubs. Yellow jackets are also known to place nests at the base of trees. You’ll also want to look for mounds of dirt that could be ant nests. If you notice these, mention it to the vendor. If it’s on your property, you can carefully treat stinging insect nests with a plant-based insecticide spray like our Wasp & Hornet Killer. Ant nests can be treated with our Spider & Insect Dust.
Cover Food & Drinks
Bugs probably enjoy the food at weddings more than anything else. Stinging insects and ants are attracted to sugary drinks, sweets, and other wedding treats. Keeping food and drinks covered can help to prevent a bug problem. Having a plated dinner can minimize the time food is left out in the open. If you would prefer a buffet, consider placing the food in a tent or enclosed area. This will help to keep bugs away from the food.
Keep the Area Free of Trash
Some pests, like flies, are attracted to decaying matter and garbage. Keeping your wedding venue clean will help to prevent pests. Make sure trash is picked up to avoid attracting pests. Use trash bins with lids that are sealed tightly. You’ll also want to place trash cans away from dining areas and buffets.
Choose the Right Décor
One way to prevent pests is adding bug-repelling elements. Some plants have fragrances that are known to repel bugs. Incorporating bug-repelling plants, like mint, lavender, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and petunias, to your decorations and bouquets can help keep bugs away. If you want to use candles, consider using unscented ones. Stinging insects and mosquitoes are attracted to strong floral and sweet fragrances. An unscented candle can help you avoid attracting them.
Use Fans
Many flying insects struggle to fly when it’s windy. Placing fans around the venue can help to discourage pests. You can also place smaller fans on tables and areas where food can be found. Be sure to set fans on a low setting. This will help keep pests at bay but won’t interfere with the fun festivities.
Use a Plant-Based Insect Repellent
Mosquitoes are one party crasher you want to avoid. Applying our Natural Insect Repellent can help keep mosquitoes, ticks, and flies from bugging your guests. Supplying a few bottles of bug spray can help protect guests. You can place these in baskets throughout the venue so guests can use them as needed. Your guests will be happy that they won’t be scratching mosquito bites all night.
Create a Protective Barrier
Treating the venue with a plant-based insecticide spray can help prevent pests. If you’re having the wedding on your property, spray the lawn a few days before the event. Our Yard Bug Spray kills common outdoor pests and provides residual repellency. This acts as a protective barrier helping to keep pests out. If it’s not possible for you to spray the venue, check with the vender to see how they manage pests.
Use a Mosquito Repellent Canister
Placing mosquito repellent canisters around your venue can help to deter mosquito activity. Our 'Skeet-R-Shield Mosquito Repellent Canister is easy to use and portable. The granules contain plant oils that help to repel mosquitoes. One canister can protect an area up to 250 sq ft. Multiple canisters can be used to protect larger areas.
Bugs may want to be party crashers, but you don’t have to welcome them. With a little planning, you can help prevent pesky bugs from attending your wedding. If you’re dealing with a pest problem, we’re here to help! For a more environmentally and family-friendly solution, check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.